Monday, December 23, 2013

Merry Christmas Cranberry Salad

I have never been much of a cranberry fan. Or a Jello fan either. I must harbor strange childhood memories:

  • A family holiday tradition was making a cranberry relish that had only three ingredients -- freshly ground whole cranberries and whole oranges, sweetened by as much sugar as you wanted (or not.) The grinding was fun, but I really didn't like the texture of the relish. My adult senses are wiser.
  • I distrusted any food that you could see through. Or that jiggled. I didn't think it was fun food;  it just reminds me of bad school cafeteria fare. Although cafeteria food has much improved, I do believe Jello is still a staple. I would eat it only to strengthen my nails.
This salad was different. It has been the regular contribution of a family to our annual church Christmas dinner. Last year I was so bold as to ask the man (who I didn't know too well) for the recipe. He immediately began rattling off the precise measurements.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, Dave," I said. "Let me get a pen!" I was really surprised that the recipe had Jello in it; although I wondered as I was writing things down, if plain gelatin and fruit juice would be a good way to make this. But first, try it as written. I did . . . and I still liked it.


After I thanked him and started walking away, Dave, the retired accountant, said, "You know, it's not a cheap salad to make." and then he began itemizing the cost of each ingredient. Even the math-challenged me recognized that it wasn't a bargain. But it is Christmas, after all, and generosity prevails.

When I asked what his family called it, he just shrugged and said, "We always just called it Christmas salad."

So that's what we'll call it here.


Christmas Cranberry Salad
3 cups whole cranberries
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 large package raspberry Jello (any red flavor will do)
1 cup grapes, seeded and halved
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained

Cook the cranberries over medium heat  until they have popped. Add the sugar and Jello and stir until dissolved. Remove from stove-top and cool until the mixture starts to thicken; then add the grapes, walnuts and pineapple. Chill  until ready to serve.


Merry Christmas to you and yours . .  and best wishes for a happy new year!

16 comments:

  1. I love cranberries and the crunch of the walnuts must be amazing. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
    Sam

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    1. This really is the one cranberry (and jello!) salad I like, Sam. And it's perfect for Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  2. Merry Christmas Rosemary to you and your family. Eat well and laugh lots.

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    1. Managed to do that, Val. Hope you laughed a lot, too.

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  3. What a pretty, snowy photo. It is sleeting here at the moment and blowing a gale. Your Cranberry Salad looks very festive. I'm a bit of a Jello-phobic myself but as you have vouched for it, I'm willing to give it a go in this recipe.

    Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a very happy 2014.

    Hester x

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    1. We see that scene often. There's a river just a couple miles from or house and the snowy hemlocks make a great frame. Lucky to live near such pretty places (if I remember to look).
      Wishing you all the best in the new year, Hester!

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  4. Wouldn't mind spooning this this Christmas :D
    Delicious!

    Happy Holidays!
    CCU

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    1. I'm thinking of ways to jazz it up even more -- but it's the best salad of this kind I've ever had. Happy trails to you CCU!

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  5. I am a huge cranberry fan. I do have problems with Jello - texture.... but this really looks like a lovely, festive (LIGHT! LIGHT!) dish. And right now the sort of (LIGHT!) dish I am craving. The winterscape photo is a beauty! Happy New Year! May it bring all good things.

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    1. . . . and to you, Claudia, best wishes for a great new year! BTW, the only other way I can eat jello if it's creamed up somehow -- sour cream, cream cheese, mayo -- which totally dfeats the purpose of light, doesn't it?!?

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  6. Oh what a pretty salad, Rosemary! My memories of cranberries were the jiggly kind out of the can. But my tastebuds grew up, too. And I love cranberry sauce made with....well cranberries! Hope you had a wonderful holiday and I wish you a very happy new year! : )

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    1. Thanks, Anne. I know our taste buds "mature" as we do; maybe someday I really will like lima beans.

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  7. This looks so good. It kind of reminds me of a salad that I used to make years ago with cream cheese, nuts, pineapple and lime Jell-O. I love the stuff. I have some cranberries in the freezer right now. They now have a purpose. I can't wait to try this recipe.

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    1. I wish I had some cranberries in the freezer. I just read about freezing pomegranate seeds. (had too many over the holidays -- wouldn't you know I waited too long!

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  8. It just wouldn't be the holidays without cranberries! I adore their tart flavor! Even bought more to freeze after they are out of season! Hope that you're having a lovely 2014 Rosemary!

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    1. So far, so good, Roz. Been exercising more than cooking and blogging, though. That's a first!

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