Yule Salad

Recipe by Althaea
1/2 bag fresh cranberries
3 lg stalks celery
3-4 large carrots
1 large orange
1 can crushed pineapples
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, your preference)
1 large (or 2 small) box raspberry, or raspberry-cranberry Jello
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Open can of pineapples and drain, saving the juice. Put aside. Mix the saved juice from the pineapples and 1 cup of cold water together.
Prepare Jello according to directions, but where the directions call for 2 cups cold water, use the 1 cup cold water/pineapple juice mixture. Before you add the cold mixture to the hot, add the sugar to the hot Jello mixture, and dissolve, then add cold water/pineapple juice mixture, combine well and refrigerate. Be sure to put into a large salad or mixing bowl.
Shred the carrots finely - put aside.
Finely chop celery with a knife or food processor. (I only like the flavor of celery, not the texture, so I use the blender to chop it up very fine)
Chop or crush walnuts
Grate orange peel with fine grater (a cheese grater will do).
Peel orange and clean as much of the pith (the white stuff) away as possible, and section by hand.
In a blender put the cranberries, one handful at a time into the water and chop finely. Add the orange sections and chop more coarsely (using the pulse button on your blender). Add to the Jello mixture. Add all other ingredients to the Jello mixture and mix well. Refrigerate over night.

Topping for salad:
You may top with whipped cream or Cool Whip, but I love this topping the best, it is a nice accent to the sweetness of the salad.
1 cup sour cream
1 cup real mayonnaise
Blend well and place by the tablespoonful on top of the gelled salad. Enjoy!! Happy Yule!
Joanna L. Davis (aka Althaea)