Holiday and Special Occasions

Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce takes about 15 minutes and keeps for a week, so it is an easy one to make ahead.

Ingredients

• 1 bag (12 oz, 340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) water or orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse the cranberries and pick out any soft or shriveled ones.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and water or orange juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the cranberries, orange zest, and salt. Return to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
4. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until most of the berries have popped and the sauce starts to thicken.
5. Stir in the cinnamon if using. Remove from heat.
6. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. It thickens a lot as it cools.

Notes

• For a smooth, jellied sauce, press the cooked berries through a strainer before cooling.
• Taste after cooking. Add a little more sugar if your cranberries are especially tart.
• Keeps 1 week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.
• Add-ins: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, or a chopped apple cooked with the berries.