Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is all about family, friends and food. My mom was an amazing cook anyway but we made her special cranberry salad every year. It is not your traditional cranberry dish and once I take it somewhere, the recipe is requested. My mom developed Alzheimer’s in 1987 and passed away in 1995 so I sadly didn’t learn as much about cooking from her as I would have liked.
I did learn to make this salad though and I love making it every year as it brings up many wonderful memories of my mom. Each year, I receive several messages from friends saying they are making ‘Stella’s’ salad for their families. We actually have several dishes we prepare each year with great memories attached to our loved ones in heaven.
Ingredients
1 13oz can of crushed pineapple
2 3oz package lemon jello
1 cup ginger ale
1 1lb can jellies cranberry sauce
1 approximately 2oz package dream whip.
1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup chopped Pecans
Directions
Drain pineapple reserving the juice. Add water to juice if needed to make 1 cup. Heat until liquid is boiling, dissolve jello in hot liquid, cool, gentle stir in ginger ale and chill until partially set. Meanwhile blend pineapple and cranberry sauce. Mix cranberry/pineapple with jello spread in pan and let chill until firmly set.
Beat dream whip topping according to directions and add cream cheese, beat until smooth, spread evenly over jello mixture. Add pecan pieces.