Skip to main content

Margaret’s Cranberry Salad

My sister Beth’s sister-in-law, Margaret, makes this salad, and it’s a nice alternative to plain cranberry sauce for holiday meals. In fact, it’s rich enough to serve as a dessert!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 12

Ingredients

1 13.5-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
2 3-ounce packages lemon gelatin
7 ounces ginger ale
1 16-ounce can whole cranberry sauce
2 ounces Dream Whip, prepared (or 8 ounces Cool Whip)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped (see Note)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Drain the pineapple and pour the juice into a measuring cup, reserving the pineapple separately. Add enough water to the pineapple juice to make 1 cup. Bring the liquid to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the gelatin and stir until it dissolves. Chill the gelatin until it is cool but not set. Stir in the ginger ale and chill for 1 additional hour, or until partially set.

    Step 2

    Combine the cranberry sauce and the reserved pineapple and add to the gelatin mixture. Pour into a 9 × 9 × 2-inch dish and refrigerate until firm, 4 hours or overnight. Prepare the Dream Whip according to package directions, and then blend in the softened cream cheese. Spread the cheese mixture over the gelatin salad like frosting, then sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

  2. From Gwen

    Step 3

    A Monticello friend prepared this recipe at my request and gave it a big thumbs-up!

  3. Note

    Step 4

    To toast pecans, place them on a baking sheet. Place in a 350˚F oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes, or until they are fragrant and golden brown.

Reprinted with permission from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood with Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. Copyright © 2008 by Trisha Yearwood. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Trisha Yearwood is a three-time Grammy-award winning country music star and the author of the bestselling cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. She is married to megastar Garth Brooks.
Read More
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Put that half-full tub to use with recipes that go beyond the Italian American classics.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
This easy, one-skillet chicken stroganoff features tender chicken breasts, savory mushrooms, and a creamy Dijon-crème fraîche sauce—perfect for weeknights.
Like Sri Lankan cashew curry and vegan stuffed shells.
Use this simple vinaigrette to dress a plate of greens, some steamed potatoes, or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.