RECIPE: Elle's Orange-Cranberry Sauce

[freedigitalphotos.net]

*Note:  This is a repost from last year, but the recipe is timeless.  I am making this cranberry sauce today in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner.

No Thanksgiving dinner seems complete without cranberries.  My least favorite way to have cranberries is the jellied: canned cranberries which slide out of the can and land with a plop.  My favorite way to eat them is the recipe below:  Elle's Orange-Cranberry Sauce.

Over 450 years ago, Native Americans used the brightly colored berry as a fabric dye, for food, and for its healing properties to treat wounds.

Sandhill Crane [flickr.com]

Pilgrims began calling them "craneberries" because of their pink blossoms which resemble the head and bill of a Sandhill crane.  (I live in Nebraska, along the Sandhill crane migration route.  View these magnificent birds in person here.)

In addition to using the berry in the same ways as Native Americans, European settlers also traded the valuable berries for other goods.  Cranberries prevented scurvy when American whalers and mariners consumed them on their voyages.  It wasn't until 1816 that cranberries were successfully cultivated.

[cranberries.org]


Health Benefits of Cranberries

-Prevents and relieves pain associated with urinary tract infections
-The bright red color contains anthocyanins which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
-Cancer-prevention properties for breast, colon, prostate, and lungs.
 [whfoods.com]



The recipe calls for only three ingredients: orange juice, sugar, and cranberries.



Before the cranberries start to boil.  They are so pretty!

Right after the cranberries start to boil.

After the cranberries have boiled for a while, the color starts to really come out.



Ready to serve!

ELLE'S ORANGE-CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients

*1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

*1 cup orange juice

*1 1/4 cup sugar



Directions:

1.  Combine orange juice and sugar in a medium saucepan.

2.  Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.   You will be able to hear cranberries "pop"!

3.  Cover and cool completely at room temperature.

4.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yields 2 1/2 cups

Variations:

1. You can experiment with other types of fruit juice.
2. Add less sugar, depending on taste.

Tips:

1.  Cranberry sauce can be prepared several days ahead and refrigerated until serving time.

How was it?  I have people try it and tell me, "WOW!  That's good!  I don't even like cranberry sauce!"

Do you have any variations or additions to add to the recipe?