Sally’s Cranberry Spread

By Anne Byrn

SERVES: 6 to 8 (1½ cups)

PREP: 10 to 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¹⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest (from 1 medium-size orange)
• ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
• ¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
• French bread toasts or favorite crackers, for serving

Directions:

1. Place the cream cheese, orange juice concentrate, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients come together, about 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the side of the bowl.
2. Add the orange zest, pecans, and dried cranberries to the cream cheese mixture, folding them in with the spatula.
3. Transfer the spread to a serving bowl or onto a wooden cheese board. Serve with toasted slices of French bread.

Do ahead:

The cranberry spread can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered. Let it return to room temperature before serving. If you like more crunch from the pecans, rather than adding them to the spread lightly toast them in a 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Then sprinkle the toasted pecans on top of the spread just before serving.