There isn’t anything local about cranberries for this California girl. But what Thanksgiving meal isn’t complete without them? I never was too hot about cranberry sauce growing up. I just didn’t get it, was it a dip? Was it something you ate by the spoonful? What did you do with it?

Now I get it. You just put a little dob of it on your fork along with a little bit of turkey and a smudge of stuffing and your mouth is set for happiness. I discovered this cranberry sauce recipe a handful of years ago and haven’t turned back since. It’s so full of tangy, sweety, spicy goodness. I hope you try this.

Honey + Spice Cranberry Sauce
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1 – 12oz bag of cranberries
1 3/4 c. apple cider
3/4 c. honey
1 t. cinnamon
Grated orange peel from 1 orange
6 whole cloves (I put these into a metal tea strainer for easy removal)
Pinch of salt
1 whole bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the tea strainer full of cloves. Thicken with a little cornstarch diluted in water. Enjoy!