Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is all about crazy family get togethers, cooking all day, and long road trips, what is there not to love? My excitement is often because the dishes we make for Thanksgiving are so elaborate, that we only enjoy them once a year. One dish I have never seen outside of November is cranberry sauce.

If like me, you grew up with "cranberries" shaped in a log, with rings around the jelly middle from the indent of the can, this recipe may seem elaborate. I have grown to love the tart little berries and the zest they bring to a turkey dinner. Making cranberry sauce is not labor intensive and I think it is important for the family to know that cranberries are actual berries and not just jello.

If you have a favorite cranberry recipe you would like to follow, go for it. Just replace the sugar with half as much raw honey in the recipe and you will have a far more nutrient dense dish. If you do not have a favorite, try this basic recipe. I like to make the cranberry sauce a few days ahead of the holiday to lessen the load on the actual cooking day and to let the flavors really blend together.

Happy holiday cooking!