Cranberry Iced Coffee

Cool off this summer with a tasty cranberry iced coffee!

Ingredients
1/2 cup strong cranberry coffee, cooled
Ice, enough to fill tall glass
1/2 cream, half and half or milk (If using milk, you'll want at least 1/2 cup. If using half and half or cream, a couple of tablespoons will suffice.)
Sweetener, sugar and condensed milk to taste.

Top with whipping cream and raisins.

Makes one serving

Cranfest Booth at the Monroe County Fair

The Cranfest booth at the Monroe County Fair will be located in the Gold Exhibit Building. Come find us, and grab a few contest rules and a parade entry form. Here is a list of forms we will have available at our booth:

• Biggest Berry Contest
• Photography Contest
• Pictorial Cancellation Contest
• Vegetable & Sunflower Contest
• Scarecrow Contest
• Schedule of Events
• Nonprofit Parade Entry Form
• Novelty Parade Entry Form
  

Monroe County Fair

The Monroe County Fair starts this Wednesday, and Warrens Cranberry Festival plans to be there! We will have a booth featuring this year's schedule of events, contest rules and more information about Cranfest! Come find us in the Gold Exhibit Building. We look forward to seeing you there!

Chewy Sour Cream Craisin Bars

An alternative to store-bought granola bars, these chewy sour cream craisin bars will be sure to awaken your taste buds!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups quick oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter
4 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups craisins
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 chopped pecans, chopped

Makes 20 bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press into bottom of an ungreased 13x19-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Mix egg yolks, granulated sugar, craisins, raisins, sour cream and vanilla together in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Continue stirring and boil for 1 to 2 minutes until thick. Pour over baked crust. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and brown sugar in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread over filling to the edges. Sprinkle pecans on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool and then refrigerate until serving.

Scarecrow Contest Has New Twist This Year

This year, our scarecrow contest is going to be bigger and better than ever!

Scarecrows at this year's festival will be placed on light posts throughout the village to create a more festive atmosphere.

The contest has categories for both children and adults. First place in the adult section wins $30, and children's first place takesn home $20.

For more information, check out our Web site at www.cranfest.com.

Vendor Forms

Warrens Cranberry Festival is still taking applications for our arts & crafts, flea market & antique and farm market! To get your application materials, visit www.cranfest.com, and go to the Vendor page. On the left menu, click "Forms."

For more information, contact our office at 608-378-4200 or cranfest@cranfest.com

Cranberry Punch

Spice up your summer parties with this tangy cranberry punch!

Ingredients
1 gallon apple cider
2 large bottles cranberry juice
2 26-ounce Canada Dry ginger ale
lemon juice
orange slices to garnish
lots of ice

Add ginger ale just before serving, so it stays bubbly.

Want more cranberry drinks? Try the Cranberry Summer. Mix equal parts chilled cranberry cocktail and cold tea. Serve in tall glasses with ice. Add a crisp sprig of mint from the garden for a fresh, summery taste!

Cranberry Festival Royalty

Each year, Warrens Cranberry Festival crowns new royalty, including a Queen and two Princesses. Here are the rules if you would like to be involved:

• Royalty contestants must reside within 50 miles of Warrens.
• Queen contestants must be between the ages of 16 and 21, single, and remain so for one year following her coronation. At the end of her reign, she will receive a $500 scholarship from the festival.
• Princess contestants must be between the ages of 12 and 15. At the end of their reign, they will each receive a $250 scholarship from the festival.

Candidates will be judged based on an interview that will measure their personality, charm, grooming, poise, posture, past achievements and speaking ability. All contestants must give a 5-minute cranberry food demonstration.

For more information, contact the office at 608-378-4200 or office@cranfest.com

Where will your spot be?

Many returning vendors at Cranfest want to make sure they have last year's spot back, and who would blame them? After all, when you've had so much success in the same place, why would you want to move? At the office, we have gotten countless calls involving people who want to know if they will be in the same spot this year.

On the other hand, we also have numerous calls from new vendors wanting to know if they can choose their spot. Unfortunately, we can't make those decisions at the office. Our vendor chair is in charge of laying out the map, which usually happens as we get closer to festival.

So, if you're a vendor, what's the best way to ensure that you will have the spot you want? Make sure you put any special requests, including where you would like your booth to be, on your application. This is the best way to let our chair know where you want to be. Our chair always takes your requests into account, and will do her best to put everyone in the areas they want.

Best of luck at Cranfest!

Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this yummy biscotti!

Ingredients:
8 ounces (squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Makes 3 dozen biscotti

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a baking sheet. Chop six of the chocolate squares; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add chopped chocolate, cranberries and pecans. Stir until well blended. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured board, schape each half into a 14x1x1/2-inch log. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet 15 minutes. Place logs on cutting board, and with a serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into 18 3/4-inch slices. Place slices 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until slightly dry. Remove to wired racks. Cool completely. Melt remaining 2 chocolate squares, following instructions on package. Drizzle over biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

Cranfest Calls for Sponsors

Warrens Cranberry Festival announced today an opportunity to involve local businesses and cranberry growers by inviting them to sponsor one of its most famous events: the gigantic parade.

The festival, the world’s largest of its kind, brings over $3 million to the Monroe County area each year. Sponsorships will give locals the opportunity to give back to the festival, as well as become involved in their community.

Sponsors of the 2009 parade will receive special recognition, including announcement during the locally televised event, placement in the Cranberry Festival’s special sections in local newspapers before and after the event, recognition on the festival Web site and newsletter and placement on the sponsor board at the parade. Sponsors who donate $500 or more will also have a banner carried in front of one of the parade units.

To be a sponsor for this year’s parade, contact the festival office at office@cranfest.com or 608-378-4200 to request a form. Sponsorships are due Aug. 15, 2009.

Cranfest Announces New Parade Categories

If you're itching to be in this year's parade, you're in luck! Warrens Cranberry Festival recently announced two new nonprofit and novelty categories for its 2009 parade.

The parade, which takes place on Sept. 27 at noon, hopes to involve more locals by adding the new categories. Each category accepts kid and adult entries free of charge, and the novelty category also features a commercial subcategory for businesses. Commercial entries are $55.

The parade committee encourages all entries to be creative. Why not have a theme, such as a movie or TV series? Or you could focus on a particular decade like the hippies of the 60s or catch the dancing fever of the 70s. Feeling patriotic? Let it shine on your float! Keep in mind, these are only suggestions. Get as creative as you want to represent your group.

First place winners in each category will receive $150, with second place receiving $50. Entries are due Aug. 20.

To request an entry form or to receive more information, contact the festival office at 608-378-4200 or office@cranfest.com. Forms are also available at www.cranfest.com. Good luck!

Leave the Driving to Us!

Heading to Cranfest from Tomah? Save gas and parking by taking the Cranfest Shuttle!

The shuttle will make non-stop trips from Tomah Recreational Park, located off Highway 16 and County Highway CM. Buses will run continuously about every 30 minutes Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Unlimited weekend passes are $12. Prices are $7 for one round trip, and $5 for a one-way trip. Children under age 5 are free with a paid adult.

There is limited handicap parking available with permit only. Contact the Tomah Chamber at 1-800-948-6624 for more information.

Directions
From I-94: (Intersection of State Hwy 21 and North Superior Ave./Hwy 12)
From the traffic lights at the intersection of State Hwy 21 and N. Superior Ave./Hwy 12, travel south on Superior Ave. 3.1 miles. You will go through 4 traffic lights. At the 4th light, turn right onto W. Clifton/Hwy 16. Travel 1/2 mile , then turn right onto County Hwy CM. Immediately turn right again onto Butts Ave. Turn right on Fair St. to enter parking area.

From I-90: (Intersections of State Hwy 131/ South Superior Ave. and State Hwy 12 and 16)
From exit 41, travel north .9 miles on S. Superior Ave. (State Hwy 131) to the traffic light at the intersection of S. Superior and W. Clifton St (State Hwy 16). Turn left onto W. Clifton and travel 1/2 mile. Turn right onto County Hwy CM. Immediately turn right again onto Butts Ave. Turn right on Fair St. to enter parking area.

Red, White and Blue Cake

Impress your July 4th guests with this colorful and patriotic cake!

Cake
1 18.25-ounce package white cake mix
4 egg whites
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick coating. Combine cake mix, egg whites, sour cream and water in mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes with electric mixer. Divide batter equally into prepared pans and bake for 10-15 minutes. Test with toothpick for doneness. Cool slightly and remove from pans.

Gelatin Mixture
1 tablespoon Jell-O blue gelatin powder
1/4 cup white cranberry juice or water
1 tablespoon Jell-O cherry powder
1/4 cup cranberry juice or water

While cake is baking, prepare gelatin mixtures. Measure blue gelatin powder into a small bowl. Add hot white cranberry juice or water. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.

In another bowl, dissolve red gelatin powder in hot cranberry juice or water. Let mixtures cool slightly, but do not allow to get too firm. With a large kitchen fork or a straw, poke holes in 2 of the warm cake layers. Spoon the blue gelatin mixture over one; red gelatin mixture over the second layer. Allow the layers to cool completely.

Berry Filling
16 ounces jellied or whole cranberry sauce
1/3 cup cinnamon red hot candies
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

While cake layers are cooling, combine cranberry sauce and red hots into a small saucepan. Heat and stir until sauce and red hots melt. Remove from heat; stir in blueberries. Let mixture cool slightly.

Assembly
Transfer the "blue" cake layer to a cake board or large cake plate. Spread1/2 of the berry filling evenly over the cake layer. Put the white layer on top of the bottom layer and spread the remainder of filling evenly over the surface. Position the "red" layer on top of the second. Frost with mock whipped cream frosting (recipe follows) and decorate with cranberries and blueberries if desired.

Mock Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
dash salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla

In saucepan whisk milk, flour and salt together. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Cool well. Put plastic wrap directly on top of mixture to prevent top from hardening. Measure sugar, butter and shortening into a medium mixing bowl. Beat well with electric mixer. Add cooled flour mixture and vanilla. Beat until fluffy and stiff liked whipped cream, about 3-5 minutes. Frost top and sides of cake. This frosting doesn't hold up well in heat, so refrigeration of frosted cake is recommended.

The Cranfest Scoop

The July 2009 edition Warrens Cranberry Festival's newsletter, The Cranfest Scoop, is now available. Check out what's happening with the festival, including recent donations, royalty news and a tasty recipe by viewing the newsletter at http://fileresource.sitepro.com/filemanager/21/filecollections/46/B37AD79F-3A2D-D6AB-7E18-8122EF7DD773.pdf