Majorie Rebarcheck is Coming for Dinner

The cranberry salad was always on the table on Thanksgiving without exception. That was our tradition. Mom got the recipe for it from our neighbor, Marjorie Rebarcheck.

Marjorie, like my mom was a stay at home farm wife. I do not remember Majorie ever having time to visit our house, the Rebarchecks ran a dairy farm and work was plenty and spare time short. Their five girls were all older than I, but I delighted in playing in their big barn with the numerous cats when we bought milk from them. Every year one of the girls would bring over a cake on my birthday. Marjorie, quite a wonderful cook, never forgot and always made the time to bake me a cake. My birthday being in January, my cake would always arrive frozen solid from the quarter mile hike between farms.

Marjories salad for our tame palate was edgy. That's why we loved it.

The salad officially became The Majorie Rebarcheck Cranberry Salad, the year my mom submited her friends recipe to be published in the community cookbook. Mom waited for the book to be published before taking Majorie a copy of the book. Majorie now had more time for visiting with as she was sick and dying of cancer.

Marjorie smiled at mom and said,"Mm, looks like a good recipe. I'll have to try it some time."

Mom had imortilized her friend for something she had never made.


Majorie Rebarcheck Salad

1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup salad dressing
1/4 powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 walnuts chopped
1 cup whipped cream

In a food processor mix cranberry jelly with lemon juice. Pour into jello mold. Combine cream cheese, salad dressing, sugar, orange peel, and nuts. Fold in whipped cream. Pour this layer into cranberry mixture and freeze. Let stand 10 minutes before unmolding.

Happy THanksgiving.