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!

　　

Ingredients

serves 12

　　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)

　　

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.

　　

From Gwen

Step 3

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

　　

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.