Cranberry Rosemary Spritzer

So pretty for Christmas!! Skip the bourbon for a delicious mocktail.


http://www.shutterbean.com/2012/cranberry-rosemary-spritzers/

Cranberry Rosemary Spritzers

makes 4-5 drinks

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• ice
• 2 cups cranberry juice (you can use sweetened)
• 1 ¼ cup bourbon
• 1 12oz. bottle ginger beer
• pomegranate seeds & rosemary sprigs for garnishing

To make the Rosemary Simple Syrup:

Put rosemary sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat until simple syrup boils. Turn off heat and let rosemary steep in the simple syrup for at least an hour.

To make the Spritzers:

In a large pitcher, mix cranberry juice, rosemary simple syrup, bourbon & ginger beer with ice. Stir well.

To serve, fill each cup with the spritzer and garnish with pomegranate seeds & a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/glazed-cranberry-lemon-cake/

NGREDIENTS:

CAKE:

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons butter), room temperature
• 1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 3 cups (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
• 2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) granulated sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

GLAZE:

• 1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 10- or 12-inch bundt cake pan with butter – making sure to grease all the nooks and crannies really well.
2. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the pan, then layer the cranberries evenly over the sugar.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the granulated sugar together with the zest from the lemons. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is infused with the lemon fragrance.
5. Add the butter to the bowl with the lemon sugar and, using the paddle or whisk attachment on the stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk with the 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
7. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and a few dry streaks remain. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk/lemon mixture. Mix again until just combined.
8. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, followed by the remaining 1/2 buttermilk/lemon juice mixture. Mix. Add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
9. Spread the batter carefully into the prepared pan over the cranberries.
10. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until lightly golden on top and just set.
11. Transfer the bundt pan to a  wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, tapping lightly so the cake falls out. Let the cake cool completely.
12. For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar with the 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Add additional lemon juice or milk for a thinner consistency, if needed.
13. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and let set, 5-10 minutes, before slicing and serving.

Cranberry Christmas Salsa

http://saucyskillet.blogspot.ca/2011/12/cranberry-christmas-salsa.html

Cranberry Christmas Salsa
by Renée

Ingredients: Cranberry, center,
 and, clockwise from left,
jalapeno, onion, ginger,
chipotle pepper, pineapple,
cilantro, limes

 In a saucepan cook until slightly juicy

 1 bag of chopped cranberries
 2 tsp minced ginger
 1 tsp salt
 1 to 2 tsp smoked chipotle pepper 
 1 tsp cinnamon
 Juice from 1/2 a lime
Secret ingredient: 1 tsp cumin


 Don't cook this too long. You're just blending flavors a bit to take the tannic edge off the cranberries. If you want less spicy heat, substitute some liquid smoke for the powdered chipotle pepper, to your taste.

In a small skillet quickly sear 

1/2 medium onion diced

1 chopped jalapeno pepper

Again, don't cook for too long. You're just taking the edge off those onions and blending that jalapeno pepper a bit. Add this to the cranberries. Also add

a handful of crushed cilantro (optional)

1 chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup sugar

Crushing cilantro helps modulate that soapy flavor which so many folks dislike. Cilantro is the authentic salsa seasoning, but this salsa is great without it, too. I tried mint as a substitute and I felt like the cilantro tasted better.

I kept the pineapple fresh because it has an enzyme in it that prevents the cranberries from gelling up. That gives the dip a more usual salsa consistency.

Stir things up well and give this a taste test. Add more sugar if the cranberries turned out tarter than expected, or a pinch more salt if you think it's too sweet. This is incredibly delicious and gets more so after an overnight chill in that deep dark refrigerator. Serve the dip with some red and green tortilla chips and try not to eat — er I mean test — it all before the party!