FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE

It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I realized cranberry sauce does not have to come out of a can. And once you’ve used fresh cranberries, you’ll never go back to canned again. This is such a simple recipe, there really is no excuse not to make it for Thanksgiving. And the beauty is, you can make it well in advance of the big day.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 – 10)

1 ¾ cups sugar

¾ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon grated ginger

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

24 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed

zest of one orange

½ cup of toasted pecans, chopped

PREPARATION

Combine sugar, orange juice, ginger, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil, about 4 minutes.

Add the cranberries and cook about 4-5 minutes uncovered, until the cranberries start to pop. Skim off any foam that forms.

Remove from heat and stir in orange zest and pecans. Allow the mixture to cool until room temperature.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made up to four days in advance of serving.