I love cranberries, but I'm not a big fan of the canned, jellied cranberry sauces. They're ok. They have their place (I guess). And I know some of you really really like it. But you have to try fresh cranberry orange relish! Only half my family will touch a cranberry sauce/relish of any kind... and this is what they prefer. It's super easy to make, good for you, and yummy! Cranberries have anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties... you can't say that for much of the food on our Thanksgiving tables, so eat up!
You'll need 1 lb of fresh or frozen whole cranberries, sugar, canned mandarin oranges (or fresh orange sections if you prefer), and a bit of cinnamon.
Use a blender or food processor to chop the cranberries. You don't want a fine puree. If a few berries make it through practically whole, no problem.
This is how they should look. If you use a blender or small processor, you'll want to do this is 2 or 3 small batches.
Now you can put in 2 small cans of drained, Mandarin oranges, (or about 2 cups of fresh orange segments)
About 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.. again you can adjust to taste. You really can't mess this up.
Give it a stir and let it chill for a couple of hours to mix the flavors and dissolve the sugar. You want the oranges to break into smaller pieces, so don't be too gentle. I love how the cranberries keep their crunch this way, and how some larger bits of cranberry burst in your mouth. Heavenly!
(In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll tell you that this recipe can also be made as a cooked version, but that would be so sad.)
I have been trying to decide what the second side dish for Thanksgiving dinner should be. Even though we are having beef, I know this dish will be just the thing! can't wait to taste it!
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