So recently I was invited to participate in a recipe challenge with Cape Cod Selects, a company that specializes in premium frozen cranberries. I haven’t done a lot of cooking with cranberries other than at Christmas time, so I thought it would be a fun challenge to adapt it for a summertime snack.

Since I’m more into savory appetizers vs desserts (and cranberry desserts seemed too easy) I decided to do something a little different. It’s basically a play on a tomato-onion jam using cranberries as the main ingredient. I made this recipe over 4th of July and used the party as a chance to taste test the recipe on friends and family, and after some trial and error, I finally perfected a delicious appetizer / snack that I like to call: Summer Cranberry and Prosciutto Toast.

Ingredients

• 2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 12 oz Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 orange juice
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 loaf of french bread, sliced and toasted
• 8 oz your favorite cheese (I used Tillamook White cheddar), sliced
• 6 oz thinly sliced Prosciutto
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• Fresh basil, thinly sliced to garnish

Instructions

1. In a skillet (mine is cast iron) melt the butter on medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until transparent. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Add in the cranberries, the diced tomatoes, brown sugar, and orange juice. Sprinkle with cayenne. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked down, resembling a jam. You may need to smoosh the cranberries down to help them cook down. Remove from heat. Taste again and add salt and pepper if needed.
4. While the cranberry mixture cooks, arrange the French bread slices on a tray.  Drizzle the bread lightly with olive oil, and let toast for about 5-7 minutes, or until lightly brown.
5. Assemble the toast by spreading a heaping spoonful of jam on a slice of toast, topping with a slice of cheese and a rolled up piece of prosciutto. Sprinkle with sliced basil and enjoy!

You can find Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries near you using their handy store locator. In addition to this tasty recipe, I’ve used them in salads and smoothies and they’re really delicious (and a bag really goes a long way!). For other fun recipe ideas, be sure to follow Cape Cod Select on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Youtube!

Got any good recipe ideas? Let me know in the comments!