Cranberry Sauce // Easy Make-Ahead

 

“EASY” as in three ingredients! 

I told Gavin today that the hardest part is being patient the 10 minutes it needs to be stirred.  (And really… it’s not that hard.) :0)

1 cup of water

1 cup of sugar 

1 bag (2 cups) of washed whole cranberries 

Rinse your whole cranberries. 

Discard any that are brown, or swishy, or brown AND squishy. 

Bring water and sugar to a boil. 

Add rinsed cranberries to water and sugar mixture. 

Bring back to a boil and then stir at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. 

Let cool completely. 

Store in the fridge until ready to use. 

Good to use for a week. 

Optional leftover ideas: 

Grilled turkey with pepper jack cheese and cranberry sauce 

Nana Nic’s Pickled Pears 🍐

White House Farm
- October 30, 2025 -
- from front yard pear tree - 

Ingredients:

• 8 cups (not quite ripe - actually mostly green) pears peeled and diced into one inch cubes 
• 4 cups white vinegar 
• 2 cups water
• 2 or 2.5 cups granulated sugar
• 6 star anise
• 2 large stick cinnamon, broken into three
• Zest of a lemon cut into curls with a potato peeler
• ½ tsp whole cloves
• 3 - 4 quart mason jars with rings and lids

Method:

• Peel the pears and cut into one inch cubes. Place in salt water to prevent browning - set aside. 
• To make the brine - In a large cast-iron or ceramic or stainless steel sauce pan combined the water, vinegar, sugar, star anise, lemon zest, cloves. 
• Bring to the boil, and then cover and simmer gently for about 10 – 15 mins.
• Meanwhile sterilize the jars in the dishwasher.
• Pack each jar with the pear cubes.
• Divide the brine and pour into each jar. 
• Make sure each jar has an even distribution of spices.
• Seal tightly and let cool completely. 
• Store in fridge. 
• They will be good to eat after four hours - better in a week and can be stored for a couple months in the fridge.
• Serve in a salad.

Mama Jo’s first try…
- Kroger organic pears 🍐 -

Some extra things I did:
2 & 1/2 cups sugar
rind of 1 & 1/2 of lemons 🍋
1 teaspoon whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks