This cranberry salsa will make you feel like a celebrity. At least it did for Brian. He took it to several events last week and every time, he returned with accounts of people mobbing him for the recipe, weeping at the fear he wouldn’t share it and kissing his feet when he did (accounts may have been ever so slightly dramatized).

It is probably the yummiest, simplest thing you can make this holiday season eliciting the same type of reaction that might happen if you made a life-sized Santa caricature out of cheesecake and chocolate (can we all commit to each other just not to go there, ever?).

People go crazy over this stuff. And it couldn’t be easier: toss everything in a blender or food processor and chop choppity chop.

You could also get wild and crazy and serve it at Thanksgiving instead of a more traditional cranberry sauce. Don’t let the fresh cranberry season get away from you without making this. I won’t tell if you decide to make it and keep it all to yourself.

Fresh Cranberry Salsa
Yield: Makes about 4 cups of salsa

If your blender or food processor is on the small side and doesn't chop up large batches of ingredients very well, consider chopping the ingredients separately or in batches and then combining in a bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries

• 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped

• 1/4 medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1/2 large red pepper, roughly chopped

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup no-sugar added applesauce

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (use the seeds if you want more heat)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until combined (and it is the texture you want).

2. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to give the flavors a chance to meld. It can be made and refrigerated for up to a week or longer.

3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly (and recipes combined) from a recipe my Aunt Marilyn sent me as well as one sent to me by Kristin R. several years ago