Last week I picked up a new cookbook at my local Scholastic Warehouse Book Sale. Have any of you been to one of these? It’s a book lovers paradise, a warehouse filled with rows and rows of books of all kinds – all 50% off. Yes, this book nerd finds this extremely exciting.

Not only was I excited about the overwhelming amount of books in general, but I got pretty happy when I stumbled into the cookbook section. I had been eying this cookbook from The Mom 100 ever since it was featured on #SundaySupper a few months back. After having it in my hands for a few days already, I have to tell you – I’m glad I picked it up.

I made this for the kids and myself while my husband was away on business last week. I don’t usually cook up anything outside of our few ‘regular’ meals when it’s just the three of us, but I had been craving these sesame noodles since I laid eyes on them – and I was keeping my fingers crossed that the kids would eat them too.

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I have had cranberry on the brain lately.  I’m craving cranberry everything for some reason.  I want to make this Cranberry Orange Quickbread that I baked up for Thanksgiving last year…and while I’m at it, make some of this Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce that I fell in love with too.  Now, I’ll have to tell you, I’m not really a big fan of cranberry by itself…for me the flavor is a little too tart on its own, so I prefer it paired with something a little sweet, like orange or apple.

The other day I decided I had to have a cranberry nut cream cheese spread for the little bagels I picked up at the store.  I pictured this spread on everything…sliced apples, grainy flatbreads, turkey sandwiches…or for me, apple sandwiches (I love apple and peanut butter sandwiches so just envision the spread in place of PB on a whole wheat sandwich thin with crisp thin apple slices…crunch…and yum.).  I thought the cranberry nutty cream cheese spread was a novel and brilliant concoction and googled it for “ideas”.

Apparently it’s not that novel.  I found exactly what I wanted to make right here at the Cranberry Marketing Committee of all places.  They are ahead of the game I guess.  Oh well.  I added sunflower seeds to my spread and have been enjoying it on mini whole wheat bagels for a post run snack this past week.  My mom loved it at breakfast yesterday and asked for the recipe…so here you go Mom!

This Cranberry Nut Cream Cheese Spread would be great to bring to any holiday brunch or breakfast…it’s best served at room temperature so take it out early!

Cranberry Nut Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup (or 1/4 cup honey as original recipe suggests)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Directions:

1. Combine cream cheese and agave (or honey) in a medium mixing bowl. Use a mixer or wooden spoon to combine until smooth, then stir in cranberries, walnuts and orange zest. Use immediately or refrigerate covered until ready to use. Best served at room temperature.

Recipe slightly adapted from US Cranberry Committee

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