Leaning Tower of Cranberry Sauce

Cameron and I were very busy on Sunday. We made a tonne of spiced apricot cranberry sauce with Christine. Well, maybe not a tonne...maybe more like 20 cups worth. We canned sixteen 250 ml jars, and sent Christine home with 4 cups for Thanksgiving. There were even some cranberries left over! Hard to believe, I know (we bought them fresh at last week's farmer's market). Cranberry sauce is very easy to make because you don't have to do any peeling, coring, cutting...hence the 16 jars. I am going to use one jar for our Thanksgiving meal and then save the rest for Christmas gifts. So, if you want to be on the cranberry sauce gift list, be nice.

Here is the recipe:

Spiced Apricots and Cranberries

1 cup dried apricots
2/3 cup water
2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
10 whole cloves
1 tsp mustard seed
1 stick cinnamon

In large sauce pan, simmer apricots and water for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes longer or until cranberries have popped, stirring frequently.

Add vinegar. Place cloves, mustard seed and cinnamon in double layer of cheesecloth; tie cheesecloth loosely into bag and add to fruit mixture. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove spice bag. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

For longer storage, pack hot mixture into sterilized 250 ml mason jars, filling to within a 1/2 inch of top of jars. Cover with scalded lids and seal, process for 10 minutes, turn heat off and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes before removing from water. Makes about 3 cups.