Grandma's Cranberry Salad

We're not having Thanksgiving with my parents this year, and there are a lot of things I will miss.  Especially my Grandma's Cranberry Salad, which either she or my mom has made every year I can remember.  It's a sweet jello salad full of fruit and nuts, and it's the perfect compliment to turkey and stuffing.  Sorry, there is no picture of the actual salad - we haven't made it since I started blogging, and before blogging I never took pictures of my food!

Grandma's Cranberry Salad

1 package fresh cranberries (from the produce section, not frozen)

2 C sugar

2 medium oranges

2 apples, peeled and chopped

2 C boiling water

2 small packages Lemon jello

1 C walnuts, chopped

Using a food processor, grind the cranberries.  Add sugar and let stand for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, grate the rind from the oranges and squeeze the juice into a small bowl.  In a larger bowl, add the boiling water to the jello and stir to dissolve.  After 30 minutes, strain the cranberry/sugar mixture to remove as much liquid as possible.  Combine the strained cranberry juice with the orange juice and add enough cold water to equal 2 cups (you may have enough cranberry/orange juice and won't have to add water).

Stir the cranberry/orange juice into the dissolved jello, and put into freezer until slightly firm.  Time will vary, so keep an eye on it!  Remove chilled jello, and stir in cranberries, orange rind, apples and walnuts.  Pour into large glass serving bowl, and place into refrigerator to set.  Best if made one or two days ahead of time.

I found a picture from Thanksgiving dinner in 2012, with the cranberry salad on the table!

Have a wonderful weekend!