Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce. I don't like big huge chunky pieces in my sauce and yet I don't like it all pureed either. So - I make my own. It's very easy to do.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce
2 qts cranberries (2 bags from the store)
3 1/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water

Place the sugar and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

Simmer your lids.

Pick through the cranberries. I have 2 quarts here. I used two packaged bags from the produce section at the store.

After the sugar water has boiled for 5 minutes add in the cranberries.

Give a quick stir and take out the spoon.

Without further stirring - let everything come to a boil. You will hear popping sounds as the skins break on the cranberries. This is good. You want this to happen. This process will take about 5-10 minutes.

Since I don't like chunks in my cranberry sauce I get out the potato masher.

I start smashing the berries until it is the consistency I want. Basically it's broken berries and not pure sauce or pure whole berries. Personal preference. You make yours the way you like.

Start filling your jars. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. I like to use pints and half pints. You can use quart jars as well.

Using your handy lid tongs - start putting the lids on your jars.

Next - screw on the bands.

Place your jars in/on your canner. I am using my steamer canner this time. Waterbath canners are another way to go to. Process for 15 minutes adjusting time for your altitude.

This batch of cranberry sauce gives me 2 pints and 4 half pints. I can't wait for the holidays!

Cranapple Pie

I was up bright and early this morning to make this lovely pie. I used 2 quarts of homecanned apple pie filling and cranberries from my freezer. After filling the pie shell - I used the leftover filling to make a very tasty Cranapple Fruit Crisp for dessert tomorrow night!













Cranapple Pie
2 quarts homecanned apple pie filling
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
3 TBSP water

Lets start with the apple pie filling. It's not thickened when it's canned (you don't can with cornstarch - it's a breeder for bad germs) so we need to do that now. Empty both jars into a large saucepan. Add 3 TBSP cornstarch. Simmer, stirring occasionally until nice and thick. About 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan: combine cranberries, sugar, cornstarch and water. Bring to a full boil over medium heat; stirring frequently; boil gently 5 minutes. When apples are thickened add the cranberries. Mix well. Spoon into 9 inch pie crust. Put remaining pie filling in another oven proof bowl (or make two pies - it's up to you.) Top filling with upper pie crust. Make four slits in upper crust. Brush with a little water and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375 for about an hour. I don't generally time my baking. Just until the crust is a nice golden brown all over is what I am aiming for. Make a fruit crisp topping for the leftover filling if your hear desires and bake the crisp at 375 for 30 minutes. You can bake both of these at the same time. :) Then your house will smell so good. Your kids will come up to you wanting to know when the cinnamon rolls are going to be ready. They are then disappointed when you tell them you aren't making cinnamon rolls. They won't believe you so you turn on the oven light so they can see for themselves. Then their faces are downcast for about a minute.