Ruby Cranberry Sauce

The first time I read this recipe in Marcia Adam's cookbook, "New Recipes from Quilt Country", I was intrigued with the idea of a baked cranberry sauce. After trying the recipe, I was hooked. It is so easy and mess-free with none of the spattering that happens when cranberries are cooked down in a saucepan on the stove. I adapted the recipe a bit to fit our tastes by changing the cinnamon to nutmeg, and by decreasing the orange zest from three tablespoons to one tablespoon. Blessings...


Recipe:                                                                         
3-1/4 cups sugar
2 cups hot water
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 12-ounce bags cranberries, washed, drained, and looked over
1 tbsp. grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sugar, water, and nutmeg in a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes without stirring.
2. Remove from the oven and stir in the orange zest. Let the mixture stand until cooled, without stirring. If you think the sauce is a bit too thick, and this will vary, add a bit of orange juice. Ladle into jars and refrigerate until needed. The sauce can be frozen for later use, as well.

Yield: about 5 cups sauce
183 calories per 1/3 cup
2 gms. fiber
Note: Click on picture to enlarge.