Spiced Cranberry Mold Food

CRANBERRY MOLD

Steps:

• Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.
• Heat 1/2 cup cranberry juice over low heat, then stir in a 1/4-ounce packet gelatin. Puree cooled cranberry sauce with another 1/2 cup cranberry juice, then add the gelatin mixture. Pour into a mold or empty soup cans and refrigerate overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

SPICED CRANBERRY-ORANGE MOLD

Steps:

• Add boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. stir in next 5 ingredients. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened.
• Stir in oranges and nuts. Spoon into 6-cup mold sprayed with cooking spray.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold.

FRESH CRANBERRY MOLD

Steps:

• In a large bolw, dissolve Jello in 1 1/4 cups of hot water. Add 1 1/4 cups cold water and stir. Chill until just beginning to set.
• Meanwhile, grind together cranberries and apples (I use a food processor). Add pineapple, oranges, sugar and nuts (if using). Mix.
• When Jell-O has begun to set, add fruit mixture. Fold in well. Pour into a large mold and refrigerate until set.

NANNY'S CRANBERRY MOLD

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 1-quart nonreactive mold or a few smaller molds. Combine cranberries, sugar, zest, orange juice, lemon juice, and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and are completely softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, gently pressing on solids (pressing too hard will make the mixture cloudy). Skim any foam from surface; cover to keep warm.
• Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup water in a bowl; let soften 1 minute. Stir gelatin mixture into warm cranberry mixture until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour mixture into mold and refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours.
• Dip top of mold into a bowl of hot water 30 seconds, then run a paring knife around edge to loosen. Place a serving platter on bottom of mold; quickly invert platter and mold together. Tap to release; remove mold. (If gelatin doesnâ??t release easily, return to hot water for a few seconds.)