Easter is just around the corner.
This holiday brings back many memories. Children and Easter egg hunts were a big part of our holiday celebrations in the past.
The Flemming family always had a huge egg hunt the Saturday before Easter. Both adults and children took part in the egg hunt. I married into a very competitive family. The plastic eggs had slips of paper with the number of an envelope in them. These envelopes contained different amounts of money — anywhere from $1 to $20. That piqued everyone’s competitive nature. I’ve never seen grown people mow you down for an egg. My sister-in-law and I decided we weren’t risking our lives for an egg. We also remembered that what’s mine is mine and what’s his is mine.
I never ever found eggs as a child at the school and church egg hunts. I quickly discovered that the person with the fewest eggs found got a prize. That prize usually had my name on it. My husband was always that kid who found all the eggs and got the most-found prize. Opposites really do attract.
Every year, I would make Jell-O jigglers in the shape of an egg. I had bought some egg molds and made them for my son’s school parties and also for the family egg hunt. Many years later, I began making them in Christmas shapes for my granddaughter’s school Christmas party. I always have them in the summer for pool parties. If you don’t have molds, just pour the mixture into a flat baking dish and cut into squares. The ratio is 2 small boxes of Jell-O to 1¼ cups boiling water. I also add one package of plain Knox gelatin to make them firmer.
I also think of congealed salads during the spring and summer months of the year. They are a great addition to a summer meal or an addition to a sandwich. Seventy-five percent of American households have boxes of Jell-O mix in their cupboards. That is three out of every four families. We are one of those families.
• Jell-O is nearly 90% sugar.
• The state of Utah eats more Jell-O than any other state. It is the state food.
• When immigrants arrived at Ellis Island to find a better life in America, they were served Jell-O as a tasty treat to welcome them to their new home.
• At one time, Jell-O had not only fruit flavors, but also vegetable options — such as celery and onion. They were not very popular and were quickly removed from the shelves.
• Jell-O can be used to dye your hair, make finger paints or even create edible Play-Doh.
• Jell-O has 22 official flavors. When it first got its start, there were only four — strawberry, orange, lemon and raspberry.
• Strawberry is the most popular flavor.
• Nine boxes of Jell-O are sold every second in the United States.
The origin of the congealed salad goes back to 1904 when Perfection Salad won third prize in a Better Homes & Garden recipe contest. They began to be popular in the 1930s as fresh fruits and vegetables became more prominent in American diets. Congealed salads were an elegant way to present them.
My mother and grandmother always had a congealed salad in the refrigerator. I love them, but my boys never really liked them. Steve called them dessert. Once I tried to serve them a delicious tomato aspic with vegetables and shrimp. My son’s response was that he was definitely not eating tomato Jell-O!
Today, I have some delicious congealed salad recipes that are some of my favorites. They will also satisfy your sweet tooth. I hope you will give them a try. Thanks for reading.
ORANGE SHERBET CONGEALED SALAD
2 (3-ounce) packages orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 pint orange sherbet
½ pint cream, whipped
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
Topping:
1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 (8-ounce) Cool Whip
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add orange sherbet and whipped cream. Stir in oranges and pineapple. Pour into an 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Refrigerate until set, and spread topping on top. Refrigerate overnight, and cut into squares to serve.
STRAWBERRY CONGEALED SALAD
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (14-ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen sliced strawberries, partially thawed
2 bananas, diced
12 ounces sour cream
Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Add pineapple, strawberries and bananas. Pour half of mixture in baking dish, and let set. Spread the sour cream over the congealed mixture. Spread the remaining gelatin mixture on top. Cover and refrigerate.
BLUEBERRY CONGEALED SALAD
2 (3-ounce) packages blueberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (15-ounce) can blueberries, drain and reserve juice
1 (8¼-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drain and reserve juice
Topping:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ pint sour cream
½ cup chopped pecans
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Measure blueberry and pineapple juice, and add enough to make 1 cup. Add to gelatin mixture. Stir well, and add blueberries and pineapple. Pour into a flat baking dish, and refrigerate until firm.
To prepare topping, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and sour cream until blended. Spread over congealed salad, and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
• Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
