Festive Appetizer Spread

This is one of my favorite things to bring to a party.  It's a little unexpected, full of flavor and is always gone by the end.  Plus the batch makes a lot so I have enough to take to several parties with very little notice.  I love spontaneous parties.  Fresh cranberries are top on my list of things to have around from Thanksgiving to New Year's.  Throw them in your freezer and they'll last forever, okay not forever, but a very long time.  You can find fresh cranberries in the produce section of your grocery store in bags.  I also don't add the almonds into the mixture, but sprinkle them on top when I serve it.  Otherwise they get mushy in the leftovers.  I hope you love this! (And Kelsi, I hope this is the cranberry recipe you were asking for.)

Festive Appetizer Spread

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 package (12 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries
½ c. apricot preserves
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (for each cup of spread)
Assorted Crackers (I recommend Wheatables, Ritz, or Wheat Thins)
Directions: In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil without stirring; boil for 5 minutes.  Add cranberries; cook until berries pop and sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Cut apricots in the preserves into small pieces; add to the cranberry mixture.  Stir in lemon juice.  Cool.  Add almonds.  Spoon over cream cheese; serve with crackers.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

(This photo came from tasteofhome.com.  This looks much better when I make it so when I make this next I'll replace the photo. It doesn't happen very often that my food looks prettier than the magazines.)