If you’re like me, you have some extra cranberry sauce from Christmas that you’re wondering what to do with. Well, here’s an easy recipe for a cranberry cream cheese spread that goes great on bagels. It makes a nice breakfast during and after the holidays! And I’ll also tell you how to make a bagel sandwich with this spread—a sandwich that also uses leftover turkey…just the thing for a quick, easy lunch!

This Cranberry-Pecan Cream Cheese Spread has cranberry sauce, fresh chopped cranberries, and finely-chopped pecans mixed into the cream cheese, to give this spread a great taste, color, and texture. It’s really good on bagels, especially toasted bagels! I use whole wheat bagels, but use whatever bagels you like best. The recipe makes a little more than one cup of spread.

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CRANBERRY–PECAN CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

• 1 (8-ounce) block of cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tablespoons cranberry sauce (I used Ocean Spray®  Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce)
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 Tablespoons finely-chopped fresh cranberries (or if you want a sweeter taste, chop up dried cranberries)
• 2 Tablespoons finely-chopped pecans

In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, cranberry sauce, and honey, blending well.

Add in cinnamon and ginger to the cream cheese mixture and blend well, then stir in the chopped cranberries and pecans.

Serve immediately on toasted bagels or bread…or muffins, too. If not using right away, store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to a week.

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I also made a yummy-tasting bagel sandwich with this spread and here’s the recipe for that, too…

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TURKEY–CRANBERRY SANDWICH by NancyC

Makes 1 sandwich

• Cranberry-Pecan Cream Cheese Spread (see recipe above)
• A bagel of your choice, toasted or untoasted
• 1 Tablespoon cranberry sauce
• Lettuce leaves or fresh baby spinach leaves

Slice bagel in half (unless it’s pre-sliced) and spread both halves of bagel with desired amount of cream cheese (toast bagel first if desired). Put as little or as much cream cheese on as you want.

On the bottom bagel half, place 4 to 5 thin slices of turkey on top of the cream cheese (you can use less slices if turkey is sliced thicker). Spread  the Tablespoon of cranberry sauce on top of the turkey slices.

On the top bagel half, place desired amount of lettuce over the cream cheese. Place this bagel half over the bottom turkey bagel half and voila…you have just created a yummy holiday sandwich! 🙂

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Cream cheese spreads like this one make great appetizers when they’re served with crackers or pretzels, too! And this cranberry spread is great for the holidays! What different ways do you use your leftover cranberry sauce?

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