Easiest Cranberry Sauce

Adapted from the recipe on the back of a bag of cranberries, my mother’s version requires minimal prep and has less sugar than the original (my family loves the pucker-inducing tang), plus orange zest for a bit of zip. And you can replace some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, more caramelly flavor if you’d like. You don’t need to add any thickener—as they pop, the cranberries release their natural pectin, and as the sauce cools, it gels into the texture you know. As for what to do with any leftovers: Using it as a spread for your day-after turkey sandwich seems a natural fit, but it really goes great with everything.