Crancracker

Everyone loves the fresh cranberry chutney I make every season.  It's delicious alone, with ice cream and in smoothies. Here's a simple dessert with a graham cracker square, ricotta cheese and cranberry chutney that I put together without missing a beat of the football game.  This would make a quick after school snack!  First, my recipe for Cranberry Chutney.  Yesterday I canned 6 (1 cup) jars of the treat, a perfect size to share with my mother and for the two of us to enjoy at home.

Cranberry Chutney

(6 cups)

On stove-top, bring water, cranberries and sugar to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  (Reduce heat if the cranberries are popping and breaking.) Stir frequently.
12 ounce fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water


Remove cranberries from heat.  Add orange juice, raisins, celery, apples and walnuts.
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup celery, diced
1 cup apple, diced
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Crancracker

(1 serving)

Stir lemon zest into ricotta cheese.
3 tablespoon ricotta cheese, part-skim
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Add juice from the portion of chutney. (below)

2 tablespoon cranberry chutney with juice
Drain juice into ricotta cheese-zest and mix.

To assemble, place a dab of ricotta mix on the platter and position graham cracker square on top.  (this keeps the cracker in place.)  
1 graham cracker square

Top with ricotta cheese mix.

Spoon chutney over the top.


In addition to the vitamins and health benefits of the fruit and walnuts, this 1 dessert has 20% of the Daily Value of calcium, 170 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrate and only 6 grams of added sugar.  

To learn about the Color Your Friendship with Cranberries promotion, click here.