There's a good chance there's a tupperware sitting in your fridge filled with cranberry sauce. Yup, its great with Thanksgiving dishes even leftovers but now the Turkey is gone. DON'T waste the cranberry. December is a perfect time to let this lovely little fruit shine.

Feel free to switch out your own cranberry sauce in replace of the cranberry satsuma compote in this recipe, I like the orange and spice flavors in my own recipe, but really ANY little bit of cranberry goodness will be delightful.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Danishes

Makes a Dozen Pastries

INGREDIENTS | Pastry Dough

1 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1/2 tsp salt
10 tbs butter
4 to six tablespoons ice water

INGREDIENTS | Cream Cheese Filling

4oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Cranberry Satsuma Compote

INGREDIENTS | Glaze

juice of 1 satsuma
zest of one satsuma
1/4 cup powdered sugar

instructions | Pastry Dough

To prepare the pastry, combine the flour, salt, and butter pieces in a large bowl. (Make sure the butter pieces are 1/4 inch or smaller.)

Add 6 tablespoons of the water and mix with a fork just until the dough comes together. Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons water if you need to, but stop before the dough gets too wet.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface. It should just hold together when you squeeze it in your hand.

With a lightly floured rolling pin, shape the dough into a 6×12-inch rectangle with a short side nearest you.

Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. (Fold the bottom third up and then the top third down over the bottom third.) Use a bench scraper to help lift and fold the dough if necessary. At this point, the dough will be very rough and shaggy. As you roll and fold the dough it will come together.

Rotate the dough so that the folded edge is to the left. Repeat rolling and folding two more times, lightly flouring the surface as necessary.

Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Repeat the entire process one more time for a grand total of six turns.

INSTRUCTIONS | Cream Cheese Filling

It's easy to prep this while in one of your waiting periods while making the dough. It keeps fine in the fridge until ready to use.

Mix together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla with a whisk until combined.

INSTRUCTIONS | Prepping and Cooking

Start oven to 425F and prep your baking sheets. Cut your pastry dough into squares about 3x3 inches. Maybe slightly larger, but not more.

In the center of each pastry dough square add a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling and a teaspoon of the cranberry filling.

In a small bowl mix together a egg yolk and 2 tbs water to create an egg wash. Then brush on the surface of any remaining dough areas. If you want create other shapes at this time like folded in corners etc.

Place in oven for 15-20 minutes until golden. When you remove these amazing puff pastries and see the layers of buttery dough not only pat yourself on the back, also make sure you give yourself a high-five, up your allowance and put a gold star on your calendar. This is a great day!

Optional Glaze

Combine juice of one satsuma, its zest and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in bowl and whisk together. Dribble over cooled pastries in a zig zag format. Let dry so the glaze hardens a little before serving.

Try to share so you don't get diabetes.