• 2 cups (400g) of sugar
• 2 cups (480ml) of water
• 4 cups (1 pound) of fresh cranberries
• 1 red apple, peeled & diced
• 2 teaspoons of orange zest
• 1/2 cup (120ml) of orange juice
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Add the sugar & water to a medium-sized bowl and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Add the cranberries (after having removed the ugly ones from the bunch) and the diced apples.  Simmer uncovered, without stirring, until the berries are translucent.  You can hear them popping!

Add the orange zest & juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, & salt.  Stir a bit to blend all the ingredients and simmer until the sauce thickens up.  Pour into a jelly jar, or serve on an individual serving dish.  The cranberry sauce can be made days before the big day and kept in the refrigerator for quite some time!

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Cranberry sauce is another deliciously sweet addition to the Thanksgiving / Christmas turkey repertoire!  Although rarely served in many other contexts, the canned variety makes it available year-round.  Usually served sliced, this jellied relish is exquisite and a great decorative piece beside the turkey.  But the past couple of years, I have been making my own homemade cranberry sauce.  The texture, the hints of cinnamon & orange, it’s so easy to make and well worth the tiny effort!  The jar lasts for days afterwards as a delicious jam for breads & muffins!