Thanksgiving is a particular time in my life where it is always good to see family and enjoy their company. Thanksgiving is also a great time to have some delicious homemade food. As a college student, I don’t get home-cooked meals too often so this year I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving. My grandparents make some killer desserts. I will show you how my grandma makes her cranberry salad and how my grandpa makes his apple pie.

The cranberry salad is a very simple item to make.

Ingredients:
1 small red gelatin box
1 apple (remove skin and core)
1 orange (peeled)
1 cup rinsed cranberries
1 small can of crushed pineapples (not drained)
1 cup sugar

You start by putting all the fruits in a food processor along with the sugar.

After you have processed that, pour the blended fruit into a bowl and the gelatin package.

Mix those two ingredients.

Once it is evenly mixed, put it in the fridge overnight and enjoy the next day!

The apple pie is a little bit more complex but it is so worth it.

Ingredients:
Pie filling:
6 granny smith apples (remove skin and core)
1½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt

Pie shell:
1½ cups flour
½ teaspoons salt
½ chilled butter-flavored vegetable shortening
5 tablespoons ice-cold water

Pie topping:
¾ cup flour
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

To start this off, you’ll want to have the oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Starting with the pie filling; after you peel and core the apples, slice them into thin slices and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Then mix the slices with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until all the slices are coated well.

You’ll let that stand until you are ready to pour it into the pie shell.

To start the pie shell, sift together the flour and salt.

Use a pastry cutter and cut the Crisco into the flour and sugar mixture till all pieces are “the size of small peas”.

Then, you’ll mix in 1 tablespoon of water at a time till it is all blended together.

Next, give your clean countertop a nice coat of flour and place the ball of dough on the counter, and spread it out with your hands.

Now take a rolling pin, rub it with flour, and roll the dough out about ⅛” thick, rolling from the center to the edges.

Put the dough in a 9” pie pan and roll the dough under the edge of the pan, and flute the edges. (“Fluting the edge” means giving the pie crust that “wavy” texture you see on pie a lot.)

Now pour the pie filling into the pie shell and spread it out evenly.

While using the same bowl you mixed the dough in, blend together the flour and sugar to start the pie topping.

Then take the butter and cut it into the flour and sugar mixture until it is all blended together and there are no big chunks of butter.

Now you can pour the pie topping on top of the pie filling and spread it out evenly.

Next, pop the pie into the oven for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Then take it out and cover the top with foil. Pop it back in for 10-15 minutes. Take it out and enjoy!

The crust and pie topping should be a golden brown.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and that they bring you as much joy as they bring me!

Edited by LeSha’ Davis, Glorianna Noland