Cranberry Splendor - The Joy and Versatility of this Fruit

Fall will soon be here and cranberries will be present at many kitchen tables. A prominent side dish for Thanksgiving, cranberries add a tart and sweet taste to a main course meal. Sugar is usually added to sweeten the tartness of the popular berry, but an artificial sweetener will work just as well, without the calories.

It is said that Ulysses S. Grant ordered his soldiers to be served cranberry sauce during the siege of St. Petersburg, which started the American tradition of serving this popular side dish during special occasions and holidays. Native Americans used cranberries before the pilgrims did, as a way to help preserve meat. They would mash the berry with deer meat and called it "Pemmican". It is unknown, at least not documented, whether or not cranberries were part of the first Thanksgiving.

Wisconsin is known to be the largest grower of cranberries in the Unites States. Other states that grow them are Washington, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Oregon.

Medicinally, cranberry juice has long been known to prevent urinary tract infections. The acidic quality of the berry helps flush the urinary tract which gets rid of the infection. High in vitamin C, it was also used to help prevent scurvy with sailors and settlers who would be on ships for long periods of time, and needed the nutrition the cranberry provided.

Here is a delectable recipe with cranberries your whole family will enjoy.

Baked Pork Chops with Acorn Squash and Easy Cranberry Raisin Sauce

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh cranberries (frozen optional)

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/4 cup raisins

Place cranberries, water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium to high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Cranberries will break up due to heat. Add raisins and lower heat to allow sauce to simmer. After simmering for approximately 10 minutes, turn off heat and allow cooling. Place in bowl and put in refrigerator. It takes approximately 2-3 hours to chill.

Baked Pork Chops with Acorn Squash

2 boneless pork chops, 1 inch thick

2 acorn squash, rinsed, sliced in two, and scooped out

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 dashes nutmeg

1 tbsp. seasoned salt