Not Just for Thanksgiving

I have to say, my mother and father prepare quite the spread for Thanksgiving each year. The turkey, stuffing, potatoes, carrots. You name it, we have it. And it's all prepared from scratch. Except from the cranberry sauce. That comes out of a can.

And that just seems ... wrong.

So last year I decided to make some cranberry sauce from scratch. I searched through all my recipes books and this recipe appealed to me. It made the whole house smell wonderful, warm, and welcoming. Oh, and it's delicious, too.

But the best part is, it's not just for Thanksgiving. I made this sauce all winter long. It's great mixed in yogurt, on top of pancakes, waffles or french toast, or stirred into your oatmeal. The possibilities are endless. You're only limited by your imagination, really.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Recipe from Taste of Home Thanksgiving
Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
  
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and ground allspice
  
• 1/8 teaspoon each salt, ground ginger and ground cloves

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered until the berries pop and mixture is thickened, about 30 minutes. Cool. Transfer to a serving bowl; cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Tip:

• Stock up on cranberries when they're in season. To freeze cranberries, rinse them and pat them dry. Discard any that are not firm and plump. Place them in a single layer on a 13-inch x9-inch baking pan. When frozen, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 year. Freezing berries individually allows you to measure only as many as needed. There's no need to defrost frozen cranberries first.

Note from the 2012 Kitchen: Take your leftover turkey sandwich to the next level. On a Portugese roll with a light spread of mayo, layer cold turkey breast, a couple of spoonfuls of warm stuffing, and top with this cranberry sauce. You'll taste Thanksgiving in every bite.