Fall and early winter are peak season for fresh cranberries, so it's no wonder the colorful berries play a starring role in many holiday dishes.

Look for cranberries in the produce section of your grocery store, and pick out bright-colored, firm berries. Avoid bags that have brown or shriveled berries at the bottom, advise the experts at Martha Stewart. If fresh cranberries aren't available, frozen should work just the same.

Here are a few tasty ways to use cranberries in your kitchen this season:

Emeril's Apple and Cranberry Crisp

__Ingredients:__

Unsalted butter, for baking dish

2 1/2 to 3 pounds sweet, firm apples, such as Gala or Braeburn, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice

12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Crisp topping

1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional, to mix with topping)

__Directions:__

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, vanilla and orange zest and juice. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with topping.

Bake until topping is browned and juices are thick and bubbling around edges, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Source: www.marthastewart.com

Cranberry-and-Orange Vodka

__Ingredients:__

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 piece fresh orange peel (2-by-1-inch)

3 cups vodka

__Directions:__

In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, sugar and water until the sugar dissolves, the liquid begins to turn a light pink color and the cranberries just begin to pop. Pour the cranberries and the liquid into a large glass jar; stir in peel and vodka. Cover and let stand at room temperature at least 3 days or up to one month. Strain before serving. Check out the Cranberry Cosmopolitan recipe below for one way to serve this drink.

Source: www.marthastewart.com

Cranberry Cosmopolitan

__Ingredients:__

1 1/2 ounces Cranberry-and-Orange Vodka (see above)

1 1/2 ounces cranberry juice

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 ounce orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau

Ice cubes

Orange peel, for garnish

Cranberries, for garnish

__Directions:__

In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, orange liqueur and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Twist orange peel over cocktail and add to glass. Garnish with skewered cranberries; serve immediately.

Source: www.marthastewart.com

Merry Berry Salad

__Ingredients:__

1 package (10 ounces) mixed salad greens

1 medium red apple, diced

1 medium green apple, diced

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

__For dressing:__

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon grated onion

1 cup canola oil

__Directions:__

In a large salad bowl, toss the first six ingredients.

In a blender, combine the cranberries, sugar, vinegar, apple juice concentrate, salt, mustard and onion; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.

Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate any leftover dressing. Yields 10 servings.

Source: www.tasteofhome.com

Duane's Fresh Cranberry Relish

Submitted by Southeast Missourian food columnist Susan McClanahan: "It's very special to our family and very good. ... Dad had pecan trees, so it was the fresh crop pecans that just made the relish so wonderful! I love it so much, I eat it with dinner and for dessert."

__Ingredients:__

1 (1-pound) package fresh cranberries

3 oranges, seeded, peel and all

1 handful of pecans, coarsely chopped

About 1 full cup of sugar, adjust to taste

__Directions:__

Grind cranberries in a food grinder or coarsely chop with a food processor. Do not over-grind to mush; they need to be just coarse ground. Frozen cranberries work best.

Grind oranges, peel and all, seeds removed.

Combine cranberries, oranges, pecans and sugar. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Wonderful served as a side dish with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, on a turkey sandwich or stirred into Jell-O as a salad.