Best Recipes: Cranberry Salad Squares

 by: Donna Monday

Cranberries and cranberry sauce are a favorite fall and winter fruit. It’s tart and tangy flavor goes perfect with many holiday meals. Most people enjoy cranberry sauce at the dinner table and don’t realize that cranberries are great in salads and desserts.

If you’d like to try something different with cranberries this season, you can’t go wrong with this recipe for Cranberry Salad Squares. It’s deliciously creamy and brimming with cherries, pineapple and nuts.

What a sweet treat to serve at a noontime brunch or special dinner.

Cranberry Salad Squares

• 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened – can substitute light cream cheese

• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) – can substitute low fat condensed milk

• ¼ cup mayonnaise – can substitute low fat mayo

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 16 oz can jellied cranberry sauce

• 1 16 oz pkg frozen dark sweet cherries

• 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, condensed milk, mayonnaise and lemon juice; beat until smooth and fluffy.

Add cranberry sauce; mix at low speed until blended. Fold in cherries and pineapple. Spoon evenly into ungreased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with nuts.

Cover; freeze 6 hours or until firm.

To serve, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until slightly softened. Cut into squares.

Makes 12 servings.