Okay, so it is a little late for the Fourth of July, but this was so good, I figured it shouldn't have to wait til next year. Let's call it a culinary marvel. In fact, I practically named it just that, "Cranberry Marvel"- marvel because it is amazing what you can do at the last minute with what you have lying around in the cupboards, freezer, or fridge. :)
So as the story goes, it was Fourth of July, and while I was busily making wedding shower cakes (more on that later on possibly), I was thinking - hmm, I should come up with some sort of red, white, and blue dessert for today (nothing like the last minute, right?).
Vanilla ice cream and blueberries were readily available in our kitchen, but I needed something red. Uh oh - out of strawberries! But then I remembered we still had some frozen cranberries in the deep freezer. Sooo - I took those out and threw them together with brown sugar and a little brandy and cooked them. Voila! Cranberry Marvel! A delicious blend of tart and sweet - especially yummy served warm over vanilla ice cream! But I bet it would taste awesome over a dense white chocolate cake as well. :) In fact, why not throw caution to the wind and try it both ways - or just eat it straight out of the pan (yep, I think it is that good)!
Here is the rough version of what I did and used (a.k.a. recipe):
Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2/4 cup of frozen cranberries
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of brandy
1. Combine cranberries and sugar in small saucepan over medium low heat and let cook uncovered for about 10-12 minutes (you should probably hear the cranberries popping by then). Make sure you stir it occasionally during that time.
2. Add the brandy and stir to combine. Cook mixture for another few minutes (maybe 4 or 5?).
3. Take mixture off heat (don't forget to turn off the burner) and let sit until you are ready to use it.
4. Pour over ice cream (top with fresh blueberries if you like) and ENJOY!!! :)
