Cranberry-Jalapeno Salsa

I’m so happy to be part of a family that loves to cook and eat! The kitchen is truly a gathering spot, the place where the whole family gravitates, and it’s even better when the food coming out of the kitchen is spectacular. Am I a food snob? Probably. Having delicious food is an important part of my life. Fortunately, it’s pretty much a given that any family gathering we attend will be filled with wonderful, creative tastes.

This recipe for Cranberry-Jalapeno Salsa came from such a gathering. We spent part of Thanksgiving Day with my husband’s side of the family, and while the kids played out in the snow, the adults sat around the huge kitchen table, preparing dinner and snacking on a fabulous array of appetizers. This one caught my eye, with its brilliant red color. Then I tasted it, and I was hooked. Talk about a burst of flavors. Wow! It’s a fun twist on traditional salsa, perfect for a crowd and lovely to look at. Plus, it’s delish! The recipe’s origin is a bit nebulous. I got it from my sister-in-law, who got it from another sister-in-law, who got it from her sister and possibly back to her mom who found it at some point in a cookbook……Did you follow all that?!  I twisted it and played with it a bit, and came up with my own version, and here it is. Wherever it came from, we think it’s a pretty fun, creative splash of holiday color and flavor.

When you think of salsa, you think,  “Where are the chips?” Am I right? Well, with this “salsa,” we tried something a little different. We put it on crackers smothered in goat cheese, which just adds another element to the unique and delicious tastes going on in this recipe. Not a fan of goat cheese? Use a milder variety like cream cheese. Or heck, just grab those tortilla chips and dig in!