Tis’ the Season… the grocery stores are starting to get their fresh cranberries in and do they look yummy!  I have a few favorites that we always make during the Holidays, but I’m sure there are lots of other uses for those beautiful cranberries. 

I actually lived for some time close to cranberry bogs, so had access to the freshest cranberries around.  As kids, we would even eat them uncooked right out of the bag. That’s a taste explosion worth trying, once.  We tried drying them, but never was successful with that project.  We probably needed some sort of fruit drying machine in order for it to work, but we were kids so we just left them out in the sun on a pan. Not the preferred method, to be sure. 

Aside from the classic cooked version of cranberries, where you just boil them down in water and sugar and serve, are there some recipes that would really be a surprise?  We also make a Cranberry Relish by putting fresh cranberries in the food processor, throwing in a whole cut up orange, and a little bit of lemon, and a touch of sugar, and just grind them all up together.  It’s pretty simple, but seems to be one of our family favorites, so we haven’t messed with that formula at all.

I’m looking for a recipe that’s a bit unusual that you have made with fresh cranberries.  Something that your family asks for year after year and has become a classic dish on your table.  Any ideas?