Cranberry Salsa and Dip Recipe

This makes a tasty appetizer to serve for the upcoming holidays. The cream cheese really helps to balance out the tanginess in the salsa.


Cranberry Salsa
1 bag of fresh cranberries (rinsed)
1 jalepeno (seeds removed)
1 bunch of green onions (roots cut off)
1 bunch of cilantro leaves (most of the stems removed)
1 tsp cumin

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and chop into small pieces

Christmas Cranberry Salsa Dip
1 batch of cranberry salsa
1 8oz brick of cream cheese, room temperature

Directions:
Spread cream cheese on a serving platter. Top with cranberry salsa. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Make It Monday: Cranberry Bites

I made these for our extended family Christmas celebration. One recipe makes 48 bites, so this recipe is perfect for a big crowd, but I think I would make half a recipe next time I make it for my family. You can prepare the cream cheese filling and cranberry sauce in advance so it is basically assembly and baking at the end.

Cranberry Bites
2 tubes of croissant roll dough
3/4 C homemade cranberry sauce
1 8oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Make cranberry sauce in advance (6 oz. fresh cranberries, 1/2 C water, 1/4 C maple syrup, 1 med cinnamon stick - simmer everything in a pot for 20 minutes, remove stick before serving)
• Make cream cheese filling by beating together cream cheese with sugar
• Make squares by unrolling croissant dough, pinching together seems and rolling out with a rolling pin, then cutting in to squares with a pizza cutter. Each tube will give you 24 squares.
• Spray a mini muffin pan and push in each croissant square in each with sides sticking out.
• Fill each cup with a small spoonful of cranberry sauce and cream cheese mixture. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
• Serve & Enjoy!