Specialty salads are family favorites

Angie from Hillsdale says her best memories of holiday dinners always includes her grandma's fruit salad recipe for Molded Raspberry Ring.

Lisa from Morenci sent in her recipe for Molded Shrimp & Cottage Cheese that's been in her family for generations.

Thelma from Pinconning makes her Pineapple-Cheese Salad at least once during the holidays.

Molded Raspberry Ring

3-3 oz pkgs raspberry gelatin

3 c hot water

2-10 oz pkgs frozen raspberries, thawed

1 whole orange with rind and pulp, grated

2 c assorted melon balls, either fresh or frozen

DIRECTIONS: Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Drain raspberries, reserving the juice. Place berries in a large measuring cup. Add enough juice so berries with juice equals 2 cups. Set aside. Measure off remaining raspberry juice and add cold water to make 1 1/4 cups. Add to gelatin mixture. Add grated whole orange, raspberries with juice and melon balls. Pour mixture into a 2-quart ring mold. Chill until firm. Stir mixture just before it sets to distribute fruit more evenly. Unmold onto a large platter.

Molded Shrimp & Cottage Cheese

2-3 oz pkgs lime flavored gelatin

3 c boiling water

3 c large curd cottage cheese, drained

1/4 c prepared horseradish

2 T mayonnaise

1 T lemon juice

1 T finely chopped onion

1 1/2 c cooked, cleaned shrimp

DIRECTIONS: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve lime gelatin in boiling water. Chill until partially set. Using an electric mixer, beat gelatin until fluffy. Stir in cottage cheese, horseradish, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion and shrimp. Pour mixture into a 6 cup ring mold. Chill until firm. Unmold and fill center with more chilled shrimp if desired.

Pineapple-Cheese Salad

2-3 oz pkgs unflavored gelatin

1/2 c cold water

1-20 oz can crushed pineapple, do not drain

3 T lemon juice

1 c whipping cream, whipped

1/2 c sugar

1 c shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 c chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl, soften gelatin in cold water. Set aside. Place crushed pineapple with juice in a saucepan and heat. Add in softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add lemon juice and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Chill until mixture is partially set. Fold in whipped cream, Cheddar cheese and walnuts. Pour into individual molds or one larger mold and chill until set. To serve, unmold and garnish with walnut halves.

From a reader:

Dear Lynn,

I'm excited about the holidays this year and need some yummy recipes for cookies.

Marjorie from Jesup

Stop by Lynn's blog, Lynn's Musings From a Deep Well at www.lseckerle.wordpress.com. Send recipes and requests to The Recipe Exchange at lynneckerle@gmail.com.