Holiday Cranberry Salsa

With holiday season comes parties and food and the question of what to take. If you need a quick, easy, impressive and most delicious snack to take along....look no further!

Several years ago, we had a neighborhood get-together where we were sharing holiday treats and recipes.  My responsibility was to compile all the recipes. As I was typing the ingredients to this Holiday Salsa, I was thinking what strange ingredients to put together and it did not appeal to me at all.  The night of sharing came and it looked so pretty, I put it on my plate.  Once I tasted it, I couldn't quit.  This has got to be my all-time favorite snack....actually, when I make it I eat it for lunch, dinner and snacks.  It doesn't even get put away as I snack on it all day long.  This year I need to remember to buy lots of cranberries and freeze them so I can have it throughout the coming year.

Holiday Cranberry Salsa

Serves:  16

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 large green onion stem

1 jalapeño pepper seeds removed

3/4 cup sugar

1 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cumin

3  8-oz packages cream cheese

assorted crackers

Add cranberries, onion, jalapeno and cilantro into food processor.  Pulse 8 to 10 times until cranberries are coarse chunks.

Stir in sugar and cumin.

 

Refrigerate over night to allow the flavors to mix. (I always skip this step, because I just can't wait and it still tastes delicious!)

To serve:  Place an 8-ounce package of cream cheese into center of platter.  Spoon salsa over top and arrange a variety of crackers around edges of platter.  You may want to put the cream cheese in a separate small dish so the salsa doesn't run into the crackers and make them soggy.

 NUTRITION FACTS  (This is for the salsa only.)
Amount per Serving:  Calories  38, Fat 0g, Cholesterol, Sodium 0mg, Carbohydrate 10g, Fiber 0g, Sugars 9g, Protein 0g, Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 10%, Calcium 0%, Iron 3%

This makes a lot....enough to cover 3 packages of cream cheese.  And it keeps for at least a week.

You don't need to feel guilty eating this....it is low in calories (if you use fat-free cream cheese and healthy crackers....and don't eat the whole thing yourself), plus the cranberries are high in antioxidants that help protect your body against certain diseases.

Check tomorrow to see what else you can make with this yummy salsa!!!!