Cranberry Cream Cheese Salad / Thanksgiving 2013

This is a classic Thanksgiving salad. I remember my Aunt, Grandmother and Mother making this when I was young. I don't think I've ever had it as an adult. Maybe someday I'll get nostalgic and make it.
In the directions it explains making this salad in a bowl. I would make it in a clear glass bowl so that the layers are visible. I'm surprised the directions did not indicate that. It doesn't give the size of the bowl either. It's one of the things that I love about vintage recipes. I know that some of the recipes from my mother in law are quite vague. That's because she knew her recipes by heart and the details were only known to her. I suppose that was true of a lot of cooks from my grandmother's generation too.

2 (3 ounce) packages cherry flavored Jell-O 
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce 
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice 
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 
1 cup chopped pecans 
1 tablespoon mayonnaise 

Directions
1.Drain crushed pineapple and save 1/4 cup of the juice. Dissolve gelatin in 2 cups of hot water. Stir in cranberries and crushed pineapple. Pour 1/2 of the mixture in a bowl and leave at room temperature, set the other 1/2 in the refrigerator until firm.
2.In a separate bowl mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice and chopped pecans. Spread mixture over chilled gelatin. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Pour the room temperature gelatin over the top of the cream cheese layer and refrigerate until set

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!