Thanksgiving Traditions: Cranberry Salad & Squash

Cranberry Pomegranate Salad

-Heather Brown

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups sugar

1-2 pomegranates, depending on size, seeded

2 cups red grapes, halved

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped course

1 pint whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons sugar

*vanilla yogurt

Day Before: Process the cranberries in a food processor until chopped and small pieces remain. Do not process until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar and let stand for two hours at room temperature. Place mixture in a sieve/strainer over a bowl and let drain overnight.

Next Day: Combine cranberry mixture with grapes and pomegranate seeds. In a separate bowl whip cream, vanilla and 2 tablespoons sugar until cream is whipped. Fold cream mixture into fruit. Mix in chopped pecans just before serving to keep pecans crisp.

*The salad at recipe club had vanilla yogurt substituted for half of the whipped whipping cream. To help lighten the dish and make slightly less rich.

Mashed Butternut Squash

-Heather Brown

1-2 butternut squash

1/2-1 cube of butter

2-4 tablespoons of real maple syrup

salt, to taste

Roast or steam squash until tender. While warm peel skin off and add butter and maple syrup to warm butternut squash. Mash with a potato masher. For really creamy squash put all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

*When I make this for my family I make the lesser amount and when we have company over I use the doubled ingredients.