Cranberry Orange Nut Salad (Grandma's)
When my grandma was still cooking Thanksgiving dinner I always remember this, so I've picked up the ball and now I'm the one making it. Even people who don't normally want cranberry love this. I use the old fashioned metal, clamp to the edge of the counter, type of grinder to grind the cranberries, but you can use something else, perhaps a food processor. However, I do not recommend using a food processor or other type of chopper for the nuts, or celery as the quality and texture is better when they are hand chopped. When you use the orange peel (zest) make sure you are only using the orange part of the peel, and not any of the white (it's very bitter). When the cranberries are in season around Thanksgiving, I usually buy a couple of extra bags and freeze them so that I can make this anytime of year. This is great for brunches, luncheons, or in the summer, to take along to potlucks or picnics as well, it's so refreshing. You could also add a nice white wine (maybe about 1/2 cup).
DIRECTIONS
- Wash, then grind the cranberries.
- Wash, zest & juice the orange, using as much pulp as you can gather (but remember, no white from the peel).
- Chop the celery.
- Mix cranberries, orange parts, sugar & celery, (add half of the wine now if you're using it).
- Refrigerate covered, overnight if possible (it is really not as good if you don't).
- The next day:
- Chop the nuts.
- Make lemon Jello according to package directions, but only use 1/2 of the water that the package calls for, let partially set.
- Add cranberry mixture from previous day & nuts.
- If you are using wine, add the rest of it now.
- Transfer into appropriate serving bowl, I prefer pretty glass or crystal, especially for the holidays, (I usually use a pretty glass bowl that has a lid).
- Refrigerate covered (minimum of 2 hours or so) or until set.
- I often double this recipe, when I do this, I use 1 package of lemon Jello, & 1 package of orange Jello, or 2 packages of one or the other, and 2- 12 oz packages of cranberries, not quite doubling the rest of the ingredients.
- And finally, say a quick thanks & smile up at heaven to my Grandma Thelma, who passed away this year.