Their Popularity is Soaring, So Know and Love Them!

(photo by Galyna Andrushko,  Dreamstime.com)

Tart . . . Tangy . . . we used to think of cranberries only as something that appeared as a sauce on the table on Thanksgiving.

Grandma, and maybe Aunt Betty, were the only people who actually ate much of it, though.

But now, you can find these red beauties being used in cereal . . . yogurt . . . bagels . . . cookies . . . soft drinks . . . salads . . . energy bars . . . cakes . . . breads . . . turkey, pork, chicken, and ham main dishes . . . and candy (with chocolate!).

And you can probably easily add some more to this list.

New recipes using fresh, frozen, or dried berries are popping up in cookbooks and the internet and quickly becoming favorites.
Here are two of my favorites.

Cranberry Glazed Hamballs

Mix and form into balls:

1-1/2 lb ham loaf mix

1-1/2 cups bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Dressing:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 can sliced pineapples

1/4 cup juice from pineapples

1 cup whole cranberry sauce

Place pineapple slices on bottom of pan.  Add ham balls.  Mix remaining dressing ingredients together and pour on top of ham balls.  Bake one hour at 325 degrees.

Cranberry Sweet and Sour Pork

4 pork chops or small pork roast
1/2 cup water
1 can pineapple chunks with juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 small onion, chopped

Brown pork in small amount of oil. Add water and cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.
Drain pineapple and mix rest of ingredients with juice in saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture thickens.
Then combine pork, pineapple, and juice mixture and cook a few minutes until bubbly. Serve over rice.