Things You Didn't Know You Could Make With Cranberry Sauce

Whether you're in the store-bought cranberry sauce camp or you strictly make the stuff from scratch, cranberry sauce is an important part of the Thanksgiving table. But what happens to the leftovers after everybody's had their share?

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Cranberry sauce often gets tossed in the garbage or, if you end up with unopened cans, stuck on a high shelf in the pantry, hanging around for the next Thanksgiving. Make use of these extras in creative ways to keep the holiday spirit alive throughout the season.

There's a reason why cranberry sauce makes an appearance at the holiday table; cranberries are harvested in the fall and have the perfect tart flavor to brighten up heavy meals like turkey with sweet potatoes and stuffing. Use whole cranberries to get into the holiday spirit with these cranberry-heavy recipes.

Homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make, and often contains less sugar than the store-bought stuff. When making cranberry sauce, use a little bit of baking soda to reduce the acidity and cook just until the cranberries pop. If cranberry sauce is too tart for you, try adding in some blueberries to mellow it out. If you're opting out of homemade cranberry sauce, check out our guide to canned cranberry sauce to make sure you're buying the best.

You can get great Thanksgiving sandwiches at restaurants to gear up for the holiday season, but once you have all of the ingredients in your house, it's easier and cheaper to make these ideas on your own. Break the cycle of only using cranberry sauce once a year with a few inventive ideas. From cocktails to Thanksgiving sushi, there's a way to use up all the cranberry sauce this holiday season.

Cranberry Champagne Chiller

(Credit: flickr/Jason Ilagan)
Sip on this tart vodka cocktail topped off with Champagne as you clear up the dining room after your Thanksgiving meal. Click here to see the recipe.

Turkey Sandwiches

(Credit: iStock/Thinkstock)
A classic use for leftovers after Thanksgiving. Pile on everything for a standard Leftover Turkey Sandwich Topped with Muenster Cheese And Cranberry Sauce or step it up a notch to create the Leftover Turkey Croque Monsieur Sandwich.

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Julie Ruggirello is the Recipe Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @TDMRecipeEditor.