Easy Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Growing up, I did not understand the cranberry thing at Thanksgiving. When the large part of the family got together, there would be a couple of small dishes on the table, each containing a deep red cylinder with ridges that strongly resembled the shape of a can...but people were actually eating from it! There were even times when the cylinder was horizontal & sliced on the ridges so folks could get a disc of the cranberry loaf.

Even as a kid, it never seemed appetizing to me. I think, in my young mind, they might have been beets or something. I just know that there was no way I was gonna have any of that!

Now, I would drink things like Ocean Spray's Cran-Apple or Cran-Grape juices. Eventually I'd have to make the jump to straight up cranberry juice now & then due to some...uh...issues. But I don't mind cranberry juice. And you know what? I never associated the juice of cranberry to be from the same source as the cranberry loaf! So I obviously was OK with them.

I also remember stringing actual cranberries with popcorn for a school Christmas tree. They were pretty beads, in my young mind. I never put it together that those are where I liked the juice from...and cringed from the gel loaf it made.

Not too long ago, I came across the easiest cranberry sauce EVER! I made some at the house & the family might have thought I was a genius! Or just crafty for half of a moment...whatever. But they really liked it & do ask for it sometimes!

The recipe I found was on Pinterest by One Good Thing by Jillee. (recipe HERE) So easy; so divine.

But, with it being the holidays, and having apple cider to work with (I love using apple cider during the fall in recipes!), I thought I'd use some of that for our Thanksgiving gathering.

So, here's what I did...

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EASY HOLIDAY CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries (like Ocean Spray)

1/2 C apple cider or juice

1/4 C granulated sugar

1/4 C brown sugar

1 T apple pie spice

Directions:

~ in a sauce pan (which I sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray first), add the cranberries

~ pour in the liquid, the sugars & the spice

~ stir until well mixed

~ turn on the burner until the mixture is boiling, stirring occasionally

~ once boiling, turn to low heat as the cranberries continue to pop (the skins will burst...and it's so cool) & break down

~ I like to mash up the berries as I stir it, but it should be turning a beautiful red color & into a great chunky sauce

~ after about 15 minutes, total, on the heat, remove from the heat & allow to rest as the sauce settles a bit

~ serve warm (my family's fave), at room temp, or chill it in the fridge & add some whipped cream to the top

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Oh man, this is so yummy!!!! And my youngest even helped out.

I'm looking forward to Christmas so I can make it with orange juice instead of the cider. Or I might mix 'em. We shall see. 

I know some people like to throw in some walnuts or pecans, too. Totally optional. I love the sauce as it is.

Oh, and by the way, a big gathering meant doubling the recipe. That also insured some leftovers!

Now it's your turn!

ENJOY!