A few ideas for that leftover Thanksgiving cranberry sauce

Whole cranberry sauce is one of those pantry items you might only buy twice a year – Thanksgiving and Christmas. At both those meals, it tends to be treated like a condiment so each person might only eat a tablespoon or so.

And that might not even include every person at the table since some of us love cranberry sauce and some of us definitely do not. And even if the cranberry lovers have it with leftover turkey the next day, you might still be left with at least half a can. So what are some things you can do with leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving?

The first, and simplest answer is to put it into a small container and freeze it for Christmas dinner. Whole berry cranberry sauce freezes well, just take it out to thaw in the fridge the day before. To gussy it up a bit, add 2 teaspoons of Grand Marnier or 1 teaspoon of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey liqueur (maybe not if there are kids at the table).

If you’d like to finish it up right away, whole berry cranberry sauce gives a nice zing to plain yogurt. Add some orange segments and a scoop of trail mix with nuts and seeds and a sprinkle of quick-cooking oats (dry) for a tasty breakfast with a good hit of vitamin C. The same goes for adding it to hot oatmeal or 7-grain cereal. Skip the oranges and add some sliced banana instead.

For a dessert topping, spoon cranberry sauce on top of vanilla ice cream with crumbled chocolate wafer or a few chocolate chips. Swirl cranberry sauce into warm vanilla or tapioca pudding. Pour it over a plain vanilla cheesecake.

Cranberry sauce tastes great blended in a smoothie with a pinch of cardamom, some banana, orange segments, yogurt and orange juice.

Mix together half a cup of cranberry sauce with half a cup of applesauce and a pinch of cinnamon for pancakes.

Mix a half cup of cranberry sauce into banana bread or muffin batter – your own recipe or a store bought mix.

Drizzle cranberry sauce onto crackers topped with soft, mild cheese such as Gouda, Brie, Camembert, or cream cheese. Warm the cheese a bit to bring out the flavours. Spread a little sauce over a bagel and cream cheese.

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Cranberry and Cream Cheese Spread

Serve with a variety of crackers or sliced baguette.

Ingredients:

1 pkg (250 g/8 oz.) cream cheese, slightly softened

125 ml (1/2 c) whole berry cranberry sauce

50ml (1/4 c) orange marmalade

0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) cayenne pepper

50 ml (1/4 c) slivered toasted almonds

Place the cream cheese onto a small platter or cutting board. A piece of wax paper cut to size under the cheese makes for an easier clean-up.

Thoroughly stir together cranberry sauce, orange marmalade and cayenne pepper. Spoon over and around cream cheese. Sprinkle it with toasted almonds. Use a cheese knife to slice cheese onto crackers. Have a small spoon handy to scoop up sauce from around cheese.

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Cranberry Vinaigrette

Very nice with spinach, red onion, and orange salad.

Ingredients:

45 ml (3 Tbsp) grapeseed or other cooking oil

30 ml (2 Tbsp) jellied cranberry sauce or whole cranberry sauce.

25 ml (1 1/2 Tbsp) white wine vinegar

15 ml (1 Tbsp) Dijon mustard

sprinkle of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. Makes about 125 ml (1/2 cup). Pour over tossed salad.

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Cranberry and Orange Glaze

Good for ham or pork roast, chops or tenderloin.

Ingredients:

250 ml (1 c) orange marmalade

250 ml (1 c) whole berry cranberry sauce or jellied cranberry sauce

50 ml (1/4 c) brown sugar

15 ml (1 Tbsp) Worcestershire sauce

15 ml (1 Tbsp) apple cider vinegar

7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) yellow mustard

5 ml (1 tsp) dried onion flakes

2 ml (1/2 tsp) garlic powder

15 ml (1 Tbsp) liquid from jar of hot pickled peppers (optional)

1 ml (1/4 tsp) cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue stirring- ensuring brown sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. It’s ready to glaze.

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Cranberry French Toast Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

30 ml (2 Tbsp) softened butter

1 large loaf of bread

8 large eggs

750 ml (3 c) whole milk

125 ml (1/2 c) sugar

15 ml (1 Tbsp) vanilla extract

5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon or cardamom

15 ml (1 Tbsp) grated orange zest (optional, good with the cardamom)

pinch salt

1 pkg (250 g/8 oz.) cream cheese, cut into 16 to 20 cubes

250 ml (1 c) cranberry sauce

maple syrup, honey, or powdered sugar for serving

Butter bottom and sides of 4 L (9×13-inch) baking dish. Tear or cube bread into small pieces and distribute evenly over the dish.

Distribute cubed cream cheese evenly over bread.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon (or cardamom and orange zest), and salt.

Pour egg mixture evenly over the pan including into corners. Gently press down on bread with the back of a spoon to help soak up egg mixture.

Spoon cranberry sauce evenly over the bread and cheese.

Cover the baking dish with foil, and place in the refrigerator, to soak bread a minimum of one hour or overnight.

To bake:

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Bake casserole, uncovered for 40-45 minutes. The top of the bread will brown. If browning too quickly, cover with tin foil.

Let cool for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serve with honey, maple syrup, powdered sugar or whipped cream.

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