Disclosure:  I received products to facilitate this post.  All opinions are honest and are my own.

You're probably wondering why this is the third cranberry recipe I have posted in the last two weeks. To be honest I never really cooked with cranberries very much except for at Thanksgiving.  But when Cape Cod Select sent me these gorgeous frozen cranberries, I was inspired and kept coming up with delicious ways to use them.  

See...gorgeous!  Fresh frozen right from the freezer when inspiration hits.

These little gems are delicious!  Flaky layers of puff pastry filled with homemade cranberry sauce and anything else that inspires you.  I made half of these with brie cheese and half with pork sausage.  My favorite were the cranberry brie bites, but the males in the family (which is everyone else) preferred the cranberry sausage bites.  Ok, more ideas please!  What else would you put in these?

These look and taste amazing, but they are really easy to make since you can buy frozen puff pastry from the grocery store.  Simply thaw dough according to package directions and cut into squares.  I cut each sheet of dough into three long sections and then cut each section into three squares making nine squares of dough from one sheet.  There are two sheets of dough in a box so you can make 18 cranberry puff pastry bites from one box of dough.  

Simply place a small slice of brie or a T. of cooked crumbled sausage on half of each dough square. Then top cheese or sausage with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.  Next you fold the puffed pastry over to make a small triangle and pinch edges to seal.  Bake until golden and serve warm.  

These delicious morsels are perfect for fall gatherings and I know it seems far away, but Christmas will be here before we know it.  

Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites:

Ingredients:
1 box frozen puffed pastry, thawed
1 small wedge brie cheese or 1/4 lb. cooked crumbled pork sausage
2 C. Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries
1/2 C. orange juice
1/3 C. real maple syrup
1/3 C. sugar

1. Bring Cape Cod Select cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally.  
2.  Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes until cranberries pop. 
3.  Cut puff pastry as instructed above (a pizza wheel works great)
4.  Place puff pastry squares on parchment lined baking sheet.
​5.  Simply place a small slice of brie or 1 T. of cooked crumbled sausage on half of each dough square. Then top cheese or sausage with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.  
6.  Next you fold the puffed pastry over to make a small triangle and pinch edges to seal.  
7.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for about 15 minutes until golden and serve warm.  

Use this store locator to find Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries in a store near you.  You can also order frozen cranberries from Cape Cod Select.

You can find Cape Cod Select on Social Media:
Facebook
Cape Cod Select Premium Cranberries
Instagram
@CapeCodSelect
Twitter
@CapeCodSelect
Pinterest
www.pinterest.com/capecodselect
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Disclosure:  I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

For all of your greeting card needs head over to your local Dollar Tree store for the best deals on Hallmark cards.  While you're there take a look around the party supplies area too.  I always find great deals on gift wrapping and all the little things I need when planning a party.  You can also check out www.DollarTree.com  where everything's $1!  

Disclosure:  I received products to facilitate this post.  All opinions are honest and are my own.

It's that time of year again.  Time to start thinking about slow cookers and warm, comforting party food.  Tailgating season is upon us and it won't be long before the holiday season is too.  These delectable cranberry barbecue meatballs are perfect for entertaining!  

Delicious as an appetizer or the main course.  They will be the hit of the party or your family dinner.  My kids kept asking for "more meatballs, please".  We just harvested some sweet potatoes from the garden so I served the meatballs with mashed sweet potatoes and the cranberry barbecue sauce is so good on mashed sweet potatoes.  It's the perfect compliment of sweet and savory.  

To make the cranberry barbecue sauce I first make a simple cranberry sauce using Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries.  It's as simple as bringing cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, and a little sugar to a boil, then simmering for about 10 minutes until the cranberries pop.  

The best part other than how incredibly delicious these are is that you can use store bought frozen (thawed) or fresh meatballs.  I used store bought fresh turkey (Italian style) meatballs and they were amazing!  I used 2 lb. of meatballs and we only had 3 meatballs left after our four boys heartily devoured them.  If making for a party, I would make at least 3 lb., depending on how long the guest list is.  

Slow Cooker Cranberry Barbecue Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 C. Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries
1/2 C. orange juice
1/3 C. real maple syrup
1/3 C. sugar
1 C. barbecue sauce
2 to 3 lb. frozen (thawed) or fresh meatballs

1.  Bring Cape Cod Select cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally.  
2.  Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes until cranberries pop. 
3.  Place meatballs in a slow cooker.  
4.  Pour barbecue sauce and homemade cranberry sauce over the meatballs.
5.  Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.  

Use this store locator to find Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries in a store near you.  You can also order frozen cranberries from Cape Cod Select.

You can find Cape Cod Select on Social Media:
Facebook
Cape Cod Select Premium Cranberries
Instagram
@CapeCodSelect
Twitter
@CapeCodSelect
Pinterest
www.pinterest.com/capecodselect

Linking up at Inspire Me Monday

Hello old friend.  I can't believe it has been a month since I have written a blog post.  It has been a busy month.  I finished up another grad class, we went on a 12-day European vacation with extended family (I promise to share pictures!) and as soon as we got back, the kids started school and my husband was back to teaching at the University.  I actually had to go out and buy school supplies the day we returned.   Our vacation was amazing and it was really great spending so much time with family, but it has been a whirlwind of a month and I am glad to be home and back into a routine again. 

I just came up with this recipe Sunday.  I had some chicken thighs and I thought wild rice and cranberries sounded really good with chicken.  Turns out, it's a delicious combination and the slow cooker works really well with this.  

So this is not one of those easy dump everything into your crockpot recipes.  You have a few steps to follow, but these steps make it taste amazing and since you are cooking it in the slow cooker, you can do most of the work ahead of time.  

I am always on the lookout for interesting dishes for food photography so I was excited to bring back this pasta plate from the Delft factory in Holland.  We toured the factory, learned how they make the pottery and a little about the history and popularity of Delft pottery.  This plate is part of a new line they have that is supposed to be for everyday use.  It was still kind of expensive, but more affordable than traditional Delft pottery.  Traditional Delft pottery is much more elaborate with hand painted detail so it is more expensive, but I love that this piece is so simple.  My favorite part is the rough edges around the rim of the plate, giving it a rustic, modern look.  

​Enjoy the recipe!

Slow Cooker Chicken with Wild Rice and Cranberries
Serves: 6-8
Prep time 30 minutes or less
Slow cooker time 5-6 hours

Ingredients:
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh ground salt and pepper
1/4 cup cooking sherry
3 cups vegetable broth
​2 cups wild rice blend (I use a blend with Texmati white, brown, wild, and red rice)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1.  In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil at a medium high heat.  
2.  Add diced onion and cook stirring for a few minutes to start to caramelize the onions.  
3.  Add chicken and garlic to the onions to lightly brown the chicken, turning it to brown both sides.  Salt and pepper while cooking on both sides.  
4.  Do not cook the chicken through, just brown it and then remove it to place it in a large slow cooker.   
5.  Turn the heat off the skillet.  Then add cooking sherry to the skillet to deglaze the pan and pour the onion/sherry mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.  
6.  Next pour vegetable broth over the chicken in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. 
7.  After cooking for 4 to 5 hours, add the rice and cranberries and continue to cook on low for another 45 minutes to an hour until rice is tender and cranberries are soft.  You can add more fresh ground salt when adding the rice if you like.  Make sure you wait until the end to add the rice and cranberries so they don't overcook and get mushy.  They need less than an hour to cook.  

​
Here is what it looks like in the slow cooker when done.  It is easy to serve.  Just scoop out large spoonfuls of chicken, rice, and cranberries.