Orange-Scented Cranberry Sauce

Well friends Thanksgiving is just one-week away (can you believe it?) and even if you’re not hosting the big day, you may be wondering what side dish to bring to the festive meal. So let’s count down to Turkey day together with fun twists on classics. Whether you’re entertaining or just don’t want to show up somewhere empty handed, you’ll love what I have in store. All these unique, yummy recipes will conclude with my Thanksgiving segment on CT Style News 8 on Wednesday 11/21 at 12:30pm.

Ready to get started?

First up, orange-scented cranberry sauce. Say ‘goodbye’ to that gelatanous goop from the can that gets plated in a cyllindrical shape full of indented lines when you wiggle it out. How can that be good for you? This homemade version is bursting with tart cranberries complemented by a pop of fresh squeezed orange juice and a bit of sweetness from sugar. The whole thing is ready in just a few steps, tastes wayyy better than the store-bought stuff and will save you from piling up your recycling bin.

Best of all, you can make this recipe sugar-free by substituting all natural Stevia in the Raw. My mom makes two versions of her cranberry sauce every year, keeping one of them SF for our relatives who need it. The taste is just as good and it cuts carbs so there’s more room to load up on mashed potatoes!

Ingredients:

(Makes about 2 1/4 cups)

1 (12 oz.) package Ocean Spray cranberries

1 cup sugar (or Stevia in the Raw)

1 cup water

The juice of 1 orange

1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions:

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Wash cranberries.

And add them to the pot.

Squeeze and zest orange.

Add juice and zest to pot and return to a boil.

Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve…perhaps in a scooped-out orange!

Eat and enjoy with or without sugar!