Layered Cranberry Slices Food

SEVEN-LAYER CRANBERRY COBB DIP

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 2-quart trifle bowl
• Adjust two oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and the bread on another baking sheet. Bake the walnuts until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes. Bake the bread until lightly golden brown and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Set both aside to cool completely. Finely chop 2 cups of the walnuts and set aside.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, parsley, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Put the chicken in a food processor along with 1 cup of the sour cream mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Process until the mixture is a chunky puree. Transfer to another medium bowl and set aside.
• Rinse out the food processor, and add the toasted bread, 2 cups of the unchopped walnuts, the mustard and 1 teaspoon salt. Process until the mixture resembles a chunky puree. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and 2 tablespoons water through the feed tube. Continue to process until smooth.
• To assemble the dip, make an even layer of the chicken salad in the bottom of a 2-quart trifle bowl. Then top with even layers of the following: the walnut mixture, chopped celery stalks, blue cheese, the reserved finely chopped walnuts, the remaining sour cream-herb sauce and then the cranberries. Sprinkle with the celery leaves. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours or overnight. Serve with crackers.

CRANBERRY SLICES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour. Stir in cranberries and, if desired, ginger. Divide the dough in half; form each half into a 6x3x1-in. block. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours or up to 2 days. , Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap logs; cut the dough into 1/4-in.-thick slices. Place on ungreased parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

LAYERED CRANBERRY DESSERT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cranberry sauce and cold water until blended. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until partially set., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Refrigerate until set., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread filling over crust. , Fold oranges into gelatin mixture; spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Cut into squares; dollop with remaining whipped topping.

LAYERED APPLE CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt to boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing berries to the side of the pan with a spoon, until berries have completely broken down and juices have thickened to jam-like consistency, 10-12 minutes (a spoon scraped across bottom leaves a clear trail that does not fill in).
• Remove from heat, stir in water and cool to room temp, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt and the cornstarch; add apples and toss to combine.
• Microwave apples on high power, stirring every 3 minutes, until apples are just beginning to turn translucent at the edges and liquid is thick and glossy, 10-14 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• While fillings cool, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of your piecrusts. Transfer cranberry filling to crust lined pie plate and spread in an even layer. Place apple mixture on top of cranberry layer, mounding slightly in the center. Press down any sharp apple edges.
• Position second piecrust over apples, trim the overhang and flute the edges to seal. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 1 TBSP sugar. With a sharp kife, cut (4) 1-inch slits in top of dough, forming a cross.
• Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake until top is light golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temp to 375F, rotate baking sheet and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown, 25-30 minutes longer.

LAYERED PEAR, FETA, CRANBERRY, SALAD WITH A BALSAMIC DRESSING

Steps:

• Layers -- First layer, lettuce. Second layer, pears. Third layer, cranberries. Fourth layer, feta. Fifth layer, walnuts. Repeat.
• Garnish -- If you want you can garnish with a few thin slices of pears on top.
• Drizzle with the vinaigrette and enjoy!

CRANBERRY-LIME SEMIFREDDO WITH POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Line two 8x4-in. loaf pans with plastic wrap, letting edges hang over sides. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar and cider. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in half of the lime juice. Cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until chilled., Place cold water and remaining lime juice in a small bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. In a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water, constantly whisk egg yolks and agave nectar until mixture coats the back of a spoon., Remove from the heat and whisk in gelatin mixture and lime zest until blended. Refrigerate until slightly chilled, about 15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine cranberry and egg mixtures; beat until well blended. In a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cranberry mixture., For cake layer, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, agave nectar and 4 teaspoons dark rum until light and fluffy. Fold in mint. Brush pound cake slices with remaining dark rum. Spread cream cheese mixture over eight cake slices; top with remaining slices., In the prepared pans, layer half of the cranberry mixture, filled cake layers and the remaining cranberry mixture. Smooth the top; cover with overhanging plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or until firm., To serve, unmold dessert, using ends of plastic wrap to lift from pan. Remove plastic. Cut into slices.

LAYERED SWEET POTATO AND CRANBERRY CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Bake the potatoes in a 350 degree F. oven for about an hour or until tender. I actually baked 5 potatoes and found I needed the extra one for the casserole. You may also boil the potatoes, but I find baking them gives a sweeter taste; also, they peel easier. Drain potatoes if they were boiled. In either case let the potatoes cool enough to handle and peel the potatoes. You can do this step a day or two ahead of time. Place potatoes in a covered container and refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the potatoes in 1/4-inch slices. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and layer the slices in the dish, overlapping them slightly. You'll have 3 or 4 vertical rows depending on how "fat" your potatoes are.
• Sprinkle the potatoes with half the brown sugar; dot with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter. Top with 1/2 of the cranberries. Repeat layers, using remaining brown sugar and cranberries. Pour orange juice over the top of the casserole.
• Cover casserole and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
• Combine the walnuts, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cinnamon; stir well. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the casserole and return to the oven. Bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes.

LAYERED CRANBERRY SLICES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until blended; stir in pecans. Remove cranberry sauce from the can in 1 piece; cut into fourteen 1/4-in. slices. Spread cream cheese mixture over half of the slices; top with remaining slices. Cut each in half. Cover and refrigerate until serving.