In December, 2002, the Dinner and a Book Club took a ride on The Christmas Train by David Baldacci. Vicki sent us all train tickets that entitled us to a fine dining experience while enjoying the company of good friends, stimulating conversation, and holiday cheer… she also let us know, in keeping with our Christmas tradition, we would be exchanging Christmas trees (in the form of ornaments, jewelry, stationery, decorations, whatever we chose). A Christmas tree was part of a significant and poignant point for the main character of our book.
Vicki and her cohostess Jeanne dressed as conductors for our train trip- cute matching white shirts, black pants, and red bow ties and cummerbunds!!
Synopsis
In the tradition of John Grisham's Skipping Christmas, this holiday tale offers humor, romance, mystery, and a reminder of what Christmas is all about-by seven-time New York Times, bestselling author David Baldacci.
Vicki and Jeanne served up a delicious Christmas spread of roast turkey with gravy, cornbread pudding, cranberry Jello salad, candied yams and green bean casserole. For dessert we had pistachio cake.
Vicki says:
(This is my mother’s (Kay) recipe, and we have had it at our Thanksgiving meal since I was a little girl. It was a substitute for the plain cranberry sauce the five of us kids didn’t care much for…so mom found something we liked!)
Kay’s Cranberry Jello Salad (Always great to make the night before)
1 pkg. of black cherry jello
1 large can of crushed pineapple, in juice (drained – keep the juice for the jello!)
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 can of cranberry sauce
½ to ¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
(I always make this without the walnuts now because my kids don’t like them)
It is great with the walnuts in it too!
1 large can of crushed pineapple, in juice (drained – keep the juice for the jello!)
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 can of cranberry sauce
½ to ¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
(I always make this without the walnuts now because my kids don’t like them)
It is great with the walnuts in it too!
Make the jello according to the package directions. You can follow the regular method or the quick-set method, depending on the time you have. Use the juice drained from the pineapple as the water for the jello – it tastes even better!
Put the jello in a pretty glass bowl or casserole, chill to set – but not all the way – about 30 minutes to an hour. Once it’s semi-set, fold in the other ingredients, cover and chill to completely set (overnight is easiest!). Enjoy. This is a pretty, colorful salad for your table as well!
We did a Christmas tree exchange in keeping with our annual gift exchange based on the book.
Merry Christmas (belated!) from our book club to you all!!
A couple of good Christmas reads for sure.
ReplyDeleteHey love this salad recipe, wish you had of put a picture, I am all about the pictures, but I am going to try regardless, thanks.