This was supposed to be a post with photos of all the delicious things I baked to bring with us when we visited our families for Christmas. But I didn’t do any baking. And we are not in Illinois!
And you know what didn’t seem like the best idea? Making several batches of cookies, fudge, and candies when Christmas is just going to be me and the husband.
So no holiday baking. But I still wanted to post something today, and then I got the idea of doing a Cranberry Orange Spritzer. I mean, not only are cranberries holiday appropriate, but they’re also good for urinary health, right? Perfect! If there were such a thing as cranberry Orangina, this would taste just like it–it’s very orange-y, but with a tart kick from the cranberries.
Anyway, for those of you who celebrate, I hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Ingredients
- 1 c. fresh cranberries
- 2 c. freshly-squeezed orange juice about 5 large oranges
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 two-inch piece ginger peeled and sliced into thick coins (optional)
- 2 c. sparkling water chilled (or more if you like it less sweet)
Instructions
- Combine cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and ginger in a medium pan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Continue to boil until cranberries begin to pop. Once cranberries have popped open and softened, use the back of a wooden spoon to smash them against the side of the pan. Remove from heat and cool.
- Strain cooled cranberry mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Discard solids and refrigerate juice until chilled, about an hour. Transfer juice to pitcher and stir in sparkling water. Serve with cranberries or orange slices as garnish, if desired.
57 Comments
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December 24, 2012 at 9:25 amMmmm, so bright and festive! Merry Christmas Friend!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:57 amMerry Christmas to you too, Sommer!
Sheri
December 24, 2012 at 10:44 amThat looks so good! I hope Miso feels better soon. Merry Christmas!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:57 amThank you, Sheri. Merry Christmas to you too!
alexandra @ sweet betweens [blog]
December 24, 2012 at 11:33 amsending lots of healthy thoughts Miso’s way. hope he gets better soon!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:56 amThank you! I hope so too. 🙂
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell
December 24, 2012 at 11:45 amThat looks soooo yummy! Sorry about Miso, but I’m glad there’s improvement!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:56 amThanks, Liz. I am hoping that we don’t have to spend Christmas at the emergency vet!
Courtney Rae Jones
December 24, 2012 at 12:04 pmAwe, I hope Miso feels better ASAP 🙂 Poor little one!
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas. xo
Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2013.
Looking forward to all of your posts in the new year!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:55 amThank you, Courtney! And I hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year too!
Jackie @ Domestic Fits
December 24, 2012 at 12:21 pmPoor kitty! Good thing it didn’t happen when you were away.
Beautiful cocktail, by the way 🙂
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:54 amI know! As much as we hate missing Christmas, I think this was a blessing in disguise. If it happened two days later, we wouldn’t have been around to catch it…
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December 24, 2012 at 12:23 pmWhat beautiful bright colour!
Poor Miso…one of my 3 cats had similar problem a while ago…and another had broken his leg and then having breathing problems…gosh…this afternoon, almost had another accident. Sorry for babbling ;-( it’s holiday and Miso is getting better…let’s celebrate with this beautiful and festive drink!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:53 amOh Angie, I am sorry! Sick pets are so tough to deal with–it’s hard to see them suffer. 🙁 I wish we could figure out exactly what’s going on with Miso, but I guess with this kind of cystitis, there are no easy answers or solutions…
Stephanie @ henry happened
December 24, 2012 at 12:25 pmPoor little Miso! Hope he’s better soon. Give him a few sips of cranberry for good measure 🙂 We just took Sam to the dr this morning & found out he has a double ear infection. No fun to be sick on Christmas. 🙁
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:49 amSomeone suggested cranberry supplements to us! But right now he’s on so many different meds, we didn’t want to introduce something else. Poor Sam–ear infections are the worst! 🙁
JulieD
December 24, 2012 at 12:28 pmThis looks fantastic, Kiersten!! I love the picture of your oranges!
I’m so sorry about Miso, I keep thinking about him and you guys. Please keep us posted!! xoxo and merry Christmas!!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:48 amThank you, Julie. Christmas definitely isn’t the same without seeing our families, but I am really glad we decided to stay home. As an animal lover, I know you know how it is!
Emily
December 24, 2012 at 1:39 pmHope your sweet kitty is feeling better soon!
Merry Christmas!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:46 amThank you! Merry Christmas to you too!
Maryann
December 24, 2012 at 2:15 pmSounds delicious!
Cindy
December 24, 2012 at 3:23 pmI’m sorry to hear about Miso. I work at a vet’s office and I know how critical those cases are. Hug him as tight as you can and make him promise he won’t obstruct again!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:46 amHe spent most of the past three days next to me, on my lap, or in my arms! He was doing so much better, but today he’s lethargic and refusing food and water. He’s definitely not completely obstructed (just stepped in a little puddle of pee to prove that!), but if he keeps up like this, I think we’ll have to bring him back in. 🙁
Corinna
December 24, 2012 at 3:56 pmHope your kitty feels better soon!
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:43 amThank you!
BusyWorkingMama
December 24, 2012 at 4:30 pmAww, hope your sweet kitty is feeling better! I wouldn’t be able to leave him behind, either.
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:42 amThank you! I’m so glad we ended up staying home. Even if he was better, I still would have worried about him the whole time!
BusyWorkingMama
December 25, 2012 at 11:15 amOur new cat Kitty gave us a Christmas present by coming all the way downstairs today 🙂
Kiersten
December 27, 2012 at 11:33 amYay! It’s funny how timid some of them are in new situations. 🙂 But once they start making those little steps, it seems like the others come more quickly…
Shirley
December 24, 2012 at 10:18 pmOh no, poor Miso! At least he won’t be missing his mom for Christmas. Sorry you couldn’t make the trip, though. And you also made me laugh — “good for urinary health.” Sounds like my mom! Hope you two still have a Merry Christmas and that Miso feels better soon.
Kiersten
December 25, 2012 at 10:42 amThank you! He was doing better, but today he’s very lethargic and won’t eat or drink. I think we might end up spending Christmas at the emergency vet. 🙁 I hope you have a Merry Christmas too–at the very least, I’m sure it will be better than ours! 😉
Robin (Masshole Mommy)
December 25, 2012 at 6:42 pmHow festively delicious!! YUM!
Jennifer H
December 26, 2012 at 8:55 ammmm that sounds and looks so delish!
HilLesha
December 26, 2012 at 1:59 pmI hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Kiersten
December 27, 2012 at 11:28 amThank you! You too! 🙂
elisa
December 26, 2012 at 3:25 pmoohhh! that looks good. i’ll have to try it. maybe as a new years drink?
i hope miso feels better soon! poor kitty.
Kiersten
December 27, 2012 at 11:28 amThank you! He’s going to have surgery tomorrow, so we’re hoping he will be back to his old self after that…
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December 26, 2012 at 9:21 pmOh I hope your cat will be all better really soon. This drink looks so delicious and refreshing! I hope this New Year brings you an abundance of blessings.
Kiersten
December 27, 2012 at 11:25 amThank you! I hope 2013 is a wonderful year for you, your family, and your business!
Jennifer The Quirky Momma
December 26, 2012 at 9:34 pmThe beverages look so festive and lovely! I think my family would really enjoy the last cranberry spritzer.
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty
December 27, 2012 at 1:00 pmI’m so sorry Miso is under the weather! Poor guy. I hope he is feeling better now.
This looks like such a great drink (awesome idea to just put the orange juice in the simple syrup). And I especially love these photos of yours. The splash of color those cute red ornaments add is just perfect.
Kiersten
December 28, 2012 at 8:31 amHe’s been at the vet since Wednesday and he’s having surgery this morning. So if all goes well, we will be bringing him home tomorrow. It’s been really weird not having him around! 🙁
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving
December 27, 2012 at 5:56 pmI hope that Miso is doing better but sorry you had to cancel your plans. Either way, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! This drink look so good but I keep thinking off adding a dash of vodka!
Kiersten
December 28, 2012 at 8:19 amThank you! And yes, vodka or even champagne would probably work well in this. 🙂
Bernadette @ Now Stir It Up
December 27, 2012 at 6:25 pmPoor Miso!! I hope that he is feeling better now. 🙂
I love cranberries and oranges together. In anything. So this HAS to be delightful!
Kiersten
December 28, 2012 at 8:18 amThank you! He is having surgery today, but he’ll come home tomorrow and hopefully he’ll be back to his normal self soon!
Genevieve
December 28, 2012 at 3:26 pmCranberry, orange and ginger is such a good combination – reminds me of cranberry sauce turned into a drink! Hope your cat is doing better and that you had a nice Christmas 🙂
Kiersten
December 31, 2012 at 2:11 pmYes! That’s what I told my husband–“This is like cranberry sauce in drink form.” But I thought maybe that didn’t sound too appetizing, so I didn’t mention it in my post. 😉