Whether your Thanksgiving cranberry sauce is made fresh from whole cranberries and orange rind, or is fresh from a can (rings and all!), this table top staple is often leftover in abundance. Save from putting an all-out stop on people bringing extra sauce, you can also have a clear plan of ways you can incorporate it into your meals after celebrations are over.
Much like many of our other tips, having a clear plan can really make a difference in reducing the amount of food that is ultimately going to waste in your home. For cranberry sauce, keeping any leftovers in a clear, labelled jar or container, in a visible place in the refrigerator, is a great place to start.
You can use it similar to any other fruit preserves:
- topping a hot bowl of oatmeal (or mix it into your overnight oats)
- smear it on top of toast, waffles, or pancakes
- use it, along with some granola if desired, to top yogurt
If you're feeling a little more ambitious, try out one of the recipes below for a special post-holiday treat.
Below you will find recipes for the more chunky cranberry sauces and relishes, as well as one for the tasty canned-variety.
Cranberry Coconut Muffins
Ingredients
- 3-4 tbsp sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
- 3 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 cup flour, sifted
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (whatever extras you have on hand from other holiday baking)
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes
- 3/4 cup canned or home made cranberry sauce
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon juice. Beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture.
- Cut in pieces of cranberry sauce. Gently incorporate.
- Fold in nuts and coconut.
- Put batter by tablespoons into a non-stick mini muffin pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes until tops spring back.
- Remove and top with powdered sugar, if desired.
Cranberry Jello
Ingredients
- 1 6 oz package raspberry flavor gelatin
- 2 cups boiling hot water
- 2 cups cold water
- roughly 1-2 cups of chunky cranberry sauce or relish (depending on how chunky you want the gelatin and how much you need to use up)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts of your choice if desired)
Directions
- Place boiling hot water into a bowl and use a whisk or fork to mix in the packet of gelatin until dissolved
- Stir in 2 cups of cold water and refrigerate for 1 hour until slightly thickened
- Slowly add cranberry sauce and nuts, keeping an eye on the consistency to ensure you get the amount of texture you desire
- Pour the mixture into individual serving cups or a larger mould, then transfer to the refrigerator to set for roughly 4 hours
