Preserved: Cranberry Orange Jam with Crystallized Ginger

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I'm usually one of those people who eat nothing all day before the Thanksgiving feast. How else am I going to save room for that third slice of my mom's double crust apple pie? But this year I might have to make an exception. I can think of no better way to start Turkey Day than with a piece of pumpkin or corn bread slathered with this cranberry orange jam.

I grew up in southeastern Massachusetts, in a house situated next to a cranberry bog. I think that's why I'm positively mad for cranberries. It's not even Thanksgiving yet and I've already blown through five bags of Ocean Spray.

Few things pair better with tart cranberries than juicy sweet oranges. What I like best about this jam is that tastes a lot like orange marmalade, but it only takes a fraction of the work to make. The secret is to pulse whole unpeeled oranges into a pulp in the food processor. To make it even more festive, I added a cinnamon stick and a generous handful of chopped crystallized ginger.

This recipe yields six half-pint jars. If you process them in a hot water bath they will keep for up to a year on the shelf. Otherwise, store them in the fridge for up to three months.

About the Author: Lucy Baker is a food writer and the author of The Boozy Baker: 75 Recipes for Spirited Sweets. She is currently at work on a second book about homemade food gifts. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dachshund.