Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgivings!  I, for one, might have done a bit too much enjoying, judging by the several pairs of pants that were vetoed as outfit choices this morning for failure to zip...and for that, I blame the cranberry sauce.  I love cranberry sauce.  Every year, I slather it all over the top of my Thanksgiving plate like whipped cream on a pie, and I get seconds mostly just to have something to put more cranberry sauce on (although I should add, I am not above eating it by the spoonful).  For me, cranberry sauce belongs in the same category as bacon and peanut butter -- everything is better with it.

For the last few years, I've been making a wine-based cranberry sauce, and I thought I'd share my recipe with you today!  If you're a red wine lover, then I know you will really like this!

Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

12-oz bag fresh cranberries

1 1/2 c. frozen cherries, cut in half

1/3-1/2 bottle of zinfandel 

1/2 c. brown sugar

Rind of 1 orange

Juice of 1 orange

1 T. rosemary, finely chopped

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. cloves

1/2 t. nutmeg

Put it all together in a sauce pan.  Turn the heat to medium-high until the mixture boils, then turn it down and simmer until it thickens up (about 30 minutes).  When it's thick enough, take it off the heat, cool and serve!

I might start making this year round.  That's how much I love red wine cranberry sauce.

Do you have any favorite recipes for the holidays?  I'm always looking for new recipes and I'd love to hear about your favorites!