Sharing Cranberry Love for Friendsgiving Cranberry Contest and Cranberry Week

Sharing cranberry love in preparation for the #FriendsgivingCranberryContest hosted by the Cranberry Marketing Committee and #CranberryWeek hosted by Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking and co-hosted by ME!

Sharing some cranberry love in preparation for the #FriendsgivingCranberryContest hosted by the Cranberry Marketing Committee and #CranberryWeek hosted by Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking and co-hosted by ME!

If you’re like me, you did not grow up appreciating the super fruit cranberries. My exposure to them consists of the canned stuff every holiday that was dumped into a bowl and set on the table like an age-old requirement. Like the holidays would implode if that red, jellied, stuff wasn’t on the table.

Fast forward a few years and I’m in high school. My parents were liberal when it came to my sister and I having alcohol. One year Mom decided she was going to make cranberry margaritas. While it sounded like a good idea, the execution wasn’t so great.

I never saw the recipe, so I can’t say whether it called for fresh cranberries or not, but I’m sure margaritas aren’t supposed to be that crunchy. Trust when I say that a revamp of that recipe will be in the works. Maybe this year… Hmm…

But then dried cranberries hit the market and because of this my life was forever changed. No, seriously. I probably would have lived my whole life not enjoying these super fruits if it weren’t for their dried counterparts.

It was that one time we had a roommate. HUGE mistake to say the least. She added new meaning to the phrase spoiled brat. This roommate was supposed to buy her own, but she didn’t and wound up eating our food and using our household supplies. Then she became a slob and didn’t clean a single thing in the house including her bathroom.

I know. You’re asking how this relates with dried cranberries. You see, when she finally moved out, she left a GYNORMOUS bag of those red gems in the pantry. And, well, since I’m a kitchen hoor and a food hoarder, I couldn’t let them go to waste. Consequently, I started putting them in my oatmeal for breakfast. It was like a light had gone off or an epiphany happened. I realized how much I loved the flavor of those dried cranberries and from that moment on, I vowed to give them a second chance.

They were like a new-found friend!! You know what I mean? One that was in front of you the whole time, but you didn’t know you had so much in common with and now you’re inseparable? Just like that!

Now, I have a bag of dried cranberries in my pantry all the time. I have a can of that jellied stuff because it’s a great addition to add to cakes, muffins, and even cocktails. And, I’m also in the process if making some cranberry simple syrup to revamp Mom’s crunchy, and not because of the ice, margaritas.

But that recipe is for another post when #CranberryWeek starts. Which is NEXT WEEK! Holy cow!!

Yup! I said cookies for breakfast! These Cranberry Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies are full of fiber and protein to keep you full.

This week, I thought I’d whet your appetite for some cranberry recipes I’ve already shared on my blog. They’re like old friends that I pull out this time of year just to check in them, see how they’re doing, and remember how much I enjoyed making (and let’s be honest EATING) them. Not that you’d eat your friends. Ew.

Anyway.

When I was a wee young kitchen hoor, we didn’t have Friendsgiving. We just treated everyone like family. But now, there’s Friendsgiving for those without family in the area or the ability to travel to their family. We always just called them orphans, but I guess that’s not such a great term any more.

If you didn’t have a table to eat at, you could always find a spot at ours. Even if it was a barstool in the corner and you had your plate in your lap. There was always room for more and always food enough for everyone. I guess that’s what Friendsgiving is now. Not only is it time to spend with your family, but time to add new members to your “family.”

Like I’m planning on doing this year with cranberries. I’m making new friends with my new cranberry recipes and I plan on sharing them with Cranberry Marketing Committee and their contest to win $500. Yep! You heard me!! The Cranberry Marketing Committee is having a #FriendsgivingCranberryContest where you could win in one of three categories: Food, Drink, and Décor.

If you’re like I was oh those many years ago and you’re not sure how or what to do with cranberries, not to worry! Since the Cranberry Marketing Committee knows that people might be cran-novices, they’ve put together a handy guide in how to incorporate these delicious berries into your holidays. It not only has delicious desserts but some gorgeous decorating ideas.

As if that’s not enough, I’m participating in #CranberryWeek with a group of talented bloggers next week. There will be LOTS of recipe inspiration; a total of about 50 in all. I can’t wait to see what this great group of bloggers have put together for this new event.

I had no idea there was going to be so much interest! You see, after participating in #PumpkinWeek and then Apple Week, I thought “What can we do for November?” Then it hit me! So, I posed the idea to my blogging friends and it just took off!

Just like this fun contest from the Cranberry Marketing Committee; it’s taking off!! Once you’ve been inspired from the handy guide or #CranberryWeek, simply share with #FriendsgivingCranberryContest and then upload them to CranberryFriendsgiving.com into one of the three categories. You can win one of two ways; category or regional. I know I will have a few images of my own to enter after next week.