I'm a big fan of Marisa McClellan's blog, Food in Jars, along with her guest posts right here on The Kitchn. I've been in Thanksgiving preparation mode since last week, and when I saw her post on homemade cranberry jelly, I knew I was going to try it.

Some notes: the recipe says to use 1 pound (16 oz.) of cranberries, but the Ocean Spray bags are 12 ounces each, so I used two bags and had 24 ounces of cranberries. I doubled the apple cider, and I ended up having to add more sugar until I got the desired sweetness. This recipe was really quick and simple and canned easily.

This came out really well. I filled four jelly jars, and it spreads very well. It's got the right combination of tart and sweet, and I was surprised how quickly I was able to make this. I do have to say, this is more of a jam than a jelly, because it's got chunks of fruit in it, whereas jelly is the clear liquid of the fruit. See: What's The Difference Between Jam, Jelly, Conserves, Marmalade, Etc?.

All in all, highly recommended - if you're already familiar with canning and have all the equipment, this should take 30 minutes of your time.

• Get the recipe! Homemade Cranberry Jelly at Food In Jars

Related: Recipe: D.I.Y. Cranberry Jam

(Image: Kathryn Hill)