Special Occasion Cranberries (Recipe)

Ingredients

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple (juice packed)

Pineapple juice

2 3-ounce packages or one 6-ounce package raspberry flavored gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 cup cold water

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

3/4 cup finely chopped celery

1 medium apple, cored and finely chopped (2/3 cup)

3/4 cup seedless red grapes, quartered

Cream Cheese Sauce:

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons powdered suagr

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Milk

Steps

1. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.  Add enough of the additional pineapple juice to make 1 cup.  Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water.  Stir in the 1 cup pineapple juice, the cold water and the cranberry sauce.  Chill until the mixture is partially set (consistency of unbeaten egg whites), stirring occasionally.

3. Fold in the pineapple, walnuts or pecans, celery, apple and grapes.  Pour into a 2 - or - 3-quart rectangular baking dish.  Cover and chill about 4 hours or until firm.

4. To make the Cream Cheese Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk to make a creamy consistency.

5. To serve, cut the gelatin-cranberry mixture into squares or spoon into individual glass dishes.  Pass the cream Cheese Sauce.

Tips:

This gelatin salad has a high proportion of solids-too many to try to make it as a molded salad.

For a deep salad, use the 2-quart baking dish.  For more surface area, use a 3-quart dish.  If you are taking this salad to potluck, prepare it in a 13x9x2-inch pan with a lid.

Place the bowl of gelatin in a large bowl of ice water to speed chilling to the partially set stage.

If the gelatin mixture gets too firm, before you fold in the nuts and fruit, place the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir the gelatin to melt it slightly.

From : America's Best-Loved Community Recipes