This recipe comes from my father’s side of the family and is a staple at potlucks and holiday dinners.  In fact, up until I was freshman in college and celebrated Thanksgiving away from home for the first time, I honestly thought that everyone served jello salad at Thanksgiving. I had been invited by one of my professors to celebrate with her family, a huge crowd of about 20 people. As I took measure of the tremendous feast that awaited us I casually asked where the jello was. My hosts were dumbfounded, unable to comprehend my question, and I couldn’t explain myself any better because I genuinely thought that jello salad was traditional, much like the stuffing and cranberries.

Ingredients

• 2 3-oz. packages of lime Jell-O
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 8-oz. can of crushed pineapple
• 1 8-oz. package of softened cream cheese
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Dissolve the jello in the boiling water. Drain the pineapple into a measuring cup and add enough cold water to make 1⅞ cups of liquid. Stir the watered-down juice into the jello then let it set in the refrigerator for two hours.

In a small bowl, stir together the pineapple, cream cheese and nuts then beat the mixture into the semi-set jello. Transfer to a serving dish or mold and chill for at least three hours.

Yield: 16 servings