Who doesn't keep ten pounds of cranberries in their freezer?

I have ten cans of pumpkin and  at least 8 pounds of frozen cranberries occupying my apartment....I admit it.
I am an ingredient hoarder.

But I have reason! About two years ago- mid February-, I got a hankering for some of Isa Chandra's pumpkin scones. I strolled on over to my local Freddy's for a few necessary ingredients (like pumpkin). And really I can't resist the pumpkin cranberry combo--- so those made the list too.

ALAS-- no pumpkin! no cranberry!


I scoured New Seasons, whole foods, Trader joes, but no one could provide the pumpkin.
Sorely disappointed, I vowed never to run out of such NECCESSARY staples again. Thus like a mad woman, the following September, I piled the grocery cart high with cans of pumpkin, bags of cranberries and things that might bond those two items together....

Now you can imagine that my lovely roommates did not appreciate the giant bags of berries taking up valuable freezer space and the copious cans of pumpkin stored in bookshelves, drawers, closets, under the sink, totally appropriate and not at all ridiculous places in the dining room, living room, bathroom, kitchen.

But the point--- due to the mass supply of these two coveted items, I started incorporating them into every meal: breakfast scones, pumpkin soups, cranberry chutney etc etc.

I only managed to write down a few recipes... check out pumpkin cranberry muffins and cranberry applesauce.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins


Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pasty flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 tbl fresh grated ginger
• 1 15 oz can pureed pumpkin (or 2 cups cooked sugar pumpkin, strained... showoff )
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 cup chopped cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease 12-muffin tin.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, soy milk, applesauce, oil, ginger and molasses, until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients and slowly pour in pumpkin mixture.  Mix until fully incorporated. Gently fold in cranberries.

Fill muffin cups nearly full (these don't rise very much, so don't worry about spillage) and bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.





Cranberry Applesauce

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 small gala or Fuji apples, cored, peeled, and sliced thinly
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 (or to taste) sugar

In a small sauce pan, heat cranberries and water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let boil for 3-4 minutes. (This is usually where I prep my apples, not because it's smart, but because I'd forgotten about them)
Add sliced apples and ginger. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until apples have cooked down.. Mash apples with spoon and simmer until mixture thickens and looks like... well... applesauce.

Add cinnamon and sugar and mix. Taste for more sugar (I don't like mine particularly sweet)

Serve warm.