HOLIDAY Cranberry Jalapeno & Cream Cheese Dip

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  I had this at a church activity and have been hooked since!  I love the bright color and hey, I'm a sucker for a great cheese and cracker dip.  I've used a blender and a food processor for this.  The food processor is probably prettier, but the blender works great too.  You can garnish with a little extra cilantro if desired.
  Picture from "Plant Perks."
• INGREDIENTS
12 ounces fresh cranberries
•  4-5 green onions, chopped
•  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
•  1/2 cup sugar (more to taste)
•  1/2 teaspoon cumin
•  2 tablespoons fresh lemon (or orange) juice (from about 1 large lemon)
•  2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, light or regular, softened
•  Crackers, for serving

1. Pulse all ingredients in blender or food processor. Transfer the mixture to a container and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness.  *I also often freeze containers and then just pull them out as needed.
2. When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese.
3. Serve with crackers.