Make Holiday Gifts - Fresh Cranberries & Pecans

Praline Pecans & Cranberries and Holiday Cranberry-Almond Syrup

© Vicki F. Chavis

Dec 18, 2008

According to the Cranberry Institute, "Recent scientific research shows that cranberries and cranberry products contain significant amounts of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that may help protect against heart disease and cancer." And if it's true that cranberries contain the most antioxidants compared to nineteen commonly eaten fruits, we should all be eating more of them!

These two cranberry recipes are packed with flavor and the step-by-step instructions will ensure your gifts look as good as they taste. Finding bottles with corks for the syrup isn't difficult, they can even be found in many grocery stores for very reasonable prices. Labeling and dating the syrup is important for the recipients so they'll know how long to safely store the syrup (up to two months in the refrigerator).

Praline Pecans & Cranberries

Ingredients:

• 3-1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tblsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries (or cherries)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease 13 X 9 -inch baking dish. Cover large baking dish with heavy foil. Set aside.
2. Spread fresh pecans in single layer in prepared baking dish.
3. Combine 2 cups corn syrup, sugar and butter in a bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds to one minute or until boiling. Stir in vanilla extract and baking soda until well-blended.
4. Drizzle evenly over pecans; stir several times during one hour of baking.
5. Transfer mixture to prepared cookie sheet, spreading pecans evenly with lightly greased spoon.
6. Cool completely. Break pecans apart with spoon. Combine pecans and cranberries in large bowl.
7. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Makes approx. 5 cups

Pack in cellophane baggies with ties that include the recipe.

Holiday Cranberry-Almond Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 package frozen cranberries, thawed
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• bottles with tops
• labels

Directions:

1. Combine cranberries and 1/3 cup water in med. saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring frequently.
2. Add sugar and corn syrup to saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil ten minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat.
3. Pour cranberry mixture into sieve, pressing the berries to extract all juice. Cool completely.
4. When syrup has cooled completely, strain once more in wire mesh sieve. Press cranberries with back of spoon to extract all of the juice. Optional: spoon cranberries into clean, dry decorative jar and cover. Use as a jam spread.
5. To transfer syrup to the clean decorative glass bottle, place neck of funnel in bottle. Pour syrup into funnel, pouring slowly. Seal bottle. Label with contents and date.
6. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to two months.

Makes about 1-1/2 to 2 cups.

While the syrup is a delicious gift in itself, saving the cranberries to use as jam makes this recipe a two-for-one hit. Remember to get a few jars along with the bottles to use for the jam.

Doubling or tripling the recipe is recommended if planning to fill several bottles of syrup. Enjoy!

For another recipe using cranberries, read Showstopping Appetizers.

Cranberries

Draining the Cranberries

Cranberry Almond Syrup in Decorative Bottles

Fresh Pecans

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