Cranberry Sauce

Love it or hate it, cranberry sauce is just as much a fixture on the Thanksgiving table as the turkey itself. One year, I made the mistake of not having the traditional canned stuff. Several family members, devoted fans of jellied cranberry sauce, complained quite loudly! Lesson learned from that moment on, you'll always find jellied cranberry sauce on the table but alongside with my homemade sauce.

Ever Ready Special Cranberry Orange Sauce from scratch.

Cook's Notes: A hint of nutmeg, lots of orange zest, and a bit of vanilla all come together to make this yummy cranberry sauce.
Ingredients:

• 1-12 oz. bag of cranberries, rinsed
• 1/2 cup orange juice or freshly squeezed orange juice and 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Optional add ins 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/3 cup pecans

Directions:

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil sugar, orange juice, water, and zest. Whisk a few times. Add in cranberries, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and raisins, if desired.
• Bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 10 to 15 minutes. The cranberries will burst, and the mixture will thicken. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
• Store cranberry sauce in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Will keep up to two weeks.