Spotlight on: Cranberries

• Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and also an excellent source of fiber.
• Cranberries alone can be particularly tart, but in a sauce, juice, or as an ingredient in cakes, stuffing or casseroles, this fruit becomes tastier.
• When shopping for cranberries, choose cranberries that are shiny and not shriveled.
• A deep red or almost brown color actually signals freshness. A good cranberry should be hard.
• Cranberries will keep up to two weeks in a refrigerator.

Recipe: Holiday Cranberry Sauce

• 4 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 5 whole cloves
• 5 whole allspice berries
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups white sugar

Place fresh cranberries and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Wrap cloves, allspice berries and cinnamon sticks in a spice bag. Place in the water with cranberries. Cook until cranberries begin to burst, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar and reduce heat to low. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Discard spice bag. Chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

Recipe:  Cranchick Salad 

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
•  1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 8 leaves spinach - rinsed, stemmed, and dried

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, stir together the celery, walnuts, cranberries, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Add cooled chicken, and stir until well combined. Cover and chill about 6 hours and serve on top of spinach leaves, if desired.