Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Every year at our family holiday dinner, the cranberry sauce sat in front of me.  I remember counting the lines from the can and using all the control I had not to prod it with my fork to make it jiggle.  I also remember thinking that it almost tasted good.

As I got older and found that I liked cranberry and that it did exist outside of a can, I went in search of a recipe for a cranberry sauce and landed upon the below.  It is so amazing that it will not survive to leftovers, as you will lick the serving bowl before washing it, so make some for Thanksgiving Day and the days after.  Actually, my family will make the "kids" version (sans port) a few times throughout the winter and have it for snack.

Fresh Holiday Cranberry Sauce

(serves 6)

2c fresh cranberries

Zest of one medium orange and juice

1/4c port (when making this for kids, leave out the port and just add extra orange juice)

1/2c sugar (may require more or less based upon tartness of cranberry)

1t cinnamon

1T corn starch

Combine cranberries, zest, juice, port/extra OJ, sugar, and cinnamon in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook until cranberries burst and become tender. 

Make a slurry of water and corn starch and add to cranberry mixture once berries are tender to bring to desired consistency. 

One tip: buy your cranberries early, as the closer Thanksgiving is, the more picked over and ugly the cranberries become.