Cranberry Sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup water
4 cups (12-oz. package) fresh or frozen cranberries
Optional: Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

At this point you can add all number of optional ingredients. Mix in a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or without a few strips of orange peel. You can add a cup of raisins or currants. You can add up to a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added too.

Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.