Cranberry Waldorf Salad

Great-Grandma’s divinity;  Aunt Trudy’s creamy corn casserole; Cousin Delbert’s homemade eggnog… without a doubt, we all have our favorite, traditional holiday dishes.  But, also doubtless, without naming any names, we all have those dishes we wish the family would retire.  So, if you’re looking for something new to add to your holiday spread, this cranberry Waldorf salad is a beautifully-tart winter twist on a classic dish that is tasty, and interesting, enough to take the place of that tired old you-know-what that You-Know-Who makes every year.

Here’s what you’ll need (to make about 2 quarts):

• 1 1/2 c. chopped cranberries (or cut into quarters if you’re worried about aesthetics)
• 1 1/2 c. seedless grapes, (red, green, or both) halved
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1 c. celery, chopped
• 1/3 c. raisins
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
• 1-2 T. sugar (or to taste)
• 1 container (5.3 oz) vanilla yogurt
• 1/3 c. mayonnaise
• 2 t. orange zest
• 2-4 T. juice from the orange
• 1/4 t. nutmeg

This really can’t be simpler and is pretty hard to mess up, but a couple tips will help.  Zest the orange first, then squeeze a few tablespoons of juice into a large bowl.

Chop the apple and add the pieces directly to the orange juice and toss.  The acid in the juice will keep the apples from browning.

Then, add all the other fruit, celery, and the nuts.  Then, in a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, mayo, sugar, nutmeg, and orange zest.  If you prefer, use only yogurt, just make sure you have a cup worth of dressing.  I chose to supplement with mayo to avoid buying more yogurt than I needed.

Pour the dressing over the cranberry Waldorf salad and toss to coat thoroughly.  Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before serving.