Recipes from Ohio

It's always delicious when my sister comes to town.  She got the gene in the family where she can cook anything, magnificently, no matter what supplies she finds in my sparse kitchen.  I, on the other hand, know how to draw and write.  Which skill would you rather have?  I can tell you this, that my drawings don't taste nearly as well.

Some people, who are just delusional, think that Thanksgiving cranberries come out of a can already in some gelatin state.  All you have to do is pop off the can's lid and slice it up.  I've tried cranberries that way.  I've tried to convince myself that they are edible in this form.  They just aren't.  And, after my sister taught me how she prepares them, there is no going back.

Very fortunately, no matter how delicious, her husband still hates these cranberries.  In my book, it's a win.  That just means that there are more cranberries for me to enjoy. 

Phyllis' Thanksgiving Cranberries
Columbus, Ohio, by way of Alaska and Belize

The job is not very labor intensive.  Chop your cranberries up.  I guess you could use a knife and a chopping block, but go ahead and reach for a food processor.  Don't try the whole bag at once.  Go for a little at a time for a successful chopping.  Walnuts or pecans also need to be chopped up.  Both taste great, but I'll always vote for pecans.

It doesn't matter if your mandarin oranges are fresh or from a can.  Cut them in half.  Open up your can of crushed pineapple and drain the liquid in a container for your Jell-O.

 Prepare your Jell-O in a bowl with 2 cups of hot water, the strawberry Jell-O, and half a cup of sugar.  Pour the hot water over the Jell-O and then mix it until everything is dissolved. 

Add in the pineapple juice (about a cup) along with the cranberries, crushed pineapple, chopped nuts, and oranges. 

It tastes best if it is chilled overnight.