Make It Tonight With Fresh Cranberries

Harvested in late fall and early winter, tart red cranberries often make their appearance on holiday dinner tables, most often transformed into sauce to serve with roasted turkey, ham and pork. The fact that they’re a bright ruby red also makes them perfect for decorating—stringing with popcorn for the Christmas tree, or tossed into baked goods or over cheesecakes to add brilliant colour to party dishes. Their tart flavour is as striking as their shade, making them more suitable for sweet dishes and desserts; they pair well with lemon, orange and other citrus, which is also at its best during the winter months, and their acidity makes for a tasty contrast to mild, buttery cheeses and bitter red cabbage.

Whatever you happen to be baking, fresh or frozen cranberries will almost certainly make them more festive—they’re startlingly delicious added to a pan of brownies, will add even more pucker power to lemon bars and apple pies, and will make muffins, scones and quick breads pop with flavour. Add them straight from the bag (if you use frozen, don’t bother thawing them first) and you’ll be adding extra fibre and vitamin C, to boot.

Cranberry Orange Loaf

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
finely grated zest of an orange
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and orange zest until fluffy, then beat in the egg. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the juice in two. Add the cranberries along with the final addition of flour.

Pour into a greased or parchment-lined 8x4-inch loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until springy to the touch.

- Julie Van Rosendaal

Five Make It Tonight recipes for Fresh Cranberries

	Baked Brie with Cranberries and Rosemary
	Cranberry-Raspberry Jellied Salad
	Braised Red Cabbage with Cranberries
	Cranberry Orange Loaf
	Cranberry-Apple Crisp