Cheeseberry Salad

We’ve enjoyed this simple holiday salad for years. I like it because it is so easy to make and looks so pretty. It’s a great take-along dish for those holiday get-togethers.
I left out the lemon juice and substituted 2 teaspoons of grated orange peel I had in the freezer. Use pecans or walnuts, whatever are on hand.  I used my home canned cranberry sauce. You can use diet jello, lite whipped topping and low fat cream cheese successfully.

Cheeseberry Salad

1 (3 ounce) package Jello -- cherry
1 cup Hot Water
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
15 ounces Whole Cranberry Sauce -- canned or 1 pint
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Pecans -- chopped
8 ounce carton Whipped Topping -- thawed
Dissolve jello in hot water. Add cranberry sauce and lemon juice. Cool and pour into 7 x 11" glass pan. Chill until thickened.
Whip cream cheese until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Spread carefully over jello. Sprinkle with nuts.  Chill overnight, covered.
8 servings
Cost 2010: $3.35 or 42¢ per serving.  This is often less expensive during the holidays, when the cranberries, cream cheese and whipped topping are on sale.
The recipe for 8 for jello and cranberries can be doubled, and poured into 9x13" pan. Topping doesn't have to be doubled.
The Jello can be sugar free; cream cheese and topping can be light or fat free.