One of the many things I love about making food for others is the unintended impact it sometimes has on people. Toward the end last summer I got together with three friends from Portland for a girls weekend. The four of us have been friends since we were in our twenties living in Portland. During the weekend, in between a lot of wine drinking, we talked about cooking and recipes. One of my friends mentioned an appetizer that I used to make. She remembered everything about it, but I had never shared the recipe with her. Another one of the trio, whom I lived with in Portland, told me she still makes an appetizer that I introduced her to when we lived together. A tiramisu recipe I’ve adopted as my own, was shared with me by another friend from the group. During that girls weekend we discovered we all had recipe memories about one another. 

Sharing recipes that have been adopted into our own routines is a really nice thing. Particularly since we live in an age of looking through food blogs,  Pinterest and websites for kitchen inspiration. I love coming across a recipe in my collection that is handwritten by a friend. It’s like a trip down memory lane for me.

The recipe I’m sharing with you is the appetizer that one of my friends from the Portland girls weekend remembered having many times. This cranberry spread is sweet with a spicy kick that melds well with cream cheese. It’s a nice holiday season appetizer that I like to make year round.

Photography warning! This isn’t a photogenic dish. In fact, it’s kind of unappetizing looking. But trust me, it will help you win Thanksgiving, or any other holiday type get together.

My kitchen notes

It’s important to drain the diced green chiles to avoid an over watery cranberry spread.

Cranberry Chile Spread

16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce

4 ounce can diced green chiles, drained

2 green onions, sliced and minced

1 lime

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

8 ounce package of cream cheese

Crackers

1. Pour cranberry sauce and drained diced green chiles in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

2. To cranberry mixture add minced green onions, juice from lime, garlic salt, cayenne pepper and chili powder. Stir to combine.

3. Arrange a block of cream cheese that’s slightly softened on a tray or plate. Spoon cranberry mixture over cream cheese.

4. Serve with crackers.