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Orange Cranberry Sauce is a sweet, slightly citrusy cranberry sauce that is perfect for your holiday table. This is so easy to make and also a nice sauce for meats or cheese.
Orange Cranberry Sauce
It’s a rainy Saturday in Chicago! One of those days when you want to have a nice cup of tea, watch a sappy movie in front of the fire place.
The recent fall weather reminds me that Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Time is flying by.
Yesterday I was flipping through radio channels and Christmas music was playing (I can’t believe how early they start). Well I am buying into the holiday spirit and sharing this Orange Cranberry Sauce.
I personally have always loved cranberries.
My Mom made them every year using the bag you can buy at the store and following the directions on the bag. It is very easy to do and tastes so much better (in my humble opinion) than the canned cranberry sauce.
If you are a cranberry lover like me you can stock up and freeze them to use throughout the year.
This Orange Cranberry Sauce recipe is a slight twist on the normal cranberries that I ate as a kid. The orange is a nice complement to the cranberry and not too overpowering.
There are 5 ingredients: OJ, sugar, cranberries, water and the zest of an orange.
Start by rinsing the cranberries and picking over them to make sure there are no bad ones.
In a saucepan bring water, sugar to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add cranberries and orange zest and return to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
Remove from heat, stir in orange juice and cool completely at room temperature. Chill in refrigerator which helps the sauce to thicken as it cools. I actually think cranberry sauce tastes the best a day after you make it.
This Orange Cranberry Sauce is a very easy recipe I promise and will be a hit at your Holiday dinner.

A light and healthy salad packed full of veggies, olives and feta and topped with a light vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cups pasta (I used tri-colored rotini, fortified with spinach and tomato)
- 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 red pepper, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Instructions
- Directions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.
- In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, oregano, basil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, onion, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, olives, feta cheese.
- Toss the pasta salad with half of the dressing, mixing well. Cover the bowl and chill overnight.
- Before serving the salad toss the remaining half of the dressing over the pasta salad.
Notes
If you are serving the salad right away you can rinse the pasta off with cold water to cool it down then mix it with the vegetables, cheese and olives and all of the dressing. Peperocinis would be a great addition in this recipe (I just didn't have any on hand) as well as grilled chicken or chopped roasted red peppers. Pasta salads are very customizable! If there is something you don’t like take it out. If there is something you want, add it in. There are no rules!!
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[…] also pair really nice with your favorite holiday flavors like blue cheese, cranberry sauce or even a homemade horseradish […]
Amanda
Wednesday 21st of November 2018
Is this recipe good to double? Will it still set up right?
Julia
Thursday 22nd of November 2018
Yes! Just double everything.
Kristi
Monday 14th of October 2013
I appreciate you posting this recipe. I made it for the first time yesterday, for Canadian Thanksgiving. It was delicious. Next time I might cut the sugar or replace it with a natural sweetner - but otherwise, it was a hit with the family.
Julia
Monday 14th of October 2013
Glad you liked it! Great idea to cut the sugar or do natural sweetener! I should try that out.
Leah
Monday 12th of November 2012
I plan on making homemade cranberry sauce this year so I was really happy that I read your tip that you think it tastes better the next day. Anything I can prepare the day before is fine by me! :)
A Cedar Spoon
Monday 12th of November 2012
I actually eat mine throughout the week--so really you could even make it two days ahead and put it in a container with a lid in the fridge. I love it! :)