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fresh cranberry sauce with grand marnier–ready in 10 minutes!

November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving is my Christmas Morning. My New Year’s Eve. My anniversary.

I’ve been cooking Thanksgiving for my friends and family since I was 21. It’s such a perverse joy that I am sure there is something wrong with me. I have no idea why–but it’s in my nature to want to make the best possible food for those closest to me. And really what better time to do this than the one day set aside for giving thanks.

This year, I will merely be a spectator at the Super Bowl of American dining, but I am happy to be bringing a dish. (Thinking of making a coconut pumpkin curry soup with roasted pumpkin seeds.)

Everyone has their go-to Thanksgiving dish. I present to you my super-easy recipe for fresh cranberries. With only five ingredients, this can be prepared on a stove-top in less than ten minutes. I swear, every year this is the biggest hit… even my fried potato baskets get less of a reaction than my cranberries recipe. They are… simply that good.

A couple of things; I highly recommend not wearing light colored clothes while making this (but why would you on Thanksgiving?) An apron is a must.

you will need

(serves 4-6, double as needed)

  • 8 oz fresh cranberries
  • 3T butter
  • 1/2c brown sugar
  • juice squeezed from one orange
  • 1/4c Grand Marnier (the secret ingredient)

There’s really not much to this! In a pan add the butter and freshly rinsed whole cranberries to a pan over medium heat.

Let the butter get nice and melty.

The cranberries will start to “pop” a bit as the fruit expands past the skin. Use a fork to mash the cranberries as they become soft.

Once the cranberries become nice and soft add the brown sugar and work in with the fork.

Add the fresh squeezed orange juice and Grand Marnier.

Stir and adjust heat if necessary. Within a few minutes the sugars should start to thicken the sauce.

Reduce the heat to low and/or transfer to a serving dish. Delicious hot or cold!

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

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3 Comments

  • Reply thanksgiving 2013 recap! | david the tornado November 30, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    […] And last! Cranberries! No Thanksgiving is complete without them… (my recipe here!) […]

  • Reply so this happened: week 48, thanksgiving edition | david the tornado December 25, 2014 at 11:08 pm

    […] then, fresh cranberries. You can read my recipe here, but in short: fresh cranberries, grand mariner, brown sugar and fresh squeezed OJ. So […]

  • Reply so this happened: vol. 7, thanksgiving edition | david the tornado December 25, 2014 at 11:09 pm

    […] then, fresh cranberries. You can read my recipe here, but in short: fresh cranberries, grand mariner, brown sugar and fresh squeezed OJ. So […]

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