Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

My neighbor, Heather, and I were talking the other day about the upcoming holidays, baking and cooking and all the typical domestic diva conversation that occurs this time of year.  She asked me if I have a favorite Thanksgiving recipe.  She caught me a bit off-guard because I feel like when my family celebrates Thanksgiving, it's all the usual suspects that join us at the table. 
All good. 
All tried and true. 
But I never really consider any of them "super stars." 

And then, I remember.  There's the one thing my mom began making when Evan was just a toddler, so maybe 8 years ago, or so, that the kids still, to this day, get excited about. 

Homemade cranberry sauce. 

Not from a can.

Not mixed with Jell-o and crushed pineapple with a cream cheese/sour cream topping (although that one is quite yummy!)

And this is not rocket science.  There is no long list of ingredients.  There is no getting up at 5 am on Thanksgiving morning to prepare the dish.  There are no difficult instructions. 

Sometimes the best things are the simplest things.

Here is the recipe my mom uses to make not one, but two, batches of homemade cranberry sauce. 

Because, my children eat it by the bowlful, that's why. 

Cranberry Sauce

Here's What You Need:
1 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
3 cups Ocean Spray fresh or frozen cranberries

Here's What You Do:
Bring cider and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 1/4 cups.

Mom says she cooks her berries a little longer, say about 15 minutes.  She finds that they thicken up more to her (and everyone else's) liking that way. 

So, what's your favorite Thanksgiving dish?  Leave a comment and share with me and the rest of my readers.  Maybe our family will find a new favorite!