Whew!  Are your days really busy right now?  Mine sure are and, for the most part, I’m okay with that.  Holidays are supposed to be busy, but they don’t have to be stressful.  With a little planning and preparation ahead of time, you can eliminate much, if not all, of the stress that often times overwhelms us during this season.  These little Sparkling Sugared Cranberries are such a fun way to have a little treat on hand and can add some real sparkle to your table eaten as is or used as a garnish around your appetizer tray, in a salad, or to top a cake or pie.  Plus, they are an easy project for you and your kiddos to do together.

Recently, these Sparkling Sugared Cranberries were one of the Make-Ahead Appetizers that I featured when I appeared on THV11’s This Morning Program.  Everyone was pleasantly surprised at the sweetness of the berries with just a hint of tartness.  WARNING.  They can be addictive.

Do not discard the simple syrup that is used to brine the cranberries.  After bringing to a boil, I reuse it several times to brine more berries; it keeps well in the refrigerator.  It also makes a great addition to your holiday beverages that call for simple syrup.  

While I have not tried it, I have heard of people who mix them in with a bowl of popcorn.  That sounds like a fun idea to me.  Let me know if you give that a try.