Honey Citrus Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is just days away and now is the time to prepare dishes or condiments that can be made ahead of time so that when Thursday comes, you can focus on roasting a perfectly juicy golden brown turkey. Although the turkey is central, mashing buttery potatoes, baking mom's perfect stuffing, and creating the other side dishes are also important in making Thanksgiving the feast of all feasts.

In the same way, mashed potatoes need a nice generous pour of gravy to feel complete, or the pumpkin pie a dollop of whipped cream; no Thanksgiving is complete without a spoonful of cranberry sauce complimenting the tender slice of oven-roasted turkey. It is the only time of year cranberry sauce rises in popularity as a must-have condiment, rightfully so if I do say myself. And I do. The temptation to buy store-bought cranberry sauce in a can may seem convenient, but for all the work that goes into preparing and roasting a turkey, making homemade cranberry sauce is the finale to making roasted turkey shine evidenced by oohs and awes every home cook crown of culinary glory.

Today I am sharing a very easy recipe for Honey Citrus Cranberry Sauce made with just 3 ingredients. The key to making this sauce really special is to use fresh citrus fruit such as clementines, tangerines, mandarins, or oranges. The flavor of fresh citrus juice compliments the tart cranberries for a very harmonious sauce. Honey is used as a sweetener instead of the more traditional sugar for its unique flavor with floral undertones. The sauce is sweet but not too sweet, and the color is a deep vibrant red that pops on the dinner plate. It makes me happy just to see it there. It really doesn't take much effort or time to make homemade cranberry sauce. In fact, I would suggest having your kids make this recipe with you. Teaching children how to cook may lead to a tradition they will always remember, and you can't buy that in a can. Happy Thanksgiving!