IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAAARRRRR!!! For whatever reason, people seem to be in the holiday spirit this year more than usual (Know what I mean? I mean that people seem to have gotten in the spirit earlier and seem more excited than previous years. Maybe because Thanksgiving was earlier this year? Or maybe it’s just me…’cause we know how I LOVE all things Christmas!). While the holiday season can be filled with festive gatherings with family and friends, it can become a drag if you’ve been asked (or better yet had the bright idea to go ahead and offer) to bring something to the party. Yeah, you could go the easy route and bring a bottle of wine, but how about bringing something that is oh so easy to make, oh so delicious, and oh so versatile?! Well, I’ve got just the recipe for you, cranberry-jalapeño cream cheese dip!
This recipe is from Mel’s Kitchen Café, but I actually heard about it from my friend, Kelly. She typically makes it for a Thanksgiving appetizer AND for her family’s Christmas Eve party because her family is that obsessed. This dish just so happens to be red and green, making it as festive as it is delicious!! But you know the best part about this dish? It is versatile and can be eaten so many different ways. This cranberry-jalapeno combo can be used as a sandwich spread – Hello, fancy turkey sandwiches. It also has a great flavor and consistency to use as a topping for chicken, fish or pork. Of course, you can put it over cream cheese as the recipe calls for and eat it as a dip with crackers or tortilla chips.
Recipe below. Try it out and let me know which method you tried and how you liked it!
Cranberry-Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers or tortilla chips for serving
Directions:
- Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped (alternately, you can do this task by hand).
- Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped.
- Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl or Tupperware and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness.
- When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese.
- Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
Click here for a printable copy: Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip Recipe
See more from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe at: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cranberry-jalapeno-cream-cheese-dip-sugar-rush-reinvented-7/
