This past summer the HH and I attended a progressive dinner party held for the folks who live on our street. Appetizers were at one home, the main entrees at another, and finally dessert and punch were served at the last home. All the neighbors contributed a dish and I remember the HH and I both thinking, WOW…. we hit the jackpot moving here. We could not have hand selected a better group of warm and welcoming neighbors if we had tried, we felt instantly at home.
At the second home we stopped at, guests were asked to contribute {it was based on house numbers} either a main dish or a salad. The HH made our favorite broccoli cashew salad to bring along.
I remember standing at the buffet table and looking at the offerings and thinking…. Hmmm, it doesn’t look like anyone has touched the grape salad. I think I’ll try it {but really, my reasoning for trying the grape salad was because I didn’t want the person who made it to feel bad because nobody was eating it!!!}.
Well now, as soon as I got back to my seat and stabbed my fork into the creamy grape salad, I couldn’t believe HOW GOOD the salad tasted. I quickly finished up the serving on my plate and then marched right back over to the buffet table and scooped a HEAPING mountain of the creamy grape salad onto my plate.
And then I shouted… WHO MADE THIS GRAPE SALAD!?
My neighbor Carole raised her hand and before you know it I was sitting next to her and getting the recipe. Although I had only waved to her husband a few times, this was the first time I had met her.
And wouldn’t you know…. after about 5 minutes of getting to know Carole, and her asking me what brought us to the town we live in now, and me telling her about the yellow house The Girl and I had driven by a few years earlier that was for sale at the time, and me then telling the HH that if we ever moved to New England we needed to check out this particular town she said…. OH, XXX {the person who had owned the yellow house} was one of my best friends. That house was built in the 1700’s and it was a tavern back in the day {A colonial tavern, used by soldiers, can you believe that!?} and then a few years ago part of it burned down… And now the new people who bought the home are fixing it up and yada yada yada…
And then I was like OH MY WORD…. I knew it. I knew we were supposed find our way here. And isn’t that funny. The house that brought us to this town, belonged to one of your best friends and now we are neighbors…. isn’t that interesting how things work out.
I found out about all of this because of a grape salad. And the funny thing was…. By the time we were ready to leave and head to the next house for dessert, nearly all of the grape salad was GONE. Gobbled up by other guests…
So this recipe, although it might not look like something you would want to dive into at first glance…. DO IT. Make this salad. Seriously. I can’t think of a better recipe to add to your Thanksgiving table this fall than this recipe for creamy grape salad. It is SO GOOD, you’ll be bringing it to pot lucks and serving it on your table for family gatherings for years.
It will be on our table this Thanksgiving, you can be sure of that! 😉
Ingredients {Double the recipe if you are serving a large crowd}
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pounds seedless grapes
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until nice and smooth. Add the grapes and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve and then sprinkle with the brown sugar and nuts just before serving.
Katy says
Mmmm, I love grapes in salads. I think I’ll run out and pick up the ingredients today. Thanks for sharing it looks so good.
Amy in oregon says
My aunt makes this salad only she tops hers with candied pecans instead of plain nuts. It’s amazing!!!! But I remember having the same thoughts when I looked at it for the first time. Don’t judge a salad by its looks!!
Jeri says
This recipe sounds very interesting! If I can get my son to have something other than strawberry pretzel salad at Thanksgiving, I’m going to make this! It’s going to be a hard sell, though. His love for that pretzel salad is deeply embedded!
Lauralli says
I also love strawberry pretzel salad….I also love that it’s called “salad”! Vote to change more desserts to salad!
g says
It IS technically a salad…”a mixture containing a specified ingredient served with a dressing” – and it’s the only one my niece will touch at Christmas!
Jeri says
That gets my vote!
Mrs. C. says
I am so making this for Thanksgiving!
Janet says
I love this story! I just makes my heart happy. We also moved to a new neighborhood a few years back and completely hit the neighbor jackpot. Being military we move a lot, but we’ve kept that home, knowing we will come back to our neighbors once husband retires. We are less than a year away from that goal now and I cannot wait to get back to my favorite house, on my favorite street, with the most welcoming people. Isn’t it interesting how community makes home feel like home? Thanks for sharing.
Rosie Sue says
That looks so good, my HH loves grapes. I will be making this yummy looking
salad today.
Thanks Mavis
Suzanne says
I make this salad all the time. I agree it doesn’t look amazing, but it is so good.
Martine says
That grape salad sounds delicious. Must give it a try. On a separate note, my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter are currently visiting relatives near Boston from Scotland so when they told me they were spending a day shopping in Boston I told them that Mavis recommends Bricco Panetteria for bread but to be warned its in a lane down some stairs. They found it, and cautiously went down to it, it apparently doesn’t look like you should go in there, and they all agreed its the best bread in the history of bread! They finished a baguette before they got home! The Boston relatives had not heard of this place and are now thrilled to know about it. So many thanks from my family. x
Heidi says
I think I’d put this in the dessert category rather than salad. If the sugar was backed up a little, it would be a dieter’s dream treat!
Susan says
What a lovely story, Mavis! Heidi’s comment reminded me of a salad that a friend brings to every potluck supper. The first time I saw it, I assumed it was potato salad and took a small serving. I quickly realized that it was actually diced Granny Smith apples with some sort of whipped cream topping. I had trouble placing the other ingredients. I thought it was chopped walnuts, but my friend revealed the secret ingredient: chopped Snickers! Ha! I laughed so hard at this salady dessert (it’s actually not really very good). Come to find out, it’s an actual recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/candy-bar-apple-salad/
Lisa L says
Hi Mavis! I have to say when I first saw the photo of the grape salad I thought “no way would I try that, it looks weird”. But since you raved so much about it, and I like all the ingredients, I’m going to give it a try! Thanks to Carole for this recipe. Luv
LaToya says
Ha Ha – I was going to say the exact same thing!
I’m going to use 2 colors of grapes, and cut them in to halves and see if that doesn’t make it more appealing. I am with other posters. The whole grape look just doesn’t work for it. But I’m down for trying it!
Lisa L says
Ohh, halving the grapes is a great idea! Thanks!
Jessica says
CAUTION! If you halve the grapes it will get weepy QUICK! so if you plan to just keep it at home to eat for a few days it may not be as appetizing extra wet!
Christine says
I loooove grape salad.
debbie in alaska says
I might be odd (well I know I’m odd, but …) I would totally have dove right in and tried this salad IF the grapes had been sliced in half. Seeing the whole grapes makes me stress that I would attempt to stab one and it would go flying off my plate. Having them halved removes that stress. See? Odd! But the ingredients sound yummy!
Julie Ann says
Nah, doesn’t make you odd, makes you a planner. I’m one too…and I completely agree with you on “halved grapes”. Besides, more surface area means more creamy flavor base per bite!
debbie in alaska says
I like your thinking!
Lauralli says
You can get this as a side item at a restaurant called Chicken Salad Chick. I love it….the grape “salad” and the restaurant!
Kara says
I just moved to Greenville, SC and there are several Chicken Salad Chick locations. I haven’t been yet. Thanks for the tip!
Lauralli says
Lucky you! I only get to eat at them when I travel! However, they are getting ready to open one about 1.5 hours away from me so I’m hopeful my town might actually get one before too long!
Loralee of New Mexico says
Hi Mavis!
I just received my ornament order and am so pleased that I bought them, they are beautiful and will make great gifts for Christmas!!!
Mavis Butterfield says
Thank you Loralee! 🙂
Sara says
This is one of my FAVORITE “salads”!!! My sister in love makes it! Only she cuts her grapes in half which makes it really easy to shovel it in! Yum!!
Jade says
I absolutely love this salad! A friend of mine made it for a camping trip a few years back, and like you, I had never seen it before. One bite and I was hooked! It is DIVINE! I now make it all the time. I can’t make it unless I have a party to go to or I’ll eat the entire thing myself! I like it best topped with brown sugar, but some friends like it topped with a crushed up Butterfinger.
KCB says
Grape Salad is a staple at most potlucks in the South. I like it better without the brown sugar. I have never had it w/the grapes halved but it sounds like a good idea.
RENAY BENNETT says
I love that story! And I would totally love to live in a former tavern that served colonial soldiers! As long as they weren’t British. LOL
Lynne says
One of my local radio stations had a drive-time question: we drive by this every day, but [something like 70% of us] have never been inside. I wish I could recall the percentage for sure but I think it was 70%. The correct answer was – your neighbor’s house. How sad, but in my experience, how true. You are indeed very blessed to have found yourself a community where that statistic does not apply.
Rebecca in MD says
I love this story more for the kindness than the recipe. It was so nice of you to try the recipe everyone else was avoiding to make your neighbor feel appreciated.
paula says
What a lovely recipe! Just found out that I can’t have any dairy, eggs, sugar, bananas, pineapples and a few more items! When you start to look at recipes, dairy , eggs, or sugar are in everything! Oh my!
Rebecca Anne says
I agree with Rebecca in MD. Mavis, you were kind and brave, and you were rewarded with a delicious new treat!
I made Carole’s grape salad for lunch today and it was amazing! Thank you to you, Mavis and to Carole!
My picky 10 year old tried a tiny bit and wanted MORE and MORE!! I had to stop my kids (&myself) from eating it all before their dad gets home from work so he can try it!
Thank you for all the glimpses we get into your life. Your ambition is one of my favorite things about you! Thank you for keeping us inspired to be brave and kind, and not to skip yummy grape salads!
Linda says
Oh what a wonderful story! This recipe sounds wonderful! I had a grape dessert once that was served in a wine glass, so easy and pretty when served! It was sour cream and brown sugar mixed together with the grapes tossed in. Delicious!
Heather Collette says
My neighbor makes this! I call it “Grape Crack”, and every time I know she is having guests over I text her asking if by chance she made it 🙂 It’s SOOOOOO yummmmmy.
Melissa says
I’m sure this is delicious – it looks it! I am always curious when I see American recipes for salad and they are basically a dessert. We don’t do anything like this here in Australia as salads are savoury things without things like sugar and marshmallows in them – occasionally fruit like mango or orange pieces in them. It’s always fascinating to see recipes from other places!