Whether you open a can or go for the frozen or fresh, Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without the cranberry sauce. No Thanksgiving meal is complete without it.

Now I must admit, I was one who did not care too much for cranberry sauce as a child. It was something about that can that just rubbed me the wrong way. So I would always leave that little slice sitting on the plate.

A much as my Gram loved to cook and whip up dishes that none of my friends were having, cranberry sauce was not one of them. It wasn’t until I was much older that I decided to take on the can and ditch it for fresh cranberries. But hey, if the can is your thing, then fine. Just tweak it a little. At least get rid of the can shape!

Here is my favorite recipe for cranberry sauce. I love it! I actually use it with lamb, as well. And I love it on a turkey or lamb sandwich! Trust me, you will love it!

Crandberry Mandarin Orange Sauce

Ingredients:
1 12oz package of fresh cranberries
1 cup of sugar
1 cups of water
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 teaspoon of orange zest
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
¼ teaspoon of ground ginger

Directions:

In a 3 quart pot, bring water, juice from can or mandarin oranges, and sugar to a boil. Add cranberries and lower heat. Stirring occasionally until cranberries start to burst and mixture begins to thicken. Add lemon and orange zest, and ginger. Mix well. Allow to simmer for about twenty minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, add mandarin orange slices and refrigerate.

Okay, if you just have to use the can, at least tweak it a bit.

Take a can of whole cranberry sauce, pour into a pot with a half cup of water. Stir until it resembles jam. Remove from heat, and add mandarin orange slices and orange zest. Let cool. Hide the can, and no one will be the wiser!!


Other great additions can be crushed pineapple, dried apricots, walnuts, pecans. Whatever it is that you want to try. Have fun with it. Another great one is a cranberry chutney. I’ll make it easy on you!

In a sauce pan, sauté a small onion, 1 cup chopped, dried apricot and a cup of chopped pecans in two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of brown sugar and a dash of kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Sauté until well blended, and apricots are softened. Now add your can of whole cranberry sauce. Cook for five-seven minutes on medium heat. Transfer to a dish and let cool. And, voile! Cranberry-apricot chutney! Enjoy!