I don’t know about you guys, but that jiggly cylinder of jelly tartness they call “cranberry sauce” has freaked me out all my life (and it wasn’t because of the ingredients). It was the way it slid out of the can, with the can lines still on it, shiny and jiggling galore that I just couldn’t bring myself to try. It just didn’t look right to me. No offense if you’re a lover of the tangy jello jiggle sensation, it just didn’t quite appeal to me. It wasn’t until my late 20’s, maybe even after I turned 30 that my husband finally convinced me to try it. And I have to admit, I kinda liked it. But one of the things I didn’t love was the ingredient label that included “high fructose corn syrup” as the second ingredient and then additional “corn syrup” as if the high fructose stuff wasn’t enough. So, I was on a mission to make my own healthy version that my family would love. I’ve made it several times and I’m pretty confident that I’ve mastered the recipe and wanted to share it with all of you just in time for your Christmas festivities. It’s super simple to make, contains all natural ingredients, just calls for a few things, and I think it’s a million times better tasting than the canned stuff ;). That’s no exaggeration! I hope you and your family will love it and use it for years to come! I know we, at the Smith household, will be <3
Here’s what you’ll need:
-12 oz bag of fresh cranberries (I buy the Ocean Spray brand where the only ingredient is cranberries)
-1 cup of Orange Juice. (I prefer Tropicana
-3/4 cup of honey (I use local honey)
-zest from 1 large orange
-1/4 tsp cinnamon
Here’s the simple directions:
Add the OJ, honey and orange zest to a medium saucepan, stir until the honey is well combined and bring to a boil.
While still boiling, add the cranberries and cinnamon and stir for 2 minutes. The cranberries begin to pop, and the Cranberry Sauce starts to thicken. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cranberries are all popped open and the sauce is semi-thick.
Use a large spoon or ladle to put the cranberry sauce into a mason jar or bowl, and refrigerate until set.
I have kept mine refrigerated for up to a couple weeks and it was still good!!
Enjoy!!
Your friend,
Lisa Smith