Cranberry - the saucy side...

We have a lot for which to be thankful in our family, so we're celebrating a second Thanksgiving today.
Not only that, we're a second generation blended family so there are so many places for so many people to be on any given holiday that we often extend holidays well beyond the alloted time. Hey, we like to eat and we like to kick back and relax...seems like the perfect combination.
Another perfect combination, I think, is cranberries and orange. Sweet and tart all at once. I used to love to drink cranberry juice with orange juice, so why not translate that taste into a side dish for the holidays. While I no longer eat turkey, it tastes good on it's own and, I'd imagine it goes well with the bird for those who want that.
About half our family likes cranberry sauce. The other half likes it, but likes to see the lines in it from where indentions were made by the can.
Well, I believe that if something can be made from scratch, it should be...so off I went to make my own Cranberry-Orange Sauce. It tasted great and much easier than fighting the crowds at the grocery this time of year to buy the pre-made version.
I didn't have an empty can, so I was unable to properly line the final product. Maybe next time.

Cranberry-Orange Sauce

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

• Wash cranberries; remove any of the bruised ones.
• In a saucepan, mix sugar and orange juice.
• Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in cranberries; heat to boiling.
• Simmer for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until cranberries pop.
• Pour into a large Mason jar (or well-scrubbed can). Store om the refrigerator until ready to serve.
  If you want a smoother sauce (or jelly) crush some or all of the berries while they are cooking (depending on how smooth you want the condiment to be).
  If you want more orange flavor, you can mix 1/2 cup of orange marmalade into the mix toward the end of the cooking process.

Vegan.