Effortlessly Add Sweet And Tangy Notes To Muffins With One Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a controversial holiday staple. Cranberries are native to North America, where they thrive in bogs and marshes, and have been paired with turkey since as early as 1796. The tart berry condiment made from sweetened cranberries has become a crucial component of the classic November flavor profile. However, with heavy hitters like baked macaroni and cheese, dressing and mashed potatoes to choose from, cranberry sauce always seems to get picked last. Jellied cranberry sauce from the can often sits on the holiday table in an untouched mass, but it's also a favorite in reworked recipes for the day after the holiday, adding sweetness to Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches and sliders. Plus, you can put the spirit in holiday spirit by giving the berry a boozy boost before the big day.

If you're not stuffed on pumpkin pie over the long weekend and are still craving something sweet, incorporate leftover cranberry sauce into a tangy bake. Mix what's left of the sweet sauce into muffins the next morning to reduce food waste and give breakfast a burst of festive flavor.

Holiday dining is all about the leftovers. Once the cooking is complete, the stress of hosting has subsided, and food has had the time to become even more flavorful, that's when the party can really begin. As long as you're storing your food properly once the guests have gone home, there's no reason you can't extend the celebration. Mix leftover mashed potatoes into loaded mashed potato balls, stir remaining gravy into soups, or take the classic route and simply stack everything into a sweet and savory sandwich.

You can always freeze any remaining cranberry sauce (the homemade stuff freezes best), but for a flavorful fall treat, try mixing it into your favorite muffin recipe. Stir in what's left of store-bought or homemade cranberries to give muffins a saucy secret. This cranberry hack is ideal for whole-berry cranberry sauce versus the jellied variety, as the consistency is easier to mix into the batter. You can compliment the berry's tart flavor with citrus, nuts and dark chocolate, or spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, to get a seasonal sweet.