Recipe: My Father’s Cranberry sauce

Total time: 25 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling

Servings: Makes 6 cups

Note: From Lydia Shire

2 cinnamon sticks

30 whole cloves

8 whole allspice

3 cups water

3 (12-ounce) bags cranberries

3 cups sugar

1. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice in a cheesecloth bag and tie it shut.

2. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the spices and cranberries. Simmer until they are soft and beginning to jell, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Place a strainer over a large bowl. Remove the bag of spices and pour the cranberries into the strainer, pressing them through with the back of a spoon and scraping from time to time to clear the mesh. You may need to do this in 2 batches. Discard the solids in the strainer.

4. In a clean pot, combine the strained cranberries and the sugar and bring the mixture to a rapid boil and cook until it begins to set, about 2 minutes or so. Pour into a serving dish or dishes. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool slightly, then refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Each tablespoon: 29 calories; 0 protein; 7 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 0 sodium.