How to have fun with fresh cranberry sauce

According to a cute 1947 illustrated recipe ad from Eatmor Cranberries (don’t you just love that name?), the secret to having a blast with this tart, juicy, crimson hued fruit it to whip up their speedy, scrumptious Ten Minute Cranberry Sauce recipe.

I'm not one to argue there, given that a mere three ingredients and just 1/6th of an hour are required to bring flavourful homemade cranberry sauce to the table.

While those of us here in Canada tucked into our roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and mountains of fluffy stuffing last month, the fine folks south of the 49th are gearing up to celebrate Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, which is why this morning seemed like the ideal time to share this festive vintage recipe with you.

If you've already made, bought, or otherwise have plans for Thursday's cranberry sauce, fear not, this ultra simple recipe (which I've made, and can attest is a gem - I added a little mandarin orange zest towards the end of cooking for an extra hit of flavour, which is similar to the suggestion in the recipe itself for the addition of tangerines) is wonderful to have on hand for Christmas, next Thanksgiving, or any time you're in the mood for some homemade cranberry sauce.



{Whether you try one of the spins suggested above or stick with the three ingredient classic, this lovely cranberry sauce recipe is the kind of classic that will always remain a beloved holiday favourite. Image via Charm and Poise on Flickr.}



I think the suggestions provided here on how to further jazz up this sauce are terrific. I’d never thought of putting bananas in cranberry sauce, but now I'm wildly curious to know if this combination works or it it's as eyebrow raising as I suspect. Mint is always lovely with cranberries, especially if you plan on serving this sauce as an accompaniment to lamb.

Almonds are great here, as is the addition of a little almond extract, or if you're not an almond person, then pistachios or even shelled pumpkin seeds for a pleasant hit of crunch. I adore pears and cranberries and think that's my favourite of the add-in ideas they offer.

Celery is a good addition, though if you were heavy handed with it in your stuffing or elsewhere, you may want to forgo using celery in your cranberry sauce. If you're more of an apple person, then you could certainly use those instead of pears, too (I'd go with a somewhat sweet apple, such as Fuji or Red Delicious to help offset the tangy tartness of the berries).

I certainly know how busy the day before Thanksgiving can be, so I'll wrap this fun little 1940s recipe post up here for now, but not before I wish each and every one of you who will be celebrating it tomorrow, a deeply, serenely beautiful Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. Having online friends like you is a blessing I count every time we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner at my house.

Cranberry-Apple Pie: the perfect vintage Thanksgiving dessert

✯ Day 327 of Vintage 365 ✯

When one stops and thinks about Thanksgiving Day pies, it is commonly pumpkin and pecan that spring to mind first. Though both of these are absolutely scrumptious, time-honoured beauties, there is no reason why they need to be your only options come this annual autumn fest.

From custard pies to tiny individual tartlets of dark chocolate topped with candied orange peel, the sky is the limit when it comes to Thanksgiving pies!

I'm personally fond of veering towards those that do a marvelous job of encompassing the flavours that one most associates with fall time - think pears, sweet potatoes, and cranberries. The latter fruit, a naturally tart one, couples gorgeously with sweet apples in this wonderful vintage recipe for Cranberry-Apple Pie.

 

{Combining two fruit flavours that are every bit as classic as mashed potatoes and gravy, this terrific vintage Cranberry-Apple Pie is bound to become a steadfast favourite with your family. Image via bluwmongoose.}

Though Canadian Thanksgiving took place a few weeks ago in early October, for my dear friends and neighbours to the south, tomorrow marks your day of giving thanks for the blessings and bounty that your life provides you with.

Should your menu be in need of one more dessert (or if you haven't settled on the right one yet at all), I thought this this classic, super easy, very economical vintage recipe for Apple-Cranberry Pie might just do the trick.

I love that this delicious pie isn't overly cloying. It's sweetness from the apples and sugars is tempered by the tangy cranberries, making it easier to digest (than say a thick cheesecake or rich trifle) after a hearty, heavy holiday meal of the sort that Thanksgiving has excelled at producing for ages.

No matter if you decide to whip up this delightful dessert tomorrow or not, it makes for a superb fall and winter recipe that will never, ever go out of style, thanks to the timeless pairing of fruit that call this elegant lattice topped pie home.