Five Cranberry Recipes

Growing up we were a Cranberry From The Can family. You know, the cranberry blog with can ridges? My sister swears that this is the one and only way to eat cranberries on Thanksgiving and will bring her own can, if needed.

Although the cranberry can-shaped blob invokes nostalgic memories - I've graduated to real Cranberry Sauce made with fresh cranberries. Considering Wisconsin is the number one producer of cranberries, I don't view this as snobbish but rather, I'm now better supporting my state.

1. Classic Cranberry Sauce 
from allrecipes.com

Every fall, I attempt to recreate our local coffee roaster's famous Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins. Every fall I get a little closer and I'm confident that if you haven't had Alterra's Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins, you'll love these. If you have, you'll know that I'm an impostor. A good impostor, but still, an impostor.

If for any reason you don't like them, please send your leftovers to Ingrid. She will happily shove them in her mouth two at a time.

2. Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins 
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole grain flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¾ - 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp molasses
1 cup fresh cranberries
Optional: pepitas seeds and turbanino sugar

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with muffin papers.
2. Whisk flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a small bowl.
3. Mix pumpkin, milk, oil, and molasses in a larger bowl.
4. Mix dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture in batches. Fold in cranberries.
5. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and top with pepitas seeds and turbanino sugar.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

In addition to muffins and the traditional cranberry sauce another favorite of mine is Cranberry Bread from Martha herself (of at least, from her website). I love making a double or triple batch of this quick bread to freeze and gift around the holiday season.

3. Cranberry Bread 

from marthastewart.com

Every year my employer gifts us a few boxes of cranberries. If you're like me and find yourself with a few extra pounds of cranberries, the good news is you can refrigerate them for a month or freeze for up to a year. Or, find a local church or community center that is in need of food and donate your extras.

Have you had enough cranberry talk for one day? Good, me either. Finally, I can't wait to try these two new recipes this fall. Cocktails and carbs? What's not to like.

4. Cranberry Ginger Cocktail
from pixelatedcrumb.com

5. Fresh Cranberry Scone

from twopeasandtheirpod.com

Enjoy!