Make a Jello brain, a holiday wreath, or Jello Christmas trees. Pour the Jello liquid into small shot glasses, smaller serving bowls or dessert cups, candy molds, a bundt cake pan, or a more decorative Jello mold immediately after mixing and before it thickens. Instead of just letting it set up in one big bowl, use fun and interesting molds.

Jello shots are another very fun way to serve up Jello, especially to party guests. You can also make Jello Jigglers or Jello cubes. My mom likes to make Jello with strawberries in it, and it's a family-favorite every single holiday. There are many ways to make Jello so much more interesting and fun, especially if you're making it for kids or for a party. It needs at least one night in the fridge, so plan ahead.WAYS TO CUSTOMIZE OR “BEEF UP” YOUR JELLO This can be made up to 3 days before Thanksgiving, as long as you keep it cold. If you add more cranberries, be sure to increase sugar by at least ½ cup for each package of cranberries. You can add more cranberries, apples, oranges or nuts, if you wish. If you want yours to be more firm, either increase the amount of Jell-o you use or decrease the amount of water. Use a spoon or spatula to mix it all together, and you're done.Ĭover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Whisk until Jell-o and sugar are completely dissolved, then add the cold water. In mixing bowl or casserole dish, whisk Jell-o, sugar, and boiling water. Do NOT overload the grinder or you'll be chasing wayward cranberries around the room. I always save the orange for last, because it's the juiciest ingredient - hence the most likely to drip onto the floor. Grind apple, cranberries, orange & nuts into the pan, then stir them to mix well. Also, children are more likely to taste it if they've helped make it. Turning the crank is the Most Awesome Part of making the salad, especially when the cranberries make a 'popping' sound as they're ground up. Why a small child? We're making memories here, not just cranberry salad. (Some may be mushy or moldy).īegin loading fruit into grinder, and have a small child help turn the crank. Discard any berries of questionable character. Use a sharp knife to cut out the pith in the center, then pull orange apart into several pieces.ĭump cranberries into colander and rinse well. Otherwise, zest the orange, then peel it (if desired) and separate in half. Cut halves into 2 or 3 pieces so they're small enough to fit into the spout of the grinder.Ĭut entire orange into 4 or 6 pieces if you're using the entire thing. Super simple, and safer than using a knife. I use a melon baller or round measuring spoon to remove seeds and core. Use an apple corer/cutter if you have one, or cut apple in half & remove core & seeds. I don't want the fruit minced - just chopped into small pieces. I use the grinding disc with the largest holes. It's also a good idea to put newspapers or an old towel on the floor - just in case anything drips. 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional) I like to toast mine in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes, then cool them before adding them to this recipe.Īttach grinder to countertop, and set a cake pan or rimmed cookie sheet to catch the food as it's ground. Be sure to add the zest to the salad, along with the rest of the orange. 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup granulated sugar (may increase if you want salad to be sweet instead of tangy) 1 cup cold water 1 package whole cranberries 1 apple cored & seeded - leave peel on 1 orange - you can use the entire orange (including skin) if you wish, or you can zest it, then peel it and remove the pithy part in the center. I have better luck with Bakol Natural Foods Dessert Jel (available at Fresh Thyme Market & Wal-Mart) than Jello or Royal.

Use the 'pulse' button to process very small batches, dumping each into a bowl before blending more. If you use a food processor or blender, do NOT try to blend it all at once or you'll have a smoothie. You could probably do this with a food processor or blender, but you'll have to be careful not to puree the fruit. Allow the auger to do the work, and you'll avoid a trip to the ER. Also, do NOT push food down into the grinder with your fingers. Wear an apron or an old t-shirt when grinding the cranberries. Your mom probably has Grandma's grinder in a box in the basement.Ī word of caution. She used it to grind nuts for Christmas cookies. It's that funky metal thing your grandmother used to attach to the edge of her countertop or table. Best of all, the leftover salad can be used as relish on a turkey sandwich or even as topping on vanilla ice cream!įor this recipe you will need a food grinder. Tart, sweet, crunchy & silky, this cranberry salad is the perfect compliment to your Thanksgiving dinner.

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