Tasty Tuesday {Cranberry Spread}

After a week break from Tasty Tuesday, I considered not writing it anymore.  Then someone came up to me and told me how much they loved reading the recipes and the stories that go with them, and so I continue.  The hardest part of doing this recipe every Tuesday is allowing enough time to prepare the dish AND photograph it.  You wouldn't think this would be hard, but I catch myself forgetting to stop and take a photo for you guys.  Since this is my favorite part of food blogs, I can't just not take pictures!  So bear with me because I often make a recipe and take one photo at the beginning and then don't remember again until the end.  I hope that the photos will help you see how easy it is to make whatever is coming out of my kitchen!  Even if the photos aren't as well taken as food blogs and most of my friend's blogs for that matter.

This week isn't a dinner meal though.  It's something much better than that!

I am SO excited to share this recipe with y'all!  I'm actually pretty obsessed with it!  It's just a snack, but it satisfies my sweet tooth most of the time.  Come to think of it, it would be a great tailgate dip for the fall. {which allows you to know that I'm so ready for football season!}

Backstory for this recipe:  Have you ever heard of Fresh Cut Florist and Catering?  I feel certain that if you live in Mississippi, you've been to at least one wedding that she has done even if you didn't know it at the time.  Anyway, Wendy Putt is the owner of Fresh Cut based out of Jackson, MS, and while she didn't do our wedding because we were having it in Starkville, I love going to weddings where she has done the food.  Why?  Well, if you've ever been to a wedding she did the food at, you wouldn't be asking that question!  And actually, her husband is the chef who does the food. Maybe I should give him the credit.  ANYWAY, at Fresh Cut weddings there is usually this AMAZING stuff that I'm not even sure what it's called.  Let's call it crack cranberry spread because it is so addicting!  It's served with gingersnap cookies and is the best dip at any wedding. Here's a picture of the stuff. {photo credit where credit is due: Robby Followell}

Oh M Gee.  This stuff is to die for.  I will even admit that we went to one wedding where they had this dip, and I skipped wedding cake for another serving of this crack cranberry stuff!  It is delish!  Like for real.

So now that I've gone on and on about this dip, you're probably wondering why I'm featuring someone's food without knowing the recipe.  Well, I just couldn't wait for Fresh Cut weddings to eat this stuff.  So when my Mom found something that tastes VERY similar, I had to share the recipe with y'all.

It's so easy. So quick. And SO good!  Make this today to share with your friends, family, small group, or hoard it all for yourself.

The cast of characters list is so small.  All you need is some softened cream cheese {I used fat free}, pecans {or walnuts}, dried cranberries, and orange marmalade.  While you don't necessarily have all of these things in your pantry, you'll make this recipe again and again. I guarantee it!

Once you've collected your ingredients, dump the 8 ounces of softened cream cheese in a bowl.

And forget to take a photo of that step.

Measure out 2/3 cup of dried cranberries and dump them in the bowl.  Curse Google Blogs for uploading your photo rotated {as usual!}.

Next, add to the mixture 1/3 cup of orange marmalade.  I happen to have the homemade good stuff from a farmers market, but feel free to use the store bought stuff.  I'm pretty sure all of it has the orange rind in it. I love the fact that it has orange rind in it. I can't tell from the photo above if Fresh Cut's version has orange rind in it or not.

And last, dump in 1/2 cup of chopped pecan pieces.  While I used pecans, you can also use walnuts.  But I have a hard time that southern Fresh Cut uses walnuts.  Pecans are just so much more southern to me. My pecan pieces were too big, so I had to chop them up.

Finally, you mix all of the ingredients together.  I usually use a whisk to whisk the orange, cranberries, and pecans into the cream cheese.  You want to make sure it's very well mixed.

After that's done, scoop some out onto a gingersnap and enjoy.  Fair warning....it's hard to just eat one!  Also, I usually buy the Kroger brand gingersnaps. The other day I was at Target and out of gingersnaps so I bought some. And I do not like them. They are way too hard and crunchy.  So if you're not a gingersnap connoisseur {which I am not}, buy the Kroger brand and not the Target brand!

Doesn't that look delicious?  I hope that y'all will try it since it's so easy and let me know what you think.  While not the original version, it satisfies my cravings frequently!  Store it in an air tight container in the fridge and enjoy all week long {or until it's gone}.

Also, my recipe says you can serve it with arugula as a salad or spread on a chicken sandwich.  I'm sure it's great as a sandwich spread. Cranberry, orange, and chicken! Yum! It sounds like Thanksgiving.  However, I'm sticking with ginger snaps. Such a yummy snack!  Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you make it!

Recipe: Cranberry Spread
 
8 oz softened cream cheese
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
gingersnaps

Mix first four ingredients together and combine well. Serve with gingersnaps.  Refrigerate leftovers.