Cranberry Orange Jelly

It is definitely that time of year. Time for turkey, dressing, ham, yeast rolls, all of the holiday foods we remember from growing up. Thanksgiving started the season off, and now we have leftovers to last us just about until Christmas! This jelly is super simple to make, and it will go on your morning slab of toast as well as your holiday buffet. Don't get me wrong, I actually like the cranberry sauce out of a can, but this is so easy, you will never open that can of cran again. All you have to do is boil your whole fresh cranberries in simple syrup until the sauce thickens. I added the zest of one orange and a little vanilla to suit my personal taste, but you can leave those out or add a little cinnamon to it, or whatever strikes your fancy! Happy Holidays!

Cranberry Orange Jelly
makes about three cups

2 c sugar
2 c water
one 12-oz bag of whole fresh cranberries
1/2 t vanilla
the zest of one orange

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan, stirring frequently. Add the cranberries and cook over medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and orange zest, and continue cooking until the sauce is thick, about ten minutes. Pour the sauce into a container and chill. Once the sauce cools, it will thicken even more and you will have jelly.

Comments

[Benito]

If you like foods that are hot, a nice riff on the made-from-scratch cranberry sauce is to throw a couple of sliced fresh jalapeños in there. I like it as a hot chutney on turkey, but when served on cream cheese it makes a fun cracker dip.

Warning: you have to tell your guests how hot it is, it's not really fair just to stick it on the table. I love it, but the first time my Mom tried it she said, "That's a terrible thing you've done to those cranberries."

[melissa]

Miss your posts! Keep 'em coming. : )