Seeing the first leaves of fall hit the ground is for many people the beginning of holiday plans. There are guest lists to put together, menus to coordinate and table décor to bring the meal to fruition. A beautiful table with a scrumptious meal doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor. Orange Cranberry Cups make a beautiful presentation at each place setting and are filled with a holiday staple, delicious cranberry sauce, but with a twist.
This cranberry dish is simple to make and can be prepared ahead of time. The presentation is as pretty as the cranberry orange sauce is good. The orange cups used for serving this dish can be used for other orange or fruit flavored dishes to make the presentation beautiful. Experiment with different types of sauces, salads and desserts using the orange cup as a serving piece.
Orange Cranberry Cups
Ingredients
- 3-4 fresh, whole oranges (larger ones are the best choice)
- 2 cans whole cranberry sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 package strawberry Jell-O
- I Granny Smith apple
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- Walnuts or Pecans Chopped
Topping
- 1 package cream cheese softened
- 1 small container of Cool Whip
Preparation
- Slice the oranges in half.
- On the bottom of each orange half, slice off a small section of peel without going through to the pulp. This makes a level area to help prevent the orange shells from tumbling over.
- Carefully scoop out orange using a small spoon.
- Remove the seeds from the shelled out orange pieces and cut up slightly.
- Boil two cups of water and add the strawberry Jell-O. Stir until dissolved.
- Add the cup of orange juice and stir again.
- Stir in the cranberry sauce, orange pieces, apple, celery and chopped nuts.
- Spoon into the orange shells and place on a cookie sheet.
- Refrigerate the orange shells with cranberry mixture until ready to serve.
- Before serving, mix the cream cheese and Cool Whip together until smooth. Use a cake decorator's icing bag or Zip Lock bag to add a dollop of topping to each cup. For a festive look a decorator’s tip can be used to make the topping even more decorative.
These orange-cranberry cups are beautiful alongside each place setting or can be displayed on a buffet. If they are displayed, place them on a pretty serving tray surrounded by greenery such as kale and some fresh fruit placed around the cups. These are great for Thanksgiving with a turkey dinner or at Christmas on the buffet.
Holiday cooking should be fun and enjoyable for the cook and the guest. Making homemade candies and dishes like Cranberry Orange Cups, Oreo Cookie Balls and other family favorites are a great way to start a holiday tradition.
Sharon Chapman - Writing has been a passion of mine for as far back as I can remember. There are at least two novels floating around in my head waiting to ...
