Cranberry Sauce

For Thanksgiving, people always put so much time and effort into making a nice, home-cooked feast for their family. But when it comes to the cranberry sauce, what do they do? They plop some goop in the shape of a can down on a plate.

It doesn't have to be this way! Whole cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries is one of the easiest things you can make for Thanksgiving. It really takes very little effort and the cranberries are inexpensive. So please, this year, don't buy that can of cranberry sauce. Make your cranberry sauce from scratch. It is so much more delicious.

This recipe is not from any cookbook, it's just something I know by heart. It's pretty much what is printed on the package of cranberries, although I would like to give some credit to Adam Carolla because it was from him that I first heard the recipe during his Loveline days.

1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
1/2 cup to 1 cup sugar (depending on how tart you would like it to turn out)
1 cup water

optional ingredients, to taste:
cinnamon
ground cloves
orange zest
honey

Stir sugar and water together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat, add any optional ingredients you would like, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, cover, and let cool. Serve warm or chilled.

Note: You might want to cover it while you're simmering, as well. The popping cranberries can be a little violent at times.
Note 2: If you think your family is not quite ready to make the transition from canned jellied cranberry sauce to homemade whole cranberry sauce, just use a strainer to remove the chunks of cranberries!