Dec 01, 2009
This salad rocks!!! Because my fiance doesn't like fruit, I haven't had an opportunity to make this until now. :-( I bought a bag of fresh cranberries a couple of weeks ago, intending to make my "ever-famous" homemade relish for Turkey Day. At 11 PM on Wednesday night (ikes!), I didn't have the energy to stand over a hot stove to watch cranberries "pop," but was still craving something cranberry-ish, so I decided to give this a try. I made a few modifications, basically because of what I had on hand and to accommodate my diabetic friend and mother-in-law "to be." I halved (most) everything, using only 1 (12 oz.) bag of cranberries, 1/2 c. sugar substitute, a entire 20 oz. can of UNSWEETENED crushed pineapple, 1/4 c. chopped walnuts, an 8 oz. tub of light Cool-whip and 2 c. marshmallows (which is equivalent to 7 oz. worth). I also added a chopped (unpeeled) Granny Smith apple for a little crunch. In order for this to turn out with excellent results, I do have a few tips. First, FREEZE, then THAW your cranberries. They will be plumper, juicier and the brightest, most beautiful popping red color! Also, if you decide to add an apple as I did, dip the cut pieces into your pineapple juice (rather than waste it). The acidity of the juice will prevent them from browning (exactly as lemon juice would). Thanks for sharing, Micki! This was a hit with everyone and will most definitely be a repeat in my kitchen. :)
—Chef Mickey (aka Mickey)
