My first time hosting Thanksgiving was about 10 years ago.  My parents were going to be out of town but I still wanted to get my siblings together and celebrate with all the fixings.  This was back when my idea of making dinner involved taking a frozen pizza out of it’s packaging or dumping a can of cream-of-something soup over some chicken breasts so a full on Thanksgiving dinner may have been overreaching.  In fact, after serving a frozen green bean casserole (my mom could have told me she used canned green beans and not frozen!!) and starting the kitchen on fire making this recipe, I’m surprised my family ever let me host another holiday.

Thankfully, I’ve gotten much better in the kitchen.  But every time I make this dish I have a little chuckle at myself because really…who starts their kitchen on fire making jello?!? (This girl.)  And I make this dish almost every year (unless my sister makes it) because it’s not Thanksgiving without my Grandma’s cranberry/jello salad.  

Here’s what you need:

(And a tip:  remove the boiling water from the heat source before you add your jello.  Trust me.)

1 cup cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 small package raspberry jello 

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup crushed pineapple

1 cup seedless red grapes (halved) 

1/2 cup walnuts (chopped) – optional

Here’s what you are going to do:

– Put cranberries in food processor until well chopped.  Mix with 1 cup sugar.  Set aside.

– Prepare jello according to package directions substituting pineapple juice for cold water.

– Add crushed pineapple, grapes, walnuts.

– Let sit overnight. (I’ve tried to make this the morning of and it just NEVER sets.)

* * * *

One bag of cranberries make a double batch so I ALWAYS just plan on doubling it.  I’m never going to find a use for a half bag of cranberries and it leaves enough for breakfast – my sister and I often just plop the bowl down with spoons.