December calls for cranberries!

I love the smell, taste, look, everything about cranberries.  So this year I decided to try making cranberry juice.  Believe it or not it was super easy to do.  Here's how you do it:

There are a few first that need to be done.
1.  Get snacks and refill cups for the littles as they help.
1.  Rinse berries.
1.  Each boy needs there own jar for sorting.

2.  Put the good berries into some kind of container that is measurable.  Also explain that snacks won't taste good mixed in the juice and hold firm with the littlest one as he tries for all he's worth to convince you that crackers are great extras in juice.
3.  When his jar is full dump it back into the still to be sorted pile just to be on the safe side.

4.  Dump into a pot an equal ratio of cranberries and water.

5.  Bring to a boil.

6.  Turn heat down so the juice is just below boiling.  Listen for the popping sounds the berries make.  I also recommend using a pot with a lid as little bits of cranberry juice will cover your kitchen by the time all of the berries have burst.

7.  Remove from heat strain out the juice from the berries using a cheese cloth or a jelly bag.  Or in my case go through the closet hunting for the spare nylons that I knew someday would come in handy.  Just didn't know they'd travel the world with me before the time would come.

8.  Reheat and add sugar to taste.  May I suggest not drinking coffee while doing the taste test.  There is a reason why cranberry flavored coffee has never been invented.

9a.  Let cool and drink at your pleasure.

9b. Can using the hot water bath method.  Process pints and quarts for 15 minutes.

If one jar happens to explode know that your caning pot will come out looking brand new!

And make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.

~ 1 Thessalonians 4:11

1341.  Cooking with the boys.

1342.  Windy wet December days.

1344.  Cranberries popping.

1345.  Smell of hot cranberry juice.