Summary: This is another recipe that's come through the generations of my family on my mom's side, and it's a jewel in our crown of goodies. This is the best cranberry sauce I've ever had, and I really mean that. In addition to a "must" at our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables, this sauce elevates a turkey sandwich to greater heights, is wonderful with roast pork, with yogurt in the morning, or again, plain for a little treat.

Yield: 6-7 half pints

Ingredients:

2 cups mayhaw juice, or apple juice (not apple cider)
generous 4 cups fresh cranberries
1 small lemon, finely diced (including peel)
1 small apple, cored, peeled or not, and diced finely
4 cups sugar
2 generous sprinkles cinnamon, optional

Instructions:

Prepare your canning pot, jars, bands, lids and so forth.

Mix juice, berries, lemon and apple in a large stock pot and let come to a boil. Add the cinnamon and sugar, and stir and boil until the sugar has dissolved, about 8 minutes.

Keep stirring, and when the temperature reaches 220° Fahrenheit and the sauce is starting to slick sheet-like off the back of a wooden spoon, another 15 minutes maybe, ladle it carefully into your jars, slide a thin knife or chopstick or the like along the inside edges of the jar to let any air bubbles in the jam escape, screw on the lids and bands and process in your boiling water bath for 8 – 10 minutes.