Mom’s Cranberry Sauce
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My mom’s fresh cranberry sauce is the only one I will really eat. It’s both sweet & tangy with the flavors of pineapple and orange. A holiday must make!
I will admit, I have never been a big fan of cranberry sauce unless of course, it’s my mom’s. That weird stuff that slides out of the can with the impression of the can rings on the side? Um, no thanks. Too weird. Food shouldn’t look like the container it came out of, should it?
Mom’s Amazing Cranberry Sauce
I love this fresh cranberry sauce my mom makes. It has an orange flavor, that personally I think just makes it taste perfect. Cranberry-Orange is a fantastic flavor combination.
My memories of Thanksgiving are always heartwarming. As a kid, we went to my Grandma’s every year. (My Mom’s Mom) I can close my eyes and picture her in her kitchen in South Omaha, wearing her dress and her apron, cooking and laughing with us as polka music played in the background.
That very kitchen floor is where she taught me how to polka dance. Big Joe Polka Show was one she never ever missed.
I wish my grandma had been facing the camera. This is her, my Mom and me on my first Thanksgiving. I was about 5 months old here.
My grandma was a marvelous cook, and it’s a quality she passed on to my Mom, and I hope that my kids feel like that about me.
I originally posted this recipe in November of 2014, I updated it this year, 2019.
To me, Thanksgiving is always about tradition. We eat the same thing EVERY year, and that is the way that I prefer it. I don’t want any surprises! As a kid, we had Turkey, Sausage and Sage Dressing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Corn, Dinner Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potatoes (for the few who liked them), Pumpkin Pie and My Grandma’s Rhubarb Pie.
We have exactly the same thing now, at my Mom’s house, with the exception that the rhubarb pie is now apple pie!
My Mom’s Kitchen – “The Girls” – Thanksgiving 2013 – Me, my daughters, Kenzie and Josie, my Mom and my sister-in-law, Julie.
Thanksgiving, My Husband’s Favorite Holiday
My husband says Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday, “because it’s all about going home, family and food. No presents to buy, just togetherness.” Thanksgiving is a time to fill your belly so full with good food then crowd in that piece of pie while you’re reading through the ads or lounging on the couch watching football.
It’s about toasts with (sometimes too much) good wine and going around the table saying what we are thankful for. Thanksgiving is plain and simple about family and good food.
Ingredients in Mom’s Cranberry Sauce:
- fresh cranberries
- sugar
- orange juice and zest
- crushed pineapple and juice
That’s it! only 4 ingredients and this delicious cranberry sauce will be making an appearance on your Thanksgiving table!
Simply combine the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil. After they cook remove them from the heat to cool and thicken.
When you first remove them from the saucepan, you’ll never believe they will thicken as much as they do.
^Love it? Pin it!^
If you love this recipe, make sure that you pin it to your favorite Pinterest board before you go, so you can find it again. Follow my Fall Flavors Pinterest board for delicious ideas year round!
Cranberry Sauce Makes Thanksgiving Meals Tastier
Use fresh or fresh frozen cranberries instead of that canned cranberry sauce. It makes such a difference in so many ways. First, there is no comparison for the flavor. Also, cranberries are called a “superfood” for good reason. Cranberries are packed with vitamins, tons of antioxidants and have zero fat.
Also, since you take advantage of using the sugars in the oranges and the cranberries, making your own cranberry sauce is a way healthier option.
Another great thing about homemade cranberry sauce? It actually works as a palate cleanser and being high fiber helps too. So, that delicious cranberry sauce is also helping keep everyone’s appetites up and taste buds perky too!
That is always handy when people eat all that turkey that makes them feel sleepy, and those mashed potatoes that make them feel full.
Some Ideas for Leftover Cranberries or Cranberry Sauce
- Sugared Cranberries (pictured above)
- Pork Loin with Balsamic Cranberry Glaze
- Rosemary Infused Cranberry Bourbon Martini
- Easy Cranberry Centerpiece
So, however you celebrate it, whether you prepare the same thing every year based on tradition, or make something new each year, or just starting out and developing your own dinner traditions, I hope that you and yours have a very heartwarming Thanksgiving and that you are blessed beyond measure!
{My Mom's} Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package of fresh cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple, juice reserved
- Orange zest for serving if desired
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sugar into the orange and pineapple juices and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the cranberries and pineapple and bring back to a boil. Cook until the cranberries pop. (About 10 minutes.)
- Remove from heat and place the sauce in a bowl to cool and thicken for a few hours.
- Refrigerate. Can top with zested orange for serving if desired.
Nutrition
Katerlooks so yummy! Saving this one thanks for sharinrg!
Loved the cranberry recipe, but the family stories are so precious. Where is you find the seasonal dish that you served the cranberries- the serving dish is awesome! Thanks and stay safe.
Stella – Thank you! Thanksgiving is always a nice family event, isn’t it? That dish belongs to my mother, and she has had it for years! Not sure where she got it, but it’s probably not around anymore? Crate & Barrel carries some beautiful seasonal dishes, maybe they might have something similar?