Spiced Cranberry and Pear Chutney: A sweet and tangy dressing that will brighten up any meal – be it a holiday feast or your slap-dab midweek lunch.  This chutney cans beautifully, and makes a wonderful holiday housewarming gift.

This recipe makes 3 pint sized jars.

In a large sauce pan on the stovetop combine:

•  3/4 cups Sugar
• 3 slices of peeled fresh Ginger Root
• 3 Cinnamon Sticks
• 4 Cardamom Pods
• 8 Cloves
• 1 cup Water

Squeeze the juice of one half of an orange into the pot and then drop the squeezed half of orange rind in.  Bringing the pan to a slow boil.  Allow the liquid to slowly cook down for about 20 minutes or until the spices are blended in.  Keep the lid off the pan so that some of the water can evaporate out, and add water as needed if the liquid cooks down to much or to quickly.

Pour the spiced syrup through a strainer.

Return the liquid (or 3/4 cups of it) to the pan on the stovetop and add:

• 2 cups of Cranberries
• the juice of 1 Lime
• 1/4 cup Cognac
• 1/2 cup Maple Syrup

Continue to cook the chutney until the cranberries begin to soften.  Once the cranberries begin to soften add 3 diced and peeled pears (I used Bosc pears) to the chutney, and let to cook together for a few more minutes.

Sterilize the jars.

If you want to be fancy, you can slice up the second half of the orange and arrange the slices along the sides of the jar.  You can also transfer the cinnamon sticks form the strained spices into the jars.

Spoon the hot chutney into the jars.

Process the jars for canning, or place the chutney in the refrigerator for up to a month.