Cranberry salad is another dish that we always have to have on our Thanksgiving table, and I encourage you to consider it for yours, too. It’s especially one of my mom’s favorites (and mine!). I love cranberries just about any way you can think to serve them, though this one is a little unusual since the cranberries are completely raw. It also has a whole chopped orange — and yes, that really does mean peel, seeds, and all! But there’s enough sugar in the jello, pineapple, and juice to nicely offset the bitter/tart from the orange and cranberries. This salad would probably have a nice retro look in one of those molded pans too, but we’ve always just made it in a pyrex dish instead.

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Cranberry Salad

Serves a crowd, at least 8-10

2 small packages cherry (if you want it sweeter) or cranberry Jello
1 cup hot water
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup pineapple syrup of juice
1 heaping cup of cranberries
1 whole orange
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup drained, crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

1. Dissolve Jello in water. Add sugar, lemon juice, and pineapple syrup and put in refrigerator to thicken somewhat, but not long enough to congeal.
2. Chop cranberries and whole orange in food processor into very small pieces (until ground).
3. Mix all other ingredients together well and stir into thickened Jello.
4. Spread into a 13″ x 9″ or 11″ x 13″ glass dish and chill until firm.

I know we’re late to join the bandwagon, but we enjoyed this salad all through last summer, and now that watermelon and tomatoes are starting back in season, it seemed like it was about time to share this with you.  My parents lived in Atlanta very briefly at the beginning of last summer.  It didn’t work out so well, but they say at least one good thing came out of it — they went to a restaurant that served this salad.  I’m not even a big tomato fan, but when it’s combined with watermelon and feta cheese, as has become popular lately, it becomes something wonderful.  And the way my parents serve this salad is all about the presentation.  It’s simple and quick, but elegant and a bit “dressed up” looking at the same time.  It’s especially nice with both yellow and red tomatoes, as shown here.

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I’m only a little embarrassed to admit that the inspiration for this salad was one of those fliers they have near the door at Whole Foods. I know it’s not all that creative or unusual, but what can I say, sometimes I just need a little push to think outside my narrow little box. I’ve always made tuna salad pretty much as I had it growing up, with canned tuna, mayonnaise, relish, salt and pepper, and maybe a little celery if I have it. Which is all well and good, but with all that mayo, it’s not very good for you. This is a healthier alternative which, when served over some nice leafy greens, makes for a pretty balanced meal. It’s great after a hot or long day, when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen, and we keep all the ingredients for it on hand. We don’t really have a set recipe and it varies every time we make it, but here’s the gist of it.

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