Every Thanksgiving since I can remember, my mom has been making Dottie’s Hot Apple-Cranberry Salad. It has a very misleading name, however; there are no leaves on this salad. Personally, I’d rename it a cobbler. I only hold back so that Dottie’s can retain its place in the main course.

Sugary? Dessert-like? Of course not! The cookbook files it under salads, so I will pile it on my plate right next to the peas and mashed potatoes.

This recipe is pretty simple, and the biggest step is cutting up the granny smiths, so any cook can make it. Even I, who has never baked a batch of cookies without burning the bottoms, and who once attempted to griddle pancakes on a cookie sheet (which is another story entirely), can make something delicious and somewhat pleasing to the eye with this recipe.

So without further ado: Dottie’s from “Well Seasoned: a Southern Classic”.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chopped apples (we always use granny smiths)

2 cups washed fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 stick of butter

Mix together apples, cranberries and white sugar and put in an 8×10 or 7×11 pan. Cover with mixture of oats, brown sugar and nuts. Cut butter into small, even chunks, and scatter over top of dish. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees, watching it so that it does not dry out too much.

If you do not have space or time in your oven to devote to Dottie’s (even though this comes before stuffing, in my mind), my mom h

as created an alternative baking method. You can bake it in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, then finish it with 5 minutes in the microwave.

Now go forth and revolutionize your holiday dinners!