Wow, sorry it has been a bit since I last posted. To say that the last week has been crazy would be a bit of an understatement. Abby and I were both sick all week! Let me tell you, cooking and taking pictures of the food were two of the last things on my mind with how I felt last week. My hard drive crashed in my computer at work, which meant I lost everything, and was without a computer all last week. Since I usually use my breaks to write part of my posts and to catch up on other food blogs, that meant that I lost that extra time to write, and my poor Google Reader is showing numbers of unread blogs so high that I am not sure I can count to that level.

Not all of my big time consuming issues last week were bad though… I graduated last Wednesday!!! I have been in school over the past 2 years to get my Master’s degree, and I finally finished. Phew, glad that is finished. So, you combine all of those things together, and toss in the sheer craziness that goes along with holiday activities the week leading up to Christmas, and when you add it all up, I think it equals one bad food blogger for a week. Sorry about that, but I guess life won that battle last week.

So, what do I have for you today?
My Grandmother made this Cranberry Salad at Thanksgiving, and I insisted she share the recipe. I am usually not much for cranberry salads or sides, with the exception of the infamous jellied cranberry in a can. That jellied stuff is probably not one of the better things that I could be eating, but hey, I like it (and that’s what matters, right?). Anyway, this stuff was actually really good. For an additional bonus, it is very simple, as long as you don’t count the waiting times while the mixtures set up in the freezer as a negative in that regard.

If you haven’t already, check out my Habanero Jelly Giveaway, even if you don’t like hot things, it could make a great gift! That stuff is awesome as a last minute appetizer for parties. Just spread some over a block of cream cheese, set some crackers around it, and you’re done. The contest ends Thursday, and all you have to do is leave a comment on that post to win!

Cranberry Salad

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 3oz. pkg. Raspberry Jello
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 pkg. fresh cranberries (cooked according to pkg.)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 2 Tbsp. light cream

METHOD

1. Mix together the jello, hot water, and nuts. Set aside. Instead of raspberry, my Grandmother used one pkg. orange and one pkg. strawberry jello, and it turned out great.

2. After cooking the cranberries according to the pkg. puree in a blender until fairly smooth. Alternately, you can use a can of cranberry jelly and a cup of boiling water.

3. Combine the cranberry and the jello mixture and pour half into a 8×8 pan. Place into freezer for about 30 minutes or until it set.

4. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and light cream. Once the cranberry jello is set, spread the cream cheese mixture over top and return to the freezer for about 15 – 20 min.

5. Carefully add the remainder of the cranberry mixture to the top of the dish and return to the freezer for at least another 30 minutes so that it can set.