Cape Cod Select Frozen Cranberries – Blogger Recipe Challenge
Family Dinner Category Recipe
For my first recipe submission in the Family Dinner Category of the Cape Cod Select Blogger Recipe Challenge 2020 is a Grilled Pork Chops with Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce. The dish consists of bone-in pork chops from my freezer, and leftover “everything” bagels used to create the cranberry stuffing. This classic dinner is ready in just under an hour and is well complemented with a crisp romaine salad, dressed in cranberry vinaigrette. The final touch on this flavorful dish includes a cran-rosemary lemonade to wash it all down.
You can find my holiday version of this recipe here: GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH HOT CRANBERRY SAUCE AND SAGE STUFFING.
Contest Cooking & COVID-19
Wrapping my head around contest recipes during the COVID-19 quarantine has been challenging. However, I’m a glass half full type of gal, and I’ve decided to look at this overwhelming global pandemic as an opportunity for me to get creative with Cape Cod Select Frozen Cranberries. I’m embracing the challenge of scavenging through my fridge, freezer and pantry for supplies. Thankfully, Cape Cod Select sent me the most incredible frozen cranberries for my recipe creations. I’m honored by the opportunity to utilize their products, and delighted to have a well-stocked pantry.
Even in the worst of times, creating recipes for your family with what’s on hand in your pantry and fridge is soul-satisfying. I hope you use my recipes to create a similar family dinner with what you have available.
Cran-Rosemary Lemonade
The simple syrup can be stored in a glass container and refrigerated for up to one month. If you’d like to store it longer, it can be frozen.
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup Cape Cod Select Frozen Cranberries
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced pineapple
- 2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3-4 slices fresh lemons, peel on
- 6 springs fresh rosemary
- Ice
- In a small saucepan, heat 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup cranberries
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary until all the sugar is dissolved. About 3 minutes
- Remove rosemary sprig and discard. Mash cranberries with a fork or spoon. Strain liquid though a fine sieve and discard solids.
- Add simple syrup to a 32 ounce pitcher
- Add 1/2 cup frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced pineapple
- 2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3-4 slices fresh lemons, peel on to the pitcher and fill with ice and stir
- To Serve: Fill highball glasses with ice, add lemonade and a a rosemary spring for garnish
- ENJOY!
The Stuffing
In-home pantry and freezer searching lead me to the decision to use “everything” bagels in my stuffing in order to utilize leftover bagels. Dotted with bright red, tart cranberries and pepita seeds; the stuffing is stunning well-balanced with the marriage of savory-sweet flavor and crunchy texture.
- 2 "Everything Bagels" (about 4 cups chopped)
- 1/2 cup Cape Cod Select Frozen Cranberries, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons rubbed sage
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Chop vegetables and bagles
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well
- Pour mixture into a greased 8 x 8 x 2 inches baking dish
- Cover dish with foil and bake stuffing for 35-40 minutes or until the edges are crisp and browned and the center is firm set
The Salad
The salad is super simple, as it’s made with the fresh produce I had available in my kitchen. The crisp romaine lettuce, shaved carrots, cucumbers and sliced sweet onions provide a simple, yet sophisticated flavor.
The key to making this specific type of salad lies within the use of fresh vegetables, followed by a consistent layer of dressing over the greens through the use of a refreshing cranberry vinaigrette. You’ll be amazed by the extraordinary flavors the cranberries add to each of these stand-alone recipes.
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cucumber, washed and shredded
- 1 carrot, washed and shredded
- 1/2 cup sweet onion, cut thinly
- 1/4 cup Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries, thawed
- 1/4 cup mirin vinegar
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Place chopped romaine, shredded carrots, cucumber and onion in a large salad bowl
- In a food processor or blender, combine next ingredients and blend for 30 -60 seconds.
- Right before serving, pour Vinaigrette over salad and toss to combine
- Enjoy
Grilled Pork Chops with Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce
In order to get the full experience from this dish, I suggest seasoning the chops with salt and pepper, then storing them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill. Set them out thirty minutes before grilling to bring to room temperature.
- 4 bone-in pork chops
- 1 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
- 2 cups Cape Cod Select Frozen Cranberries, thawed and chopped
- 2 cups pineapple, chopped
- Juice from 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 rosemary sprig
- pinch salt
- Rub both sides of each pork chop with even amount yellow mustard then season with salt and pepper
- Rest chops at room temperature until ready to grill
- Combine cranberries, pineapple, lemon juice, sugar, rosemary sprig and pinch salt in a medium sauce pan.
- Cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.
- Discard rosemary after 10-15 minutes
- When the sauce is ready it should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon (see photos below)
- Grill pork chops on a pre-geated grill until meat thermometer reaches 145 F.
- Let the chops rest for 3 minutes before serving with sauce
Before cooking 
After about 15 minutes cooking 
Finished 35-40 minutes
About The Challenge
The folks at Cape Cod Select have selected food bloggers from around the country to participate in their #YearOfTheCranberry recipe challenge. The prizes are as follows.
Family Dinner Category – $500.00 category prize
Cran-You-Believe It Category – $500.00 category prize
Healthy On-The-Go Category – $500.00 category prize
Overall $1,000.00 Grand Prize winner!
Be Sure to Follow Cape Cod Select
Be sure to follow Cape Cod Select on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest as they provide regular updates on products, contests, recipes and more. Also check nearby stores for this great product or you can order these frozen cranberries online.
Stay Home and Wash Your Hands
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this phrase the past few weeks I’d be rich nonetheless, we are all struggling to comprehend this ever-changing historical Global event that faces us. The best advice I can share is to stay home and wash you hands, a lot! Be inventive in the kitchen, be kind to one another and trust God. We are all in this together and will be stronger for it.
Information on Printing Recipes
You will find each recipe for this family dinner in a stand-alone format to make it easier to print all the recipes or just one. ENJOY!
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