Exciting News and Sweet Saturday!

Happy Saturday, my dear friends! :o) Although I haven't had any crafty time, I do have some exciting news and a tasty (and pretty!) treat to share! :o)

I am SO honored that my friend Cindy from Cindy's Scraptastic Designs has invited me to join her new Design Team! This is truly a privilege... she is such a sweetheart and so talented, as many of you know. I am ecstatic to share in this new journey with her. She is going to be FABULOUS and I couldn't be more proud of her. The fun begins soon! :o) I've used two of her adorable images so far (HERE and HERE)... and I am bursting to use more! :o)

We should celebrate with a treat! :o) I was feeling fruity... and ice creamy. At long last, fresh cranberries arrived in my local grocery store this week. Perfect timing since I didn't have a long baking window. I've seriously waited all year for their return, just for this one recipe. It's gorgeous, delicious, and versatile... it is the BEST Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce I have ever made or enjoyed.

(Over vanilla ice cream)

(Such a gorgeous color!)

And you know what else? It is easy peasy to make. I first made this last year for Thanksgiving.. and it immediately was demanded for Christmas. And several evenings in between those two holidays. The apples add another layer of seasonal flavor, plus delicious texture. The cinnamon is a perfect accent. While the cranberries are clearly the star, the cinnamon and apple additions make it a harmonious blend of sweet and tart. For the first time EVER, the cranberry sauce quickly disappeared at Thanksgiving. My mom has a passionate distaste for cranberry sauce... yet she gobbled this right up. It is magical.

The beauty in this recipe (aside from the taste I craved all year) is its versatility. For the holiday meals I enjoyed it on its own, while the meat-lovers in my family topped their (gasp) meat with it. But it goes well beyond that! This is AMAZING on top of ice cream, which is what I did last night (and this morning). It also serves as a great topping for French toast, waffles, crepes, etc. Plus, the incredible scent lingers for hours in the kitchen... don't you just love that? I love this recipe and hope you will give it a whirl, too! :o)

A couple of notes:
 * The longer this sits, the better it tastes! If possible, I recommend making this the day before serving. It is delicious as soon as it sets, but if you give the flavors time to meld, the taste deepens so beautifully. (This proves especially helpful during the busy holidays, anyway!)
 * Some reviewers of this recipe used Cranberry Juice Cocktail.. this is not the same thing! Use 100% Cranberry Juice if you can. Otherwise, alter the recipe to accommodate the added sugar in the cocktail.
 * This makes a medium-bowl portion. If you know you'll need a fairly large amount, be sure to double it.

Thank you for swinging by today! I'm happy to say I have some crafty time available this weekend, so hopefully I'll be back in a day or two with a card. I feel so rusty after so many days away. Have a beautiful weekend, my super sweet friends. :o)

Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half (OR ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 cup sugar
2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and diced
2 teaspoons corn starch

Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cranberry juice, cranberries, cinnamon, and sugar. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have softened and apples are tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove 8 ounces of the liquid to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Slowly add the cornstarch-juice mixture (slurry) to the cranberry mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl. Refrigerate until thickened, at least 30 minutes (but preferably longer). Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve.

Source: Slightly adapted from Food Network