Don't ever buy canned cranberry sauce again! You have been warned.
Okay, so this recipe can probably be found on the back of every package of cranberries you find in the store. I'm including it because it's incredibly easy to make and at least an order of magnitude better than any commercial version.
1 package of fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
½ tsp lemon or orange zest (optional but it does give it an extra zing!)
Boil the water and disolve the sugar into it. Add the cranberries and cook until all the berries have burst and are soft. At this point you have your choice of how chunky or smooth you'd like the finished product. For the smoothest, most jelly like sauce you should run the cooked cranberries and juice through a chinois or food processor and then strain through a fine mesh. I like mine a bit on the chunky side and pulse it several times in a food processor. You could even just smash it with a potato masher for a more rustic version. Place the mixture in a mold (or any old container you have on hand) and refrigerate until it sets.
Alternate Recipe:
My Grandmother Schrock used the following recipe. It's not as tart as the package recipe and gives you a more jelly-like consistancy. We would have been very disappointed at Thanksgiving and Christmas if she hadn't brought a batch of it to dinner.
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
Pick over and wash berries carefully. Place in stewpan with boiling water. Boil until all the berries have burst open. About 10 minutes. Pour into sieve and mash through as much pulp as possible. Add the sugar. Return to fire and bring slowly to boil, stirring constantly so that all the sugar is disolved. Pour into wet mold or sterilized glass. Refrigerate. Serves 6 to 8.