Basic Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Sorbet - Basic is Best. For My Psyche

Basic Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Basic Cranberry Sauce Ingredients:

1 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
¾ cup sugar
¾ water
pinch of salt

Basic Cranberry Sauce Directions:

Wash cranberries and remove any wayward stems and mushy, brown/bruised berries.

In a medium saucepan, heat water and sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries, increase heat, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer cranberries until most of them have cracked or burst, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Cranberry sauce "gels" more as it cools.

This cranberry sauce recipe can now serve as a base to which you can make additions (with the exception of lime juice/zest or a pinch of spice, I don't add anything. Obviously.):

• orange, lemon or lime zest + juice
• fresh chopped apples, pears, pomegranate or other available fruit
• chopped toasted nuts (I would never do this. I hate nuts in food)
• dried cranberries, tart cherries, golden raisins or other dried fruit
• spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice
• fresh ginger or other sweet herbs like thyme

Cranberry Sorbet from Leftover Basic Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sorbet Ingredients

leftover basic cranberry sauce (make sure it's at least 1 cup, otherwise the sorbet is not worth it)
water
sugar

Cranberry Sorbet Directions

Measure leftover cranberry sauce. Measure half that amount of each of water and sugar.

In a saucepan, over low heat, bring leftover cranberry sauce, water, and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Remove from heat. Allow to cool so that at the very least, it's not steaming. Puree cooled mixture in blender, then allow to fully cool.

Churn in ice cream/sorbet maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Harden in freezer overnight.