Twist on Traditional Thanksgiving Raw Cranberry Relish

You know, Erma, that I always keep some Cinnamon Sugar made up in the spice cupboard.

Certainly not much could be easier to make up (although I hadn’t thought of using brown sugar instead of white), and what could be cheaper? Ever price those little bottles of Cinnamon Sugar in the spice section? Those people ought to be ashamed of themselves.

I’m going to have to try your Cinnamon Crunch Delights. You certainly can’t get much easier, or cheaper.

Like you, I am today in Full Cooking Mode.

By the end of the day, all my casseroles, rolls, pies, and other dishes will pretty much be fixed. All that remains in most cases is popping them in to cook. After about 20 years of the Thanksgiving Day Cooking Marathon (as you put it), I finally wised up and started a Cooking Plan. Basically that Plan is: Do everything possible the day before so all you have to do is keep track of the time stuff bakes (for some reason most of our traditional foods need to be baked), set the table (I used to do this the day before, but that was pre-cat days), and talk to the family.

I’ve scrubbed out the five gallon plastic soaking bucket and the frozen turkey will go it this evening. Maybe it is all in my head, but letting the turkey thaw in cold water seems to produce a moister bird. Since you passed on that tip to me, I have found that there is no such thing as a dry turkey. I will put up my 25 pound frozen turkey at 68 cents a pound against any “fresh turkey” in the gourmet meat markets. It’s all in the thawing and baking, baby.

I hunted out my old Meat Chopper/Grinder last evening. It is pretty much retired now by the food processor, but when it comes to Raw Cranberry Relish, I think it is better. The processor wants to turn stuff into mush, and we like our Relish with some body.

How about the price of fresh cranberries this year? Ouch!!

And how about the way the processors have reduced the bag size to 10 and 12 ounces instead of the old pound bags? Like we won’t notice? Probably most women wouldn’t, or at least no one seems to be complaining about this little trickery.

No matter what the price of raw cranberries, we have to have the Raw Relish. It’s such a nice contrast to all the other soft, white foods.

I know we both have been using the same recipe for dozens of years, but I found out last year that a pair of pears is a nice addition.

Cook on, Lady Erma.

Raw Pear/Cranberry Relish:

1 quart of cranberries
1 apple
2 pears
2 ½ cups sugar
2 oranges

Wash all fruit well and remove any seeds. Put all through a food chopper on coarse grind, or carefully use a food processor to pulse fruits coarsely. You want lots of texture. Stir in the sugar and store in covered container in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours. Overnight or several days is better.

This can also be used as a basis for a Cranberry Jello Mold. Simply make up one package of strawberry or cherry jello and let set until thick. Stir in 2 cups of the Pear/Cranberry Relish and one cup of chopped celery.