Cranberry Crunch – and Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past
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Some recipes just get you talking about the old days, which is why we love them so much. This is one of those recipes that gets my mother to talking about her childhood. The school lunch ladies often made this around the holidays and she loved it so much that one of them gave her the recipe for it, which has led us to enjoy it for the past couple of generations. Nothing like an heirloom recipe to bring memories back to life, especially around the holidays. Which brings me to my point…
Cranberry Crunch with Whipped Cream
You know, our kids are going to look back on this Thanksgiving the same way you look back on yours as a child. This time of year, I can’t help but think back to when I was a girl, when my Grandaddy and great grandmother were still with us at all of the Thanksgivings we celebrated at their house on Brookline Drive in Huntsville, Alabama. My cousins and I would stay outside as long as we could because the house was so hot from all of the baking. We’d come in when called, eat a plate full of our favorite foods, and rush right back out into our leaf piles and hide and seek games.
Later on, I’d end up sitting up against my grandaddy, my head resting on his shoulder as he worked on a crossword puzzle or told one of his latest jokes to the family, fully content at feeling the warmth of him through his thin cotton shirt and his strong arm around me. He’d lean over at some point and kiss the top of my head and tell me he loved me. It was such a natural gesture for him that I don’t think he even gave it thought when he did, which made me all the more content.
I can’t help but get caught up in those memories this time of year, but I try to stay ever conscious that these Thanksgivings, today, are the ones my kids will remember.
My parents are Grandmama and Grandaddy now. I’m one of the ones at the stove, who put them in the sweater that ended up being so warm it forced them outside to seek a cool breeze away from the oven’s heat.Someday folks will gather on a Thanksgiving day and play a video of this year and one of my kids might walk in during the middle of it and see faces that are no longer with them. They may be the ones finding themselves having to walk out of the room, feeling hurt that no one warned them they were about to hear their Grandaddy’s voice calling out for the first time in nearly fifteen years.
Some parts of the holidays will always be bittersweet when you have loved and been loved, but living in the past should always come full circle as a reminder to live in the moment.
Nowadays I understand the hint of sadness in the eyes of people, even though they are with their family at the holidays. Even though children are sitting up in their laps and siblings and spouses are chattering away while they pass dishes around a table filled with blessings.
Oftentimes, as we look around that table it occurs to us…
someone is missing.
Yes, some folks may be missing from our tables this year, but that isn’t an excuse for you to be. I miss them, too, but there are so many people here with us now waiting to have an arm wrapped around them. Waiting to be told they are loved. Waiting for that one special moment with you that they will someday tell their kids about when they think back to Thanskgiving. Waiting to taste that special recipe you made just for them.
Next year, 2011 will be a Thanksgiving past and it will be added to your reserve of treasured memories for you and all of those around you.
Don’t set yourself so firmly on remembering Thanksgivings past that you forget to put your heart into this one.
You’ll need: Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce, Old Fashioned Oats*, Flour, Brown Sugar, and Butter.
*I use old fashioned but quick will work just as well if that is what you have on hand. You can also use margarine instead of butter and don’t waste a single moment fretting over it! As for brown sugar, I’m using dark because it is my very favorite, but if you have light or prefer light, knock yourself out!
Place your flour, oats, and brown sugar in a bowl
Stir them up.
Add in your butter or margarine and cut that in with a long tined fork.
Like this 
Now spray a pie plate or 8×8 dish with cooking spray.
And press half of your mixture into the bottom of the pie plate.
Top that with the entire can of cranberry sauce.
I just glob it by spoonfuls on top of my little crust…
Then take that same spoon and spread it around a bit.
Sprinkle remaining topping over cranberry sauce
Bake at 350, uncovered, for 45 minutes to one hour, or until bubbly and browned.
Excellent served with whipped cream or ice cream but you can also serve it as a side dish as well.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup oats (I use old fashioned but quick will work)
- 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
- 1- 16 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 Cup brown sugar (I use dark but light is fine)
- 1/2 Cup butter or margarine
Instructions
- Mix the oats, flour, and brown sugar together. Cut in butter.
- Pack 1/2 in bottom of greased pie plate or 8x8 dish.
- Spread sauce over crust. Top with remaining crumbs.
- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until lightly browned. Excellent served with whipped cream or ice cream.
Print This Recipe
Some parts of the holidays will always be bittersweet when you
have loved and been loved, but living in the past should always
come full circle as a reminder to live in the moment.
~Christy Jordan. I apologize for quoting myself, but I think it bears repeating.
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Nov 17 2011. Filed under Dessert, Holiday Favorites!.
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This will be my families first Thanksgiving with out my grandmother who went “home” in May. Her home is the one all my childhood holiday memories are from. Like you my cousins and I ran outside all day, as we live in Florida. This will be especially difficult for my grandfather after 56 Thanksgivings together. I am hosting Thanksgiving for my extended family and plan to honor my grandmother in an uplifting way. I can hardly wait to use some of Granny’s Pyrex bowls, which were always on her Thanksgiving table. God Bless your family this holiday season!
What a wonderful holiday tradition, I know she couldn’t ask for a more loving person to honor her.
Happy Thanksgiving
Gratefully,
Christy
This will be the first Thanksgiving without my husband’s parents. They passed within a month of each other last winter. My guess was my fil just couldn’t live without her.
This looks like a very tasty recipe. I’m going to make your gramma’s vanilla wafer cake for a pre thanksgiving gathering with friends on Sunday along with my mil’s recipe for cornbread dressing. It is the best.
Amber, my heart is with you as you continue on and fill the shoes of matriarch of your family. I know they couldn’t ask for a better person to be the one to hold them all together. I wish you generations of warm tables surrounded by blessings, past and present.
Gratefully,
Christy
Great blog, Christy! I’m wiping tears from eyes right now.
We don’t usually have cranberries at the holidays, but this sounds yummy, so I think I’ll have to make it this year.
Thanks for sharing!
I have come to know tears to be the sign of a heart overflowing
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy – I want to thank you for reminding me of what is important. This Thanksgiving when my family is gathered round, I am going to think of your words and make sure our memories of this year’s holiday will be warm and loving, and not of just me in the kitchen putting on the meal. Thank you again – you have one big heart girl! I’m so glad I’ve found this site. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Oh Joni, I’m the one who is thankful for you. Thank you for your kindness and for this comment that warmed my heart!
Gratefully,
Christy
Thanks Christy! Again, a heartwarming reminder of what’s important in our lives. NOT our jobs. NOT our money. NOT the government’s problems. OUR FAMILY is what we take with us throughout life and what we leave behind us. May your holidays be full of love.
Amen, thank you for your encouraging and affirming words!
Gratefully,
Christy
i loved the story, and can totally relate, i also love that u buy store brands and aren’t shamed of it! love it love it. i will be borrowing this recipe for sure!
Thank you so much Tracy! Don’t know where I’d be without my store brands
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving
Gratefully,
Christy
I’ve been enjoying your site so much since finding it a couple months ago, and then today when I read your story it just made me cry. I lost my husband of 30 years a few months ago, Thanksgiving was our anniversary and this will be my first “alone”. I’ve been dreading it so much, I had planned to try to just stay home and hibernate, but after reading this, I feel like I can go on and make dinner for the rest of the family and take and give comfort the way he would want me to. You’re always so sensible, it must be in the water there, my best friend Vicky Lee is from Huntsville and is the most grounded, level headed lady ever.
I’m so glad I got to “know” you here, I hope your holidays are a joy, I’ll be thinking of you when I serve some of your recipes this year.
Caroline, Thank you so much for taking time to share your heart with me today. I just want you to know that there will be one more person praying for you, keeping you on their heart on Thanksgiving Day. I know your dear husband will be proud of your strength and the power of the love in your heart to go on.
Gratefully,
Christy
Thank you for this post. I needed to hear it. We are far away and not traveling to our family for Thanksgiving this year. I’ve been feeling a little bit sorry for myself, but it’s still thanksgiving for my own children, and my attitude will make all the difference for them. We can still enjoy each other’s company, even if the whole extended family isn’t here.
Oh Jenny, you are so right. I know how you feel too, although in a different way
My parents have always gone out of town on Thanksgiving, since I was a teenager, so we have ours early and I end up feeling a bit orphaned on Thanksgiving day. 
I started several years back doing Thanksgiving just for the four of us and sometimes it just feels a little …well you know 
So a few years back we started looking around for others in our same situation. We’ll have five guests this thanksgiving day and I know my kids will have a wonderful time. We’re the memory makers now!
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy I love your blog and your recipes are delicious!!! I can’t wait to make this recipe for cranberry crunch for Thanksgiving for my family. May God bless you and your family. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
OH Margaret, thank you so very much for such heartfelt wishes! May He bless you and yours as well!
Gratefully,
Christy
Can this be made ahead of time and frozen?
I see no reason why not, it should do great! You can also just refrigerate it if you like and reheat it in the oven before serving.
Gratefully,
Christy
I just put this in the oven. Working at election polls tomorrow, something new to bring. We eat all day long if not busy. Hope it is good cold.
Hope you enjoyed it Mary Ann!
Gratefully,
Christy
Oh how I needed these words. When I was growing up holidays were always miserable so I don’t really care for them much. My hubby on the other hand is the essence of the holidays. We have been together 16 years now & I have just become accustomed to going with the flow while he takes the lead. This year though our 3 girls & I are spending our 5th set of holidays without him as he is away on an 8 month deployment. This 1 though has been just so much rougher. I have been just moping about and feeling a bit sorry for myself. This quiet reminder though is the push I needed. TY will never be enough to express how very much this family is grateful to you!
Suzy, my heart is with you and I understand where you’re coming from. There are always points in our life, childhood times when we look back, and we can’t seem to make the normal rockwell picture come out no matter how much we try. Moving forward and making it right for your children is the act of a loving and selfless mother, they are so blessed to have you. My heart is with you and yours as your husband is away. I know they’ll look back and remember a mother who loved them enough for two parents whenever it was needed
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy, I feel your heart in this one,I was pretty sure where you were gonna go with this one and grabbed a tissue, boy did I need it .I feel the same way. So many memories, the sounds, the smells and the love of my family. Thanksgiving is a bittersweet time, remembering loved ones gone on. Thanks for the reminder to celebrate now ,turn off that phone and that game and live in the moment. As they say “Cherish Yesterday, Celebrate Today and Dream Tomorrow”. Wishing you a joyful and blessed Thanksgiving. I will be making this recipe, just sugar-free.
I’m so glad we connected on this one. Wonder how many tissues we used up together? It’s so hard when we look back, not having them here, to remember that we are here and now. I struggle a little with that every year. Thank you so much for taking time to talk back with me
Gratefully,
Christy
Thanks for this Christy – great post, it hit home because I lost both grandmothers this year, within a week of each other. It made it very important for me to be with my family at Thanksgiving this year. Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh Ginger, I’m so terribly sorry for your loss. I know the strength and love of two wonderful women will be with you this Thanksgiving.
Thank you, Christy, for this great reminder of the right focus of the holidays … not the food or activities … but the people…our family. This will be the first holiday season without my grandmother and a beloved aunt and our third without my brother. My generation of cousins are grown and moved away to various parts of the country … but what wonderful memories we have of Thanksgiving and Christmas at Grandma’s! Now, we are making the memories for our children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. God bless you and all of the Southern Plate readers! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
and God bless you and your wonderful family this year and always. I know they all count themselves blessed to have you as beloved matriarch at the helm and holding things together as you carry on traditions that will be remembered for generations to come. Love to you!
Gratefully,
Christy
Thank YOU so much Christy! I love the holidays and spending time with family and friends but my heart breaks for those that are missing. We have lost so many and things are not the same but we have to go on……make new memories. I appreciate you sharing what’s on your heart. The kindness and love that you show through your website is fabulous! I pray you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving!
p.s. really enjoyed your show at the shoals marriott!
Hey Angela! OH thank you so much for your kind and loving words! And bless your heart, you even said them after having to spend over an hour with me and a microphone! lol
Bless you!
Gratefully,
Christy
Your post came at just the right time. My mom passed away last Thanksgiving, and I will always associate Thanksgiving with her passing. Thanks for reminding me about showing love to the ones still around the table and creating new memories.
You’re so very welcome Lisa. You know, I wrote this post mostly as a way to tell myself the same thing
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy,
I love your blog and am so very glad that we hold the same values! I enjoyed your post and understand your feelings. I have very little family left and intend to enjoy every minute with them and their extended family!
I want to make this recipe but was unsure if it needed to be refridgerated atfer it was cooked.
Thanks,
Redawna
This looks good – and easy! This is going on my list to take for Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Brenda, hope you enjoy it!
Gratefully,
Christy
You did it to me again Christy! You made me remember good things and shed a tear! Love you for it too!
Love you too Kat!!!!
I thank you for this post. Holidays have never been the same since I lost my mother-in-law who was ‘my mom’! I have this recipe in oven right now and I love your site! Thank you from my heart!
Oh Narda, thank YOU!
Gratefully,
Christy
I miss my mom so much! She passed away in 1998 and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. To keep her memory alive, each Thanksgiving & Christmas I prepare many of her special recipes. She was a wonderful cook and passed on her love of food and cookbook collecting to me! She always said if you can read, you can cook!
PS> I made your cranberry crunch tonight for dessert. DELICIOUS and homey! Thank you!
Oh Judy, I can only imagine how close your mother is to your heart and how proud she is that you are carrying on, making her legacy through her dishes. You are such a wonderful daughter to her, even now! She sounds like a true jewel and I’m proud to have “met” her through your comment!
Gratefully,
Christy
P.S. I’m so glad you liked the crunch
Yea! I’m gonna try this during this Holiday Season..might even add some chopped walnuts with the topping on top…what do you think?
Thanks for all the delicious recipes…..they’re enjoyed as well as your posts!
Thank you for sharing your heart and family…and recipes. I lost my little brother just before his high school graduation a few years ago. How I wish I had known when I talked to him that afternoon, that it would be the last time. If only I had known, I would have told him I loved him and that I was so very proud of him. I would have taken the time to count the many blessings he brought to the lives of those who loved him. I would have taken the time to appreciate his beautiful smile, the sound of his laughter, and his genuine love of people. I would have paused another moment to laugh at his quirky sense of humor. Thank you for reminding us of what is really important Christy as we approach this holiday season. Let those you love know how much you care. Do it today!
Thanks for sharing Christy .For many years I have found my way of dealing with family members that will no longer be with us.When I’m cooking this week I wiil bring up great memories .A lot of the recipes will belong to family members that are gone now .I had a step Father that always helped me make dressing .Then on Thanksgiving day I can be with my large family and enjoy them.Making memories for a lifetime.
This looks so good!! And not too difficult to make! Thank you
This year we will celebrate Thanksgiving with both sets of parent gone on to Heaven. Thanks for sharing your memories and reminding us to let those who remain know we love them and they are important to us. Too often, we hold back on showing affection, never knowing when that could be our last opportunity. This year, I am thankful for family remaining and plan to let them know how much they mean to me.
I am thankful for you and your encouragement you share with us each day. God bless you and your family.
Christy,
I absolutley loved your heartfelt post to this recipe. I never forward an email, however was so touched by your post that I forwarded it to my family and friends, adding a few words of my own and thanked each of them for being an important part of my life. As others have commented, we often hold back on telling loved ones how much they mean to us and your post reminded me how important it is to let others know how much you love and care for them. Thank you for being an inspiration!
Many wishes to you and your family for a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!!!
This morning, my husband and I sat drinking our morning coffee before I took off to do my Thanksgiving shopping. Today, though, was a special morning because if is our 31st anniversary!! (I know, if you saw me, you wouldn’t believe it either?? LOL). My husband made the statement that he was going to slow down and live in the moments more, then I read your post here talking about being present in the moment, and not entirely in the past. I get it! I can’t wait to be with family on Thanksgiving Day, and hug and love on them a little more, listen a little closer and just try to see not only them…but their heart. Thank you for all you do to bring encouragement and laughter to us thru your site. Blessings to you all!
That was so beautifully expressed and made me cry, because I can relate to it so well. We really do need to remember to continue the traditions and family memories for our children’s sakes so that they have those great memories when we are gone. I always loved the smells and excitement getting ready for holidays meals at our home when I was a child. Certain things still bring back those memories. Now my son, who is college age, is already reminding me of things we did or cooked when he was a child. Those memories are truly priceless.
I made this and took it to my Ladies Bible Study last night…So Good!! It was the perfect desert for this time of year, we topped it with ice cream and it was better than I even thought it was going to be. Love it. I have to say I have not been disappointed with one recipe yet…Thanks
I am so glad everyone liked it Nancy!!! Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
Oh yum. This looks amazing. I think it may find its way onto my table this Thanksgiving. It will for sure be made for Christmas, that much I do know.
Thank you for sharing your family memories with all of us. The holidays have not been the same due to all our losses. We try to continue the traditions and cook the same things but something is missing without my grandparents, parents and husband. Miss my Mother’s dressing…I almost have the taste right,,, maybe this year.
Christy…we have been enjoying this all week. My oldest son (25) enjoys a scoop for breakfast with plain greek yoghurt. The sweet and tart compliment each other perfectly. He heads back to grad school saturday and asked that I make him a batch to take back with him. Thank you for the recipe! Just goes to show that something so simple is more impressive than Fussy. I like simple and basic. Words of wisdom I have used while they “grew” up. “It’s not about the wrapping paper but what’s inside the box. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Just wanted to drop a line and let everyone know that I made this for our Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit! It is an easy recipe to make and so warm and cozy. Enjoy!
I made this for the first time for Thanksgiving. Everyone that got some loved it. I should of made two. Several people said “please give me the recipe”. It is so easy to make. I loved it. Will be cooking it on all Holidays.
This was sooo delicious! Everyone loved it & asked for the recipe. This will be a new Thanksgiving tradition for us. Thanks for sharing it.
I used leftover homemade cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving & added chopped walnuts & dried sweetened cranberries to the 1/2 of the oats going on top – fabulous! Brought it in to work & it disappeared in no time flat.
I made two of these for Thanksgiving and ate ONE WHOLE ONE by myself <not all in one sitting but over a couple/few days! I LOVE IT! I can make this quick and easy… I can see me making cookies or lil ones in cupcake tins for individual snacks!
Can this be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator or should it be made the day you plan to eat it?
I got my cookbook from Amazon today and inside the front page is a sticker, orange with a signature that says Christy. Is this your autograph??? Please let me know. I’m making creamy macaroni and cheese as we speak. Thanks.
How do you add a recipe to the Recipe Box?? Should be simple, but it isn’t. .Thanks!
Just click “save recipe” and it will walk you through setting up your box for the first time
I want to try this with some other fruits… such as blackberry…
Wonder if you can use the can pie filling, such as cherry….
Thank you Christy for this reminder. This will be the 2nd Thanksgiving without my Mother. We lost her last August and the holidays last year were very hard. This is like something my mother would have said to me. I will take this to heart and make it a great holiday season for my Dad and my sister and the kids. I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Christy, this sounds so very good except I can not stand oats. Is there an alternative I could use? Thanks for all your good recipes, love them.
The lunch room lady at my small school always made the Cranberry Crunch for us & we all still have memories of her and this delicious dessert I am planning on taking it to a Christmas Party our town has each Christmas
I don’t think I’ll wait until next week (Thanksgiving to make this). It will be great with Sunday dinner. I appreciate your story today and your quote, so true!. As I’m now the child who has moved up to “Granny”, each holiday brings wonderful memories. I miss my grandparents and parents but I am so very thankful for the wonderful memories. Every season brings its own special memories: playing in the leaves with my cousins, laying on pallets next the warm stove in sleepovers at my grandparents, helping my papaw get new little chicks in the spring and planting his garden, gathering eggs, veggies from the garden and figs in the summer, shelling peas…. Lining up at the door between the kitchen and bathroom to be measured on the door frame every month. And, banana popsycles from the popsycle cart! Papaw and Mamaw always had the dimes ready!
My family is spread out and we can’t always be together for the holidays and the weekends but there are ways to keep the memories going. I hope I’m the kind of grandmother that my granddaughters will remember in such a special way! (Even though my son may say, ‘you’re granny’s nuts’ with a hug and a smile) God Bless you all!
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I just wanted you to know that I made this for Thanksgiving for my husband’s family. We haven’t cut inti it yet, but, it looks and smells great! Thank you!