Cranberry Holiday Jello: Thanksgiving Favorites Blog With Friends

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends theme collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about this partnership is that it’s not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may have a recipe, sewing tutorial, crafts projects, book review and/or a technology post all related to the theme of the month.

This month's theme is Thanksgiving Favorites. There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here’s a peek at what we all came up with:

I made Cranberry Holiday Jello.

Cranberry Holiday Jello

I know many people think jello is dessert, and it is. But for us, on Thanksgiving, it's served as a side dish. It's a version of cranberry sauce, I make two versions. I have posted my Festive Cranberry Sauce, which tends to appeal more to adults, especially since I make it with liqueur. And to leave the adults only dish for adults, I make this one for the kids. This holiday treat has canned cranberry sauce in it, as well as fruit and nuts. Not only is it delicious, but it's so pretty on the Thanksgiving table.

My Cranberry Holiday Jello is a version of one my mom made on Thanksgiving while I was growing up. As with most dishes, I changed it up a bit, but it's so similar that it brings back memories. A favorite from my childhood had become a favorite for my kids.

I start with a can of jellied cranberry sauce divided into two bowls and mashed then I add the jello powder.

Whisk with the liquids, add the mix ins, then refrigerate to set.

Mix up the second layer, carefully add onto the first layer, refrigerate, and you're done for now.

When ready to serve, remove from the mold to a serving dish.

It's not only easy to put together, but I also love that I can make it a day or two in advance, cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge. 

Although I make this for the kids, adults love it too.

As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!

Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:

Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares Best Thanksgiving Traditions Ever. 

Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares how to make a Tree of Thanks.

Rabia of The Lieber Family Blog shares The Ultimate Thanksgiving Planning Printable Pack.

                   

Cranberry Holiday Jello

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 (3 oz) box Kool-Aid tropical punch jello
1/2 cup ginger ale
1 (7 oz)  small can crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, divided
1 (3 oz) box cranberry jello
1 (10 oz) can mandarin oranged, well drained. 

Directions:
*Divide the cranberry sauce into 2 bowls. Mash well.
*To one bowl, add tropical punch jello powder and 1 cup boiling water. Whisk until the powder dissolves.  
*Mix in the ginger ale, then the well drained crushed pineapple and half of the walnuts.
*Pour into jello mold and refrigerate for about an hour or until just set.
*To the second bowl, add the cranberry jello powder and 1 cup of boiling water. Whisk until the powder dissolves. 
*Mix in the drained mandarin oranges and the rest of the walnuts. Carefully, being sure to layer on top of not mix into the first layer, add to the mold.
*Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set.
*Do not remove from mold until ready to serve.

Secret Subject Swap: Serial Wanderer

Welcome a Secret Subject Swap. This month 12 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.

My subject is: Do you wander around when you go shopping, or do you have a list and stick to it?
It was submitted by:  Minette of Southern Belle Charm. I'd like to say a word about Minette before I start. Minette's husband was airlifted to Duke two weeks ago. The situation has been difficult to say the least, the issues multiple and serious. Minette is a kind and thoughtful person and friend. My heart is with hers in that hospital room. Please, any thoughts, prayers and good wishes sent Minette's and Mike's way would be greatly appreciated.

On to my subject: wander around or stick to a list? That depends, are we talking intent? Or actuality?

Before having kids I enjoyed going grocery shopping. I'd take a list of the few staples that needed replacing in the pantry, and ingredients for a dinner Hubs may have requested, but when it came to the rest of the week's meals, I'd meander up and down the aisles assessing what looks good or what new food I might like to try.

Then the kids came along and everything changed. I'd better make a list because I'd be taking my life (or my sanity) in my hands if we didn't have chicken nuggets, frozen waffles, peanut butter and fruit snacks in the house.  

As the boys got older I not only became somewhat immune to temper tantrums, but when it came to food they actually had fewer of them.

But OMG, could they eat. Growing boys. Two of them. Yikes. My food bill doubled. And then doubled again.

So now I do make a list. It's a lot of work. Takes me about an hour a week. That's because not only do I try to be more diligent in planning meals, but I price match and coupon. I keep two lists online at all times, this week's and next week's. Sometimes if this week's list gets too long and starts to give me shpilkis (nerves), I'll push some less essential items (meaning not toilet paper) onto the next list.

On Wednesdays and again on Sundays when the week's circulars come out, I type notes next to any listed item denoting price, brand, and which store has it on sale. Then I go through my coupons. Anything I have a coupon for, that notation is made on the list in red.

I print my list, use a highlighter for all price match items and off I head to the grocery store committed to follow the list and not waver. Price match items in the front of the cart, everything else on the list towards the back.

Yeah I admit it. Good intentions aside, I wander. A few inescapable delectables make it into my cart.

Not only that but, sadly, after all that work I can end up doing all my shopping, checking out, loading and unloading the car, putting the groceries away, go to make dinner and I do not have the ricotta I need for my Loaded Garlic Bread. I swear I had put it on the list. I know that's going to bother me so I go through the trash, find the list and there it is: ricotta. Getting old? Preoccupied with all that yummy stuff not on the list? Either way I have to head back out to the store. And although I may be guilty of coming home with more than just the ricotta, at least I did get it this time.

Loaded Garlic Bread

Added bonus: I now know that the store carries Biscoff Cookies. I LOVE Biscoff Cookies. I'd had them on airplanes before but have never seen them in a local grocery store.

And no, they're not in the ricotta aisle. Turns out I may be a serial wanderer . . .

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup and check them all out. See you there:


Not That Sarah Michelle


The Bergham Chronicles 
Spatulas on Parade
Confessions of a part time working mom 
The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver 
The Lieber Family Blog 
Dinosaur Superhero Mommy 
Climaxed 
A Little Piece of Peace 
Never Ever Give Up Hope 
Evil Joy Speaks 

Loaded Garlic Bread

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1
Italian Loaf
1 stick butter or margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped pepperoni

Directions:
*Cut the Italian Loaf lengthwise. Wrap in tin foil and freeze.
*Beat the butter or margarine with the ricotta, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and parmesan. Mix in the mozzarella and pepperoni.
*Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
*Remove the bread from the freezer and separate where cut. Spread as much of the butter mixture onto both sides of the bread as you choose. Any leftover butter mixture can be frozen.
*Close the loaf again, slice, and wrap completely in tin foil.
*Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.

Why is the Toilet Screaming?

I don't have little children any more. Most of you know that. I read all of these really fun posts about things a woman never thought she'd say that once having young kids . . . seem to be coming out of her mouth. They are fun and funny posts and I read them with a laugh and a bit of nostalgia.

I said many of those in my raising kids days too. Having little boys, I remember often saying to them "you don't have to hold on to that honey, it's yours, no one's going to take it away from you." What is it with boys and putting their hands down their pants all the time anyway? Wait. I take it back. Don't tell me.

I was sitting at dinner the other night and we had a bit of a strange toilet issue. And as we tried to figure it out, it dawned on me; although absurd statements don't come out of my mouth to kids any more, they sure do as a homeowner.

So here they are, words I never thought I'd say, the homeowner version:

~ "Why is the toilet screaming?"
We were sitting at dinner last week when we heard a screech. It stopped, but happened a second and then a third time. My family tends to ignore anything that could be a problem, but as the family bang checker, when it happened again I got up to check it out. The screech was coming from the main floor toilet.

Now, given what goes into that thing, I couldn't really blame that thing for screaming. Nonetheless, I found myself saying to Hubs, "why is the toilet screaming." And "make it stop."

~ "If you can't see past the end of your nose, chances are you did not open the flue."
Helpful homeowner hint: whether you think you opened the flue or not, if it's getting harder and harder to see, you need to either get to an eye doctor, or recheck the flue.

~"Which one of you drunks mowed the lawn?"
Leaving the house insisting that someone get the lawn mowed before you return can backfire. Apparently you needed to say "mow the whole lawn" or, in the name of expediency (apparently) a row will get missed here and there.

~ "How the hell did the oven shut itself off?"
It didn't. I did. Dinner was in there. Don't want to talk about it.

Pepperoni and Spinach Lasagne

~ "Knives are sharp."
This one's on me. 

I have to admit that I've worked with fairly dull knives for a lot of years. I was recently lucky enough to be gifted with a set of brand new kitchen knives. I was slicing a loaf of bread, something I really didn't need to think about with dull knives, and cut my finger. Hubs saw me struggling with a bandaid and asked what happened. "Turns out knives are sharp."

~ "The washing machine is trying to escape."
I talked to my husband a number of times about the legs of the washing machine being uneven. It seemed off to me. But if there's no real issue, those kinds of things get pushed to the bottom of the list. Until the day I was washing clothes and I heard banging in the laundry room. The washing machine had "walked" across the floor and was heading for the door. Note to Hubs: time to move this up on the "Honey Do" list.

~ "Shut that door, I don't want the turkey coming in the house."
Our house back up to woods and we often have visitors, deer, turkey, possum, even a fox once. But rarely do they walk up to the front door. A few summers ago, one would regularly come to visit me. Whenever someone walked in the front door, I'd have to tell them to be sure to shut the door quickly. Because I can guarantee it would not be me chasing a turkey through the house.

What about you? Have you been saying anything you never thought would come out of your mouth?

Pepperoni and Spinach Lasagne

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
About 3 1/2 cups of my Hearty Meat Sauce recipe
1 box no-boil lasagne noodles
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well drained
3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 eggs
1 TBSP Italian seasoning mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (6 oz) package pepperoni slices 

Directions:
*Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*In a bowl, mix the ricotta, spinach, 2 1/2 cups mozarella, parmesan, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
*Mix 1 cup of meat sauce with 1 cup of water and cover the bottom of the pan.
*Layer 4 lasagne noodles over the sauce, 3 side by side lengthwise and one at the top. 
*Carefully spread about 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with half of the pepperoni slices, then sprinkle 1 cup of meat sauce over the top.
*Layer another 4 lasagne noodles over the sauce and carefully spread about another 1/3 of the cheese mixture.
*Layer the last of the lasagne noodles, followed by the rest of the cheese mixture, the rest of the pepperoni and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Sprinkle with the other 1/2 cup of mozzarella.
*Cover tightly with tin foil. Cook for 50 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes until bubbly hot.
*Remove from oven. Allow to set for 5 minutes before cutting.