Easy Cranberry-Apple Relish
Thanksgiving is a mere 22 days away! I say that not to stress you out but to let you know that I'll be focusing a lot on family-friendly, basic Thanksgiving recipes for the next few weeks to help you get ready for the BIG MEAL!! If you're bravely hosting or simply bringing something to some generous soul's home, I've got the go-to picks to keep things calm, simple and delicious, like this Easy Cranberry-Apple Relish.
Last year I shared my Mom's Cranberry Jello Mold and it will definitely be making an appearance on our Thanksgiving table this year, but if you're looking for something a little more tart and chunky and a whole lot easier, give this out-of-the-box take on cranberry sauce a try. I know you're going to love it!
First off and a critical must, especially if you're hosting the big event, this MUST be made ahead of time, a huge time saver on that overloaded-cooking ordeal, aka Thanksgiving Day. Secondly, it couldn't be easier. The whole thing comes together in one pot and all you need to do is a bit of stirring every now and then. You start by finely chopping up a lemon, rind and all, and an apple.
Next, you toss both into a pot along with the cranberries, sugar and cinnamon. Once the pot comes to a boil, you let it simmer until things thicken up and store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. Easy, peasy, right? Your house will smell amazing and believe me, when you serve this sweet, tart, chunky yet smooth relish to your eaters, people will definitely give thanks!!
Easy Cranberry-Apple Relish
Makes enough for 6. Double this for a larger crowd or if this will be the only cranberry sauce on your Thanksgiving table.
Prep Time: 10 minutes: Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 lemon, both the rind and inside cut into a very fine dice
2 cups water
1 apple (I used a Cortlandt) peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cups fresh cranberries (don't defrost if frozen)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
The Recipe
1. Place the lemon, water, apple, cranberries, sugar and cinnamon into a medium sized pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down to low and place a lid on top of the pot, but don't cover all the way. Let the mixture simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the apples are tender, the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened into a sauce. Allow to cool and then transfer to an airtight container or jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can make this up to one week ahead of serving.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Sunday Suppers by Karen Mordechai.
