Christmas Cranberry Salsa

I have a cleaning business called 'B Clean'. I know you are wondering what that has to do with Christmas Salsa. Well, I found this recipe while I was cleaning for one of my clients. Can't you just picture me with a can of Pledge in one hand and a cookbook in the other? Well, I was actually dusting the shelf in the kitchen and a printout of this recipe was just laying there and it caught my eye, so I quickly jotted it down. It sounded so good and so fun for this time of year. It's not the first time I've found a recipe whilst cleaning and I'm sure it won't be the last. Thank you, Julie! Oh, and in case you're questioning my work ethic, I charge by the job [not hourly] so I could sit and read cookbooks all day...er, half the day at least and then clean the other half...and I would still make the same amount. Whew! now that we got that straight. Here's a really great recipe that I found in a really beautiful, superclean kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a 12 oz. bag of whole fresh cranberries, washed
• 1/3 cup green onions chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped, optional (skip this if you can't take the heat)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons grated, peeled fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 8 oz. block of cream cheese

Directions:
Process cranberries in a food processor to coarsely chop. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

To serve, pour over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers on a pretty Christmas platter with a pretty Christmas spreader...you know, just make sure it's pretty. I tried this with cracked pepper and olive oil Triscuits and it was really good, but I especially liked it with the Keebler Club Crackers.