Cranberry Salad

This is a family favorite and has been made every Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, I remember taking turns with my sister to hand-crank the whole cranberries and grind them for this dish. Then we would swap out who got to chop the pecans. 

Although this wasn't my favorite Turkey Day dish as a child, it has easily become one of my favorites as an adult. My mom still makes sure to chop the pecans extra small just for me. It gets made only once a year, making it an extra special treat.

If you're looking for a fruity addition to your meal this week, try this recipe out. It's definitely a crowd pleaser, and maybe it will become one of your family favorites too!

• What You'll Need
• 1 large strawberry jello
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 package fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 1 can crushed pineapple, with juice
• 4 oranges, with juice
• 1 cup chopped pecans

• What You'll Do
• Dissolve the strawberry jello in two cups of boiling water, stir until the jello has completely dissolved. 
• Wash the whole cranberries then grind them. Add the sugar the ground cranberries and stir.
• Add this mixture to the warm jello and mix well.
• Add the pineapple (and juice) the oranges (and their juice), and the chopped pecans. Combine well, then transfer to a 9 x 13 glass dish. Refrigerate overnight.

Macaroni Salad

This side dish reminds me of my summers during childhood. Macaroni salad was a go-to addition to any meal from April to August. Probably because it takes no time to make, uses fresh summer vegetables, and is a chilled salad to cool down hot summer evenings. Really, I can't be featuring summer wrap-up recipes without including this one. I bet it was a spring/summer staple in your home too, or something very similar to it. 

• What You'll Need
• 4 cups of cooked shells
• 1 medium tomato diced 
• 1 medium cucumber diced
• 1/2 cup mayo (more or less to taste)
• Salt & pepper (to taste)

• What You'll Do
• Boil the shells until tender. Drain and set aside in a mixing bowl.
• Dice the tomato and cucumber (peel first). 
• Add to the cooled shells. Then mix in the mayo. Sprinkle salt and pepper; stir well. 
• Chill for at least an hour before serving.

If you make a cold pasta salad, tell me what you add to it by leaving a comment below!