Classic Cranberry Sauce

At Thanksgiving, it was always the littlest kid's job to make the cranberry sauce. We would stand her/him on a chair at the stove and let her/him stir away. It goes without saying that I was always right there, supervising this dangerous culinary adventure. 

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 cups cranberries (pick out any stems)

Place all in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat and let cook an additional five minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into a serving dish and let cool. 

Here is a nice list of optional additions: Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.