Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Okay, okay.... when I first started making Thanksgiving - I stole this recipe from Martha Stewart. Then I switched the Oranges to Tangerines and added Brandy. These days I love bourbon, so I used that this year.

2 bags (12 ounces each) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 wide strips orange zest, plus 1 cup fresh orange/tangerine juice
1 1/2 oz. of Bourbon.
Coarse salt and ground pepper (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest, and 1/2 cup water, add bourbon and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange juice.

Sometimes I let it cook a little longer and thicken up a little more. It's really good and tends to need a little taste testing for perfection. You can add a little bit of the cranberry sauce to a shot of bourbon or champagne to kick up your drink a little. Happy Holidays!