Lumpy Kitchen

I stand facing the stove top, stirring a small pot filled with a steaming red mixture. I pour some dried cranberries into it, MIKA'S "POPULAR" can be heard streaming from my iPhone, with an occasional interruption indicating I've received a text message. Stella, a small black and white pit bull, sniffs around at my feet. The countertop behind me is covered with spices, measuring spoons,  various jars, and a tall glass bottle that reads, "Creme De Cassis". In between stirrings, I take modest shots of the liqueur. 

"Don't tell Grandma, but I spiked the cranberry sauce."

Let's get real for a second here, cranberry sauce is awesome. It's...sauceome, sawesome. Itsawesome. But! Why is everything else virtually made from scratch (at least that's how it is at my Thanksgiving) and the cranberry sauce remains abandoned? Can shaped and plated. I mean, don't get me wrong. It's delicious. But, why is it so neglected?

I made this last week at my apartment for a "Fakesgiving" Dinner we had, but that recipe required a lot of sugar and it hurt my stomach so I'm splicing and dicing that recipe with some alternatives, and orange zest. Whatever.

Cranberry Sauce:

12 oz cranberries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/4 cup Creme De Cassis, a black currant liqueur (or try Kirschwasser Cherry Liqueur, both gluten-free!)

1/4 cup raw Honey

1/4 cup Agave Nectar

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Orange Zest

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Cloves

Bring the 1/4 cup of OJ, 1/4 cup of liqueur, orange zest, and ginger to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, add the fresh cranberries, cover. Occasionally stir, for about 7-10 minutes. The cranberries will burst! Once they've burst, add the 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir for about 3-5 minutes, then stir in Agave, and honey. They should melt. 

Remove pot from heat, add two more tablespoons of Creme De Cassis. Refrigerate! It's best made 2-3 days ahead of time to let all of the flavors soak in. Although, I've made it less than 24 hours ahead of time and it was still great.

The recipes I spliced were Bon Appétite's Cassis-Spiked Cranberry Sauce and Paleo Effect's Paleo Cranberry Sauce.