3-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

Today was my right leg’s turn to be operated on.

And yes, I am talking it up.  Not exactly an operation as such, just continuing on with the sclerotherapy and ligations I had last week on my left leg.

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce


After an ultrasound where my leg was marked-up I went into the operating room.  The surgeon was there to greet me and he said that I would only be having ‘nine and a half injections and that would do it’.

That was puzzling.  ‘How do you give half a needle?’ I asked.

‘Well the ‘half’ is just in case I have to give you an extra one’.  And then I did think I would tell him that a friend of mine had the same procedure done at a different clinic and was given happy gas to get through it.  And he said, ‘We don’t offer that here because most patients have to drive home’.

And I said, ‘I’d be happy to go home in a cab’.

I just love the colour of cranberries

I just love the colour of cranberries

Then the procedure started with me enduring it completely cold turkey and I was lying there with my face all screwed up and my eyes watering from the stinging of the needles.  There was pulling and tugging and suturing but not enough distraction from me counting the number of injections.  When it was finally over I said, ‘Ah, that was more than nine and a half needles; you definitely went into double figures’.

He congratulated me for being so observant and said he couldn’t resist giving a few of the surface veins a bit of a jab.  Then he said to his assistant, ‘Sharps count’.  And when there’s a ‘sharps count’ I really do think the procedure has been sizeable and some sedation for the patient would be kind.  Next time I’ll bring my own.

Beige stockings and surgical booties dressed up with bows on my sandals

Beige stockings and surgical booties dressed up with bows on my sandals

The thick and constrictive and very beige stockings I have to wear for the next two weeks have not rendered me useless.  I am able to continue as chief cook in the Hotly Spiced Kitchen and in keeping with the festive spirit I have made cranberry sauce to serve with turkey or other meats like chicken, pork and ham.

Just three ingredients

Just three ingredients

In Sydney we cannot buy fresh cranberries but frozen and dried are available.  Last year I had a situ where I wasn’t able to source frozen cranberries and so made the sauce using dried cranberries.  That worked well and the recipe is on my blog but I do prefer the more vibrant and reddish colour you achieve from using frozen or fresh cranberries.

Increasingly, it is becoming quite difficult to buy frozen cranberries.  I tried the major supermarkets and they are no longer stocking them and then I tried some specialty shops and they normally have them but said this year the supplier is out of stock.  Through google I came across Frozberries, a warehouse that sells to restaurants but is also open to the public.  I phoned them and they said they only had a few packets left and if I wanted them I’d have to collect them that morning.

Fortunately my car is now fixed and so I high-tailed it to Hornsby and collected the berries.

A great Christmas gift

A great Christmas gift

This recipe requires only three ingredients and cranberry sauce can be made very quickly.  It is quite runny when it’s made but thickens while cooling.  If you’re having Christmas dinner as a guest in someone’s home, this makes a really suitable gift.  It’s also something you can give to teachers, coaches and others in your life who you’d like to bless with more than a card.  And it’s a do-ahead recipe – got to love those at this time of year.

5.0 from 4 reviews
3-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 cups
 
Cranberry Sauce requiring just three ingredients
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups sugar
  • 1½ cups orange juice
  • 1kg (2lbs) frozen cranberries (or fresh if you have them)
Instructions
  1. Place sugar, juice and ¾ cup of water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add cranberries and simmer for 5-8 minutes until plump but still retaining their shape.
  2. Set aside to cool.
  3. Seal in sterilised jars.

 

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

Comments

  1. It looks delicious Charlie… now I just need to source the Cranberries here on the Goldy! Liz xx

  2. Oh wow – you had sclerotherapy shots without any sedation? I am cringing here for you!!! My mom had that same procedure and I recall, while they didn’t give her laughing gas they did give her a local anesthetic to numb the area.

    I so do love do-ahead recipes – specially when they are only 3 ingredients!!! And this gorgeous cranberry sauce would indeed make a wonderful present!

  3. I remember the trouble that you had last year Charlie. Good to hear that you were able to get frozen ones. They’re so abundant in other countries!

  4. Sorry to hear you had such a painful procedure! I’m impressed that you were able to count all the injections! Your cranberry sauce looks delicious and I love the simplicity. It looks like it would be perfect with some Christmas ham – yum!

  5. ouch – I am not sure I would want to drive home after being pricked repeatedly in my leg. glad to hear you are still being productive despite the challenges. I am surprised to hear that it is getting harder to find frozen cranberries – you would think it would get easier given that we seem to get more and more products from the US. I found them frozen a few years ago but don’t think I have found them since – keep meaning to return to that little supermarket. (But of course I obviously need to return to the uk where I can get them fresh!)

  6. Cranberries and orange juice are a perfect combination. Glad your operation was successful, too bad about the pain though.

  7. My husband cooked a kettle of cranberries last evening, using cranberries which he bought fresh more than a year ago and then froze. Cranberries are readily available in Minnesota. We so, afterall, live next to Wisconsin, where cranberries are grown. Another reason for you to visit Wisconsin.

  8. Oh my goodness, Charlie!?! No numbing cream or laughing gas or anything? Cruel and unusual punishment are the words that come to mind! But, hey…you have those sweet little sandals with the bows to wear after, so I guess it’s all good. 😉 xo

  9. A second round of surgery so soon after the first. You’re a brave woman. Get better soon and stay off those feet even if the cranberry sauce DOES look lovely.

  10. Hi Charlie, your cranberry dish looks wonderful! Love the color!

    Sorry your procedure was the way it was I know someone that had that done and they were given a sedative beforehand.

  11. Sounds like the procedure(s) is going well–may you have a swift recovery. And how pretty and easy-to-make is that cranberry sauce?

  12. Oh, great recipe – Charlie – pleased the procedures are over for you and wish you a quick recovery.

  13. I would have been tempted to see the size of those needlrs, but I probably would have fainted! Beautiful cranberry sauce and such a nice gift!

  14. I cannot believe you were awake for that! I would have been an anxiety ridden wreck. Such a tough one you are! Next year, remind me, and I will mail you a big box of fresh cranberries that you can stick in your freezer. 🙂

  15. Ouch! But your legs will be beautiful once you’re healed. Once a nurse, always a nurse 🙂 Your yummy jarred up sauce is decked out so beautifully!

  16. I know what you mean about the frozen cranberries. Up until last Christmas they always had them in the freezer with the turkey but it is now impossible to get them. So annoying. I made cherry relish last year with frozen cherries and I will do that again this year. Hope you feel better soon sounds dreadful that op on your leg!

  17. I hope it won’t make you cringe to read that my husband likes the stuff from the can so much I hardly ever make “real” cranberry sauce. I think he grew up on the the canned and it just continues to be his favorite. I like fresh! So I think I need to make some of this for myself at least. I really like your idea of using it as a hostess gift. That’s a great suggestion as it is so colorful it really has a gorgeous appeal! I hope you’re healing quickly…the treatment itself sounds really quite painful. I hope it’s all behind you now.

  18. G’day Love cranberry sauce Charlie and makes great pressies!
    Hope you are back to your ol’ (not old) self soon with your procedures!
    Cheers! Joanne

  19. At least you can still wear the Kate Spades 🙂 I can’t imagine what that must feel like. I had some veins injected on my legs and the doctor said it might hurt a little. I wanted to kick is face in! Hope you have a speedy recovery. I remember you mentioning this last year and I made a half-effort to find cranberries then gave up. I will keep an eye out again.

  20. This is the recipe my mother used to make. I can’t believe you tootled to Hornsby! I know where that is because we used to shop there to provision the boat when we’d go up for a week or two. It’s a HUGE drive from where you are. You must love cranberry sauce a lot. 🙂

  21. Eek sitting through all those needles sounds a bit like torture. I’m impressed you made it through without kicking the doctor!

  22. You poor thing Charlie, if the doctor didn’t want to waste anesthetic on you he could have least given you a slug of hard liquor and a stick to bite on! I’m glad you tracked down your berries and Your cranberry sauce looks wonderful, I sure do love it at Christmas and it would beautiful on my table indeed 🙂 xox

  23. Lol, no surgery can stop Charlie to create great stuff in the kitchen! The cranberries even look like you’ve gotten inspired by something 🙂 Congrats on being brave and still being creative!!!

    Julie & Alesah
    Gourmet Getaways xx

  24. Hope you recover soon! You totally rocked those hospital booties though!

  25. I’m so surprised you can’t get fresh cranberries, they are everywhere here. A lovely recipe for cranberry sauce and a great idea for a gift. I’m impressed you’re brave enough to have the procedure so close to Christmas. GGxx

  26. No pain killers or even topical anesthetics? Did he offer to treat you with leaches, too? I hope your recovery is quick and full, Charlie. Next time, stick a bottle of booze in your pocket book.
    Like my own. your cranberry recipe is a simple one. I very much prefer it that way. I on;y use a splash of orange juice, though,. Next time I’ll follow your lead and use more.

  27. You are such a trooper! The cranberries look so delicious.

  28. Even though I don’t fare well with gas I think it would be preferable to needles!! I wonder why cranberries are so difficult to come by?
    This is on my list if i can source some cranberries

  29. Hope the pain passes soon my friend, I’m so sorry to hear about your operation 🙁
    But you will recover super soon cause you are awesome 🙂
    On a nicer note, your cranberry sauce looks sweet and I love the colour!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  30. Hope your foot is recovering well. The word surgery made e feel weak. It’s so hard to go through medical or surgical process and have to take care of family… Thinking of you. I actually never tried making cranberry sauce before. =P This sounds very easy and straightforward. I will have to give this a try very soon!

  31. I do think some more pain relief would have been kind. I hope you are recovering well at least, and the results are worth it. 3 ingredient recipes sound like just the thing for recovery cooking (or any cooking!) and I am glad frozen cranberries are back in Australia – I remember them disappearing and it was very annoying.

  32. I hope the operation went well. Xxx
    A lovely simple easy cranberry sauce,..I like tonbooze up my cranberry sauce!

  33. This is a little late so I hope that you will see it. Coles now have frozen cranberries, or at least they did when I was in there yesterday. I hope that it is not just a seasonal line.

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