Cranberry Jello Salad

Cranberry Jello Salad

When I was growing up, every year for Thanksgiving my mother would make a Cranberry Jello Salad.  It was a recipe given to her by one of my aunts.   It had  lots of yummy ingredients in it - cranberries, apples, pineapple, celery and pecans.  My job was to use the food grinder and chop up the cranberries.  All the ingredients were mixed together and then added to Cherry Jello.  She poured the mixture into a mold and refrigerated it over night.
I continue the tradition of making this salad yearly for my family.  The kids enjoy helping me like I did with my mom.  I serve the salad by itself or sometimes topped with a dollop of creme fraiche.  Either way, it tastes great.  You have the tartness of the cranberries mixed with the sweetness of the apples and pineapple.  The nuts and celery give the salad a nice crunchy texture.  A delicious addition to any Thanksgiving Day feast.

Cranberry Jello Salad
Special Equipment: Two quart mold

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced apples
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple - do not drain
1 package (6-ounce) cherry Jello
1 cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
Cooking Spray


Directions:
1. Lightly spray the mold with cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. Stir together the cranberries, apples, celery, and pecans in a medium mixing bowl.  Add the crushed pineapple and stir until well mixed.

Cranberries, Apples, Celery, Pecans

3. Stir the cherry Jello and sugar together.  Add the hot water and stir until the Jello and sugar are dissolved.

4. Add the cranberry mixture to the Jello and stir well.

5. Pour the Jello mixture into the prepared mold.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm - 4-5 hours or overnight.

6. Place mold in a bowl of warm water (the top of the mold should not be submerged in the water) for a few seconds.  Invert the mold onto a platter. Lift the mold carefully.  Repeat placing the mold in warm water if necessary.  Serve
Makes 12 servings

Cranberry Jello Salad

Fall Favorite: Pumpkin-Cranberry Scones

Pumpkin-Cranberry Scone

Dough Patted In Circle

Cut Into Wedges

Pumpkin and cranberries are some of  my favorite flavors of the season.  Combine these ingredients with the  "fragrant spices" of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg,  cloves and you have one great tasting scone. I found this recipe in Teatime magazine.    In the directions for this recipe they call for the use of 2 (8-well) cast-iron wedge pans.  I did not have any so I  just made these scones the way I usually make scones. I pat the dough into a circle and cut the dough into wedges.  I placed the dough on a floured work surface and I lightly floured my hands and cutting knife. Next, I placed the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  This  method worked just fine and the baking time was the same. The  scones are brushed with and egg wash and then sprinkled with turbinado sugar. Bake until the scones are golden brown.  The egg wash adds a nice sheen to the scones.  When you bite into these scones the flavor is wonderful.  Every ingredient compliments one another and they blend into a very flavorful scone.  


Pumpkin-Cranberry Scones
From Teatime Magazine

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 large eggs, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray wells of 2 (8 well) cast-iron wedge pans with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.*
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, whisking well.
4. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add cranberries, stirring to blend.  Set aside.

5. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla extract, stirring to blend.  Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, stirring until combined.  If mixture seems dry, add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until uniformly moist.

6. Divide dough evenly among wells of prepared pans.  Using wet fingers, evenly pat dough into wells. Set aside.**
7. In a small bowl, combine remaining egg and milk, whisking to blend.  Brush lightly onto each scone.  Sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar.

8. Bake until scones are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes.
9. Serve warm, or let cool on a wire rack to serve later.

Makes 16 scones

*If you  are not using well pans, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
**NOT USING WELL PANS:   With lightly floured hands, divide the dough in two equal balls.  Take one ball of dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.   Pat the dough out into a 5-inch diameter circle.  Cut the dough into four equal wedges.  Place on baking pan lined with parchment paper.
***Makes 8 scones if you pat out the dough.