Napkins – Check.

Poultry seasoning – Check.

Gorgeous disposable dishes — Check.

THE BIRD — Check.

Cranberry sauce – You Betcha.

Okay, you made it through. The turkey was juicy, and the wine was fine.

And now, as with every Thursday, eyes are focused on Shabbat – on a very early Shabbat.

So, on the off chance you have some cranberry sauce left over from Thursday’s Big Meal, you now have the basis for some stunning, surprising cuisine – formal, informal, side, dessert, and main.

Cranberries at Your Service

First of all, there is so much to appreciate about this North American native fruit. For example:

• Cranberries have great antioxidant properties.

• They are rich in the types of polyphenols associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. (USDA.gov)

• Cranberries may reduce the risk of high blood pressure. (Fruitandveggies.org)

Native Americans from the Iroquois and Chippewa tribes used cranberries not just for food, but also to dye textiles and for their medicinal value as a “blood purifier.”

Another important use of cranberries as food was in the making of pemmican, a meat-fat-fruit energy concoction that was preserved and packed for long journeys. Very paleo. The fat and protein were very filling, and the fruit made it more palatable.

When Europeans arrived on this continent, they brought with them the tradition of eating fruits and preserves with – meat.  And that is where our story picks up.

How to Keep Cranberry Sauce

You can keep cranberry sauce for at least two weeks in the fridge, as long as you follow some common-sense storage tips.

• Store it tightly covered in a glass or plastic container.

• If you need to keep it around for up to two months, freeze the cranberry sauce in a heavy-duty freezer bag.

If you are going the canned cranberries route (shhhh), Gefen Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce should be your go to product! With its delicious tart flavor and mimicked-homemade feel, you will feel as if you yourself picked the cranberries!

Another secret: if it’s passed its sell-by date, you’re still okay as long as the can is not damaged and it has been stored properly. When it comes to cranberries, the “sell-by” date is more about the cranberries being at peak quality than it is about food safety.

So now you are good to go.

Some Fun Ways to Add Cranberry Tang to Your Everyday:

1. Dollop on parve oatmeal

Swirl into a plain base, like unflavored steel-cut oats, and allow the tart cranberry sauce to add pizzazz to your usual morning stir. Thin out your oatmeal with coconut milk or your favorite plant-based milk.

2. Make a chicken marinade

Plain chicken cutlets begone! Combine equal parts of your favorite BBQ sauce and some of the cranberry relish, mix well, and spread on top of your usual weeknight fare. The barbecue club won’t know what hit ’em!

3. Fold into parve whipped cream and add to your favorite sparkling seltzer or wine

Clouds of pink cream are what post-thanksgiving dreams are made of. Fold in a dollop or two of your cranberry relish into the parve whipped cream and pile high on top of your cocktail. Serve plain as is.

4. Cran-Alm sandwich (an adult version of PB&J)

You know the drill; it’s all about the soft bread and the sweet condiments. Smooth one slice of bread with your favorite creamy nut butter (almond works well), and on the other side, slather the cranberry relish “jelly.” Lunch of champions.

5. Swirl it into a kugel

It is tough to reinvent a classic. Butternut squash pie is perfect as is, but swirl in the sweet cranberry “leftover,” and this kugel tastes like the whole Thanksgiving pursuit should have been created just for this food fusion.

So you see, it’s easy to breathe new life into an old favorite. Happy, healthy eating!