Cranberries are beautiful culinary creations! they're loaded with health promoting antioxidants, flavorful sour, tart and bitter notes and they're just what the doctor ordered to help get you through those rich delicacies served during the year's holiday months. I have fond memories of cranberry sauce growing up; only, I always thought that 'real' cranberry sauce came out of those red, white and blue cans and made cool sounds as you took them out of their cans in one solid, ridge embossed piece. To me, whole cranberry cranberry sauce was sacrilege! It wasn't until I grew up that I learned not only to appreciate it, but to innovate new ones as well.

This is a fairly simple recipe, as most cranberry sauces are, that starts with your basic cranberry sauce recipe and embellishes a bit. You'll be keeping it all natural, so remember to make great selections for your sugars, cranberries, etc. to keep this as tasty and guilt-free as possible.

Here's what you'll need for this one:

Equipment
pot with lid [I use my 3 quart for this, but if you decide to make more just add a bigger pot to the mix.]
wooden spoon [with long handle]
strainer [to wash your cranberries]
stove top

Ingredients
5 cups fresh whole cranberries
2 cups evaporated cane juice
1/3 cup organic strawberry preserves
8 Turkish apricots [unsulphured] cut into 8ths
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
lime juice [juice 1 medium sized lime]

This is probably going to be one of the easiest recipes you can make for your holidays because all it's going to require is three easy steps.

Step 1. Wash your cranberries, pick out the soft and/or bruised ones and dump them into your pot.
Step 2. Add your sugar, spices [evaporated cane juice], stir and heat until cranberries burst and create their own juice.
Step 3. Stir in strawberry preserves, apricot pieces and lime juice and let thicken to your desired consistency. DONE!

You can either serve hot, cold or anywhere in between. It tastes great whichever direction you go in.

I hope you try some of your own and knock the socks off of your holiday guests!

As always, it's been my pleasure sharing with you. Until next time...