I had cranberries left over. A lot of them. I bought a bag because I wanted them for a spiced apple cider, over the holidays...and the rest of the bag just sat in my fridge for weeks. Finally I was looking at the cranberries...wondering how long they would last before they were rotten and I threw them away. What else was I going to do with them?
I didn't want to throw them away, it seems like such a waste. And the kids are totally into craisins right now (as am I). So I decided to try and make my own!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDueBYiIUGX54i9mh8T0mtR8QgwCcJtH_v7vXTHTKGesIRowFCy2jmWvo1r70lqbwvXhyLkAxAyq3DSGWl_SRkgu8akpkv0EPioMC9-9IhA5qYfLNvpCXGeE1tgDE-jXbEP6h6zXrhSI_e/s1600/20140128_113812.jpg) |
Wash the cranberries, and then pour boiling water over them. They will start to make a "popping" sound when the skins crack. After that happens, you can drain the berries. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWRCd3ZO17UN86WGAcRVgib9lNatRu-GFnsAzhiP_9WaVDWBwa9sjwoK4sRhIlpPWgS4p0j7EUwcJ2DKYyMiZfpO-QoTwKsCE6QTHSBQBWRpZV8sK4Xr-ZUw-DNEmTxi2vvHsQ1dClZ2A/s1600/20140128_114419.jpg) |
Add some sugar to sweeten them. I didn't measure, I just dumped some on there and stirred it around. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3rO9uQ8puVBKT6bazTXQpiKad7EEmk1-B6u9Y2CHJG4uNGlSw4bnZUKecEdDtv8E0SyOcC12qq7Oso2z3277n_aWWYRoXIvKFONWW1k2kj7g1qSgjikZqyZiT5JOIuq0TPopNpq2HnNC/s1600/20140128_114728.jpg) |
Spread the cranberries on a cookie sheet, covered in parchment paper. Freeze for about 2 hours, and then place them in the oven. About 200 degrees and many many hours later (about 10, total?) - I had to "take a break" because I needed my oven for dinner, etc, and then just resumed the drying process, and they seem to have suffered no ill effects. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWbSK7eg9UHijvGgXyWK2QU3-zmke6UlvQANx7At5TGj1n0RI5eUkmhciH_-EA-V9eB-hIYznYWsdK5KFClnY8E5qHy3ElP0snAg_DSH4HlIiCSSaWIwJvY5Pd0MHEsz_HhSvnevq1MKI/s1600/20140130_195413.jpg) |
When they were dried out they looked like red raisins! And the taste is positively addicting! I bagged them up and put them in the freezer for safe keeping - we already have a store bought bag of craisins open that I want to finish before we eat these. |
Other than time in the oven drying them out (which is not hard - it just "is" - it's obviously not an "instant" style of recipe:-), these are quick and easy to do...and really inexpensive too - a great and useful way to use up fresh cranberries after you've used hard any from that big bag over the holidays!
Very cool!
ReplyDelete