Cranberry Sauce, I put that s#*t on everything.

OK, so I’m really new to this whole blogging thing, and consequently, I’m pretty bad at keeping up with it. Which I really have no excuses for other than my amazing ability to always seem busy without ever actually accomplishing anything. To be fair, I have been baking a lot over the last few months, just not documenting any of it. So expect some catching up over the next few postings.

It seems cliché to say it, but I really love the holidays. The urges I have to bake most of the year get kicked into to overdrive, and I just can’t seem to make enough sweet treats. Thanksgiving found me extra busy with creating and crafting desserts not only for my apartment and for my family, but for my boyfriend Ken’s family as well (whom I had just met recently, and which is an entirely different tale). Ken’s birthday happened to fall a week before Turkey day, which meant birthday treats on top of everything else. Over the course of that week, I baked so much I thought my little one-rack oven might pull a Septa-esque strike and leave me stranded like an old lady trying to get to her doctor’s appointment. Thankfully, we all made it through without a hitch.

The list of goods baked between November 18 and November 26:

-pistachio cardamom birthday cake

-dairy free chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting (also for birthday celebrations, and unfortunately devoured before pictures)

-Pumpkin nut loaf

-The best cranberry sauce you’ve ever tasted (see below)

-Sweet potato pecan pie (several attempts, first one pictured)

-Pumpkin brownies with pumpkin caramel frosting (picture is pre-frosting)

Many of those were re-imaginings of other recipes or straight up winging it, and not all of the recipes are solid. For now let me detail the one recipe that needs no messing with:

The Best Cranberry Sauce You’ve EVER Tasted

• 1 bag of fresh cranberries (approximately 1.5 cups)
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1 cup maple syrup
• orange zest (to taste. I do about half of a medium sized orange.)

Dump everything into a medium sized sauce pan, and bring to boil.

Let berries boil until they start to burst, then turn down the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until berries continue to burst and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Let cool before storing. Pour that shit on everything.

Some notes: I recommend splurging on real dark amber maple syrup. If you’re going to use that cheap hi-fructose crap, you’re better off using regular sugar. Also, do yourself a favor and go for the better cranberry juice too. I like ocean spray no sugar added, or any similar no-sugar juice.

This sauce has a beautiful deep ruby shade, and it’s mildly sweet with a tart after-bite. Depending on how much orange zest you use, it will have a layer of citrus flavor as well. I literally pour this sauce all over my thanksgiving dinner: turkey and stuffing. It’s yummy over ice cream or as a sauce for a cheesecake too (not that I would know, but I hear rumors). It’s also particularly good on thanksgiving sandwiches (try shredded turkey mixed with cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, spread on toasted roll). Or you can just eat it by the spoonful. Mmmmm…