One of the things I like about spending Thanksgiving with our Kansas City relatives is the wide assortment of cranberry sauces. I grew up with basic boiled cranberries and sugar, and I still consider that the most elemental form of cranberry sauce. I know plenty of people swear by the canned stuff, but it makes me think of canned beets and (sorry to all you canned-cranberry-or-beet eaters) I just can’t do it.

But the other kind – the sauce in the pretty glass dish in the picture – is my personal favorite. I still make the boiled kind for everyday, but for Thanksgiving I have to have this. I don’t know Aunt Sheryl’s personal recipe, but when I make it myself I use the Joy of Cooking‘s Uncooked Cranberry Relish recipe. It’s very simple, just put into a food processor and grind up:

• 4 cups cranberries
• 1 whole orange
• 2 cups sugar

That’s it! It’s fresh, bright, tart and fantastic with turkey and stuffing. Joy says to let the whole thing “ripen” for a couple days before eating – doesn’t seem strictly necessary, but maybe it makes it even better, who knows?