Raise a glass of Spiced Cranberry Sparkling Cocktail

This is definitely a perfect drink for the holiday - festive looking and delicious!.It is   is another cranberry recipe from our cousin Judy McMullen. She suggests making the Spiced Cranberry Syrup (which is actually a reduced liquid versus an actual syrup) a day or two ahead; it can then be stored in the refrigerator.

Barry raises a glass of Spiced Cranberry Sparkling Cocktail in a holiday toast!

Spiced Cranberry Syrup (make ahead and store in the refrigerator)

2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail

8 slices peeled ginger (each about the size of a quarter)

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

Pour the above ingredients into a saucepan and simmer over the lowest temperature until reduced by about one-third—this should take about 2 hours and will result in about 5-6 cups of remaining liquid. Remove the ginger and pour liquid into a jar (Judy leaves the cinnamon sticks and star anise in with the liquid). Refrigerate until ready to use.

Ingredients are heated on a low temperature to reduce the amount of liquid, both concentrating and blending flavors.

Spiced Cranberry Sparkling Cocktail     Makes 16 servings

Granulated or fine sugar for rimming glasses (red sugar adds another festive touch) + a little cranberry juice cocktail

Brandy — ½ to 1 cup (vary amount according to your preference)

Spiced Cranberry Syrup (see previous recipe)

Cranberries, fresh or frozen, for garnish

3 (750 ml) bottles of sparkling wine, Champagne (such as Brut), or Prosecco (Wine containing significant amounts of carbon dioxide is referred to as sparkling wine. Champagne is the classic example of a sparkling wine but it is produced exclusively in the Champagne region of France. Other countries and regions produce their own versions, such as Italy’s Prosecco.)

1.  Rimming glass—Place sugar and a little cranberry juice cocktail in shallow containers that are wide enough to accommodate dipping the rim of a champagne glass. Rim glasses by dipping in a little cranberry juice and then into the sugar (make sure the cranberry juice for dipping is very shallow; if too deep, the sugar runs down the glass). Ideally do this ahead of time so the sugar can harden. 

After dipping the glass rim in cranberry juice, it goes into a bowl of red sugar.

2.  Adding Brandy to Spiced Cranberry Syrup—Add ½ to 1 cup of brandy to the chilled Spiced Cranberry Syrup; stir. Once the brandy is added, this mixture can continue to be refrigerated for several weeks.

3.  To Prepare Individual Glasses for Serving— Add 3 cranberries to the prepared glass.  Pour a jigger (about 2 tablespoons) of the Spiced Cranberry Syrup (with added brandy) into a glass, and then fill with sparkling wine. Stir carefully and ENJOY!

Glass is ready to add syrup-brandy mixture & sparkling wine. 

Barry tops the Spiced Cranberry Syrup mixture with sparkling wine/ 

Recipe without photos . . .
Spiced Cranberry Syrup (make ahead and store in the refrigerator)
2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
8 slices peeled ginger (each about the size of a quarter)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise

Pour the above ingredients into a saucepan and simmer over the lowest temperature until reduced by about one-third—this should take about 2 hours and will result in about 5-6 cups of remaining liquid. Remove the ginger and pour liquid into a jar (Judy leaves the cinnamon sticks and star anise in with the liquid). Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Spiced Cranberry Sparkling Cocktail     Makes 16 servings

Granulated or fine sugar for rimming glasses (red sugar adds another festive touch) + a little cranberry juice cocktail

Brandy — ½ to 1 cup (vary amount according to your preference) 

Spiced Cranberry Syrup (see previous recipe)

Cranberries, fresh or frozen, for garnish

3 (750 ml) bottles of sparkling wine, Champagne (such as Brut), or Prosecco (Wine containing significant amounts of carbon dioxide is referred to as sparkling wine. Champagne is the classic example of a sparkling wine but it is produced exclusively in the Champagne region of France. Other countries and regions produce their own versions, such as Italy’s Prosecco.)

1.  Rimming glass—Place sugar and a little cranberry juice cocktail in shallow containers that are wide enough to accommodate dipping the rim of a champagne glass. Rim glasses by dipping in a little cranberry juice and then into the sugar (make sure the cranberry juice for dipping is very shallow; if too deep, the sugar runs down the glass). Ideally do this ahead of time so the sugar can harden.                              

2.  Adding Brandy to Spiced Cranberry Syrup—Add ½ to 1 cup of brandy to the chilled Spiced Cranberry Syrup; stir. Once the brandy is added, this mixture can continue to be refrigerated for several weeks.

3.  To Prepare Individual Glasses for Serving— Add 3 cranberries to the prepared glass.  Pour a jigger (about 2 tablespoons) of the Spiced Cranberry Syrup (with added brandy) into a glass, and then fill with sparkling wine. Stir carefully and ENJOY!

TOAST THE HOLIDAYS . . . with a Cranberry Martini

It’s easy, festive and a great way to toast the season! 
Adjust the amounts to your liking but these are general guidelines I follow . . .

Cranberry Martini (Crantini)  

Equal amounts of cranberry juice and ginger ale 

A shot of vodka to about 1 to 1 1/2 cup of juice and gingerale)

Garnish with frozen cranberries if desired

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail sharer or mixing glass with ice.
2. Shake or stir well
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 
4. Garnish, if desired, with frozen cranberries. Or, add lime or lemon wedge or peel.

Cran-Ginger Granita -- a light dessert

   Yum! Easy, festive and delicious. For the holidays, we prepared this light dessert and served it with an assortment of our Christmas cookies. It was a refreshing way to end a somewhat heavy meal.

     However, Barry warns, “Don’t eat it too fast or you’ll get brain freeze!”

Cran-Ginger Granita     Makes 8 servings

3 cups cranberry juice drink, divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar or use less (1/3 cup is plenty for me)

1 (12 oz.) can ginger ale

1.     Combine 1 cup cranberry juice drink and sugar in a 2-qt. saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Heat just long enough to dissolve sugar.

2.     Combine cran-syrup with remaining 2 cups juice and ginger ale.

3.     Pour into 3 ice cube trays, and freeze about 1 1/2 hours or until almost frozen (may take longer).

A good use for ice cube trays! If you don't have any, pour a shallow layer of liquid into a pan.

4.     Transfer cubes to a blender or food processor, and pulse until slushy.

Blending incorporated air and lightens the color of the granita.

5.     Pour slush into a 9” x 9" pan, and freeze about 3 1/2 hours or until frozen.

6.     To serve, scrape granita (in pan) with tines of a fork until fluffy. Spoon into dessert glasses, garnish with a mint leaf if desired, and serve immediately.

Scraping the fork across the frozen mixture creates a fluffy, icy dessert. 

10 THINGS TO DO WITH FALL COOKIE CUTTERS . . . besides made cookies

So many cookie cutters, so little motivation to make fall sugar cookies! So, here's what I'm doing instead . . . 

1.     Cut out Jigglers – leaf shaped gelatin shapes

To make your own Cranberry Jigglers: Pour 1 cup cold cranberry juice in a bowl and add 4 (1/4 oz.) envelopes of plain gelatin (such 

as Knox®) and leave for a minute. Bring 3 cups of juice to boil in a pan and pour over the other juice and gelatin in the bowl.  Use a whisk to stir briskly until all the gelatin is dissolved. Spray a 9”x13” pan with cooking spray; pour gelatin mixture in pan. Refrigerate for 

a few hours until completely set. Use cookie cutters to cut gelatin.
For additional tips on gelatin preparation, check out gelatin tips on our blog.

2.     Make cinnamon toast.

3.     Use them to cut tea sandwiches.

4.     Top salads or soups with mini leaf-shaped croutons.

5.     Make pie crust cut-outs.

6.     Hang them in your kitchen.

Cookie cutters are tied to the metal framework on our portable kitchen worktable.

7.     Throw them in a bowl with a pumpkin and a squash.

Copper cutters and fall produce nestled in one of Barry's pottery bowls.

8.     Create food labels to identify foods on a buffet or appetizer table.

What's on the menu? Leaf-shaped
name tags identify each dish.

9.     Add a ribbon and give as a party favor.

10.  Stick a napkin though them for an instant napkin rings.

Copper cookie cutters serve as a napkin ring in this fall place setting
featuring original pottery plates (made by Barry) and goblets made by Richard Ernst.
Leaf-shaped cookie cutter favors are also included.