Cranberry Chicken (or Pork, or Ham)

Okay...here it is!  This is an amazing winter recipe.  Fresh cranberries are in season and this glaze is tangy and sweet.  It's like eating a slow cooked barbecue sauce.  Mmmm Mmm!  We tried it on chicken breasts, ham steak and pork chops.  All three were knockouts.  My husband's favorite is the ham because it's sweet, spicy, sour and salty!

Ingredients:

1 bag of fresh cranberries (3C)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup water

3 tsp crushed red pepper flake (optional)

2/3 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp dry mustard

3 medium onions

3 chicken breasts

1 ham steak

3 pork chops or pork steaks

Directions:

Rinse cranberries and remove any stems.  Place cranberries in a medium sauce pan with water and sugar.  Stir in crushed red pepper flake if desired.  Heat to medium and stir often.

Cook and stir for 15-30 minutes until the cranberries have burst and broken down. 

While the cranberries are breaking down, peel and chop the onions.  Put one of each chopped onion in the bottom of three 8x8" pans.

Open the package of chicken breasts and place the three breasts in one pan.  Open the ham steak cut into five pieces and discard the bone.  Lay the ham steaks in another pan.  Open the package of pork chops and place them in the last pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Remove the cranberries from the stove and stir in 2/3 cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp dry mustard.  

Let the mixture cool to room temperature.  Then top each pan with 1/3 of each sauce.  If you prefer you can use the sauce on only one protein and freeze just the sauce. 

Cover each pan with foil, label and freeze.  When ready to eat please thaw in the fridge for two days.  Then bake at 375 degrees for one hour.

This meal is delightful.  Don't think Thanksgiving, think slow roasted barbecue.  Ooooh Mama!  This glaze is amazin! 

Enjoy!

Christie aka Keeza