Cranberry SAlsa-A perfect Thanksgiving Appetizer!

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     I am dubbing this Cranberry Week!  
   I was able to get an entire case of cranberries from my local produce wholesaler at a super good price, so I am processing and cooking and eating cranberries right and left!  
      This is, after all, cranberry season, a major player of Thanksgiving season, so let's honor the cranberry this week and and find new ways to use it!

Health Benefits of Cranberries and What to Beware Of

     Cranberries are amazing little things!  They are mainly carbs and fiber and contain some great vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K-1.  They also contain manganese and copper and are full of anti-oxidants, for heart health.  Cranberries have both soluble and insoluble fiber as well as A-type proanthocyanins, which help fight against UTIs, stomach cancer and ulcers. 
         Here is a caution though, over consumption of cranberries can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.  If you are prone to kidney stones, be careful because cranberries contain oxalates that can contribute to kidney stones in some individuals.   As with everything, I think the lesson here once again is moderation in all things! 
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​Today's Recipe

      Today, we will be making Cranberry Salsa!  
      I know!  I'd never heard of it either!  But, my DIL had! She had even made it before!  She is pregnant and when she found out that I had all of these cranberries she was elated because she was craving cranberry salsa!  I figured that if it tasted good enough for her to crave it, it must be really good!  So, I scoured the internet for a recipe that sounded right and then, of course, came up with my own version.  I had to have less spicy peppers than most recipes called for without sacrificing that south of the border flavor. 

     Guess what!  It is really good and super simple to make! 
    Everything gets put into the food processor and chopped all together.  You can add hotter peppers than I did if you want a spicier salsa, but I promise you that this version is flavorful without having too much heat. 
     Surprisingly, there is no cooking in this recipe!  I thought that the cranberries would need to be cooked, but they don't!  There is no heat to destroy any of those vitamins and other good parts of the cranberries.  You just chop them up very fine. There is sugar to sweeten the cranberries, but the onions, peppers and spices balance out that sweetness is a delicious way.   Then, when you pour the entire mix over cream cheese, it all comes together into one perfect bite! 
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If you have time to mix up the salsa in advance and let it sit until the juices flow and the flavors meld together, that is even better. But, I think it tastes great right away!

One perfect bite!

     Bring this dish along to any holiday party this year and it will be the hit of the night after very little effort on your part!  Just click on the recipe below to get the pdf version. 

     Let me know how this recipe goes over at our family gatherings in the comments below! 
     I like this recipe so much that I want to come up with a version that I can safely can.  Of course, it will change it from the fresh flavor that it has now, but if I can come up with an acceptable version, I'll pass that recipe along as well. ​

​Other Cranberry Recipes:

• Cranberry Lime Bars
• Cranberry Orange Marmalade
• Cranberry Orange Sauce​