Your favorite gelatin (jello) recipes

[Why Syzygy]

I've never been one for jello, but have been inspired to add gelatin to my diet. I may have made it once as a teen, but not since.

Personally, I am most interested in recipes that contain vegetables and/or fruits.
I'm going to start with strawberry jello and bananas.

What do ya'll like?

[grasswire]

1. Jell-O has really fallen out of favor, hasn't it?

Maybe America ate too much of it for too long. Or maybe it's just out of favor with the liberal elites. Or maybe it's just out of favor with the foodies who people the network and publish the mags.

Has Paula Deen ever done Jell-O? I don't know.

And yet it's a perfectly good product and can be the vehicle for delivering a lot of fruity vitamins, as you suggest.

The only Jell-O I've made in the last twenty years or so is the old grated carrot-crushed pineapple version, made with orange Jell-O. I like the taste; it reminds me of Thanksgiving dinners at Grandma's. It's been several years since I made it.

When I was a new bride, I embarrassed myself by making a friend's recipe that called for lime Jell-O, avocado chunks, pineapple, and mayonnaise stirred in. And one time I cored a cantaloupe through a small hole and filled it with lemon Jell-O; that recipe called for frosting the whole thing after the Jell-O had set inside. To serve, slice. Voila. And there used to be recipes for cute ways to make parfaits -- putting the hot Jell-O inside a tall glass and tipping it in the fridge so it would firm up at a diagonal level. Etc.

I'm sure that a search on google will bring you many, many hits. Now I have a hankering for a bowl of the stuff myself. I like the peach flavor with a spoonful of real cream.

[htuttle]

2. "Sometimes you have to push yourself away from the table and say, 'NO MORE JELLO FOR ME MOM!'"

[Why Syzygy]

3. I got interested in it only

because I was reading a Cayce book and he said that it aids the assimilation of the nutrients of fruits and veggies.

I don't like all the artificial dyes and flavors. I felt like I was buying koolaid, something I would never do. But, I also bought unflavored, which is probably what I will use most if I stick with this idea. I thought of using some of the Mexican fruit juices I buy (Goya or Jimanez). They are thick with pulp. If I do go with flavors, next time I will get unsweetened and add juice or raw sugar.

I did buy what I considered the basic flavors, strawberry, lemon, lime, orange. I am going to make some with carrots and radishes. Maybe in orange?

I appreciate your input. I guess we all have some kind of relationship with Jello :D

edit to add: I do indulge my sweet tooth, so this might turn out to be a good thing if it gets me away from ice cream, cake, chocolates ...

[hippywife]

9. It's fallen out of favor partially

because of what makes it gel. There's a reason veggies and vegans won't eat it. That and all the variations of horrible congealed salad concoctions people tried to come up with. :rofl:

Me? I still like the stuff every great once in awhile (lime was always my favorite), but I rarely eat it anymore. I don't buy it but have been known to eat a little off of a salad bar maybe once or twice a year.

Husband's friend had it really ruined for him by his grandmother who made Jello molds with VegAll. :puke:

[htuttle]

11. It's good with Hotdish!

:rofl:

[hippywife]

12. ...

:spank: :rofl:

[sandnsea]

4. This Particular Apricot Salad

My mom used to make this, it's my favorite.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1843,148180-239202,00.html

I also like Strawberry Pretzel Salad
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1843,159175-243197,00.html

Later today I'm going to try a new Strawberry Pie Recipe where you mix strawberry jello with vanilla pudding, pour over strawberries. I use a lot of pudding and jello because they're sugar free and still make yummy desserts.

[Why Syzygy]

5. What kind of sweetener do you use? nt

[sandnsea]

6. They're sugar-free

They come that way. I know about all the cancer warnings and what-not, but jello with some fruit is a way I can not feel deprived.

I've used splenda in some cooking, I have also started using stevia. Made a bbq sauce with stevia last night and it wasn't half bad, although I did put in a couple tablespoons of molasses too. I make wonderful baked beans, but I've got to find a sweetener and the splenda just doesn't do it. I'm experimenting with bbq sauces to see if I can come up with something. The one last night just didn't have the bite I was looking for, that I think molasses gives it. But it was good enough to dump on the pork sandwiches. So I'll keep trying.

[grasswire]

7. yes, I forgot to mention sugar free Jell-O

Puddings and gelatin desserts are available in sugar free or fat free mixes.

Note: the diabetes educator Dr. Sinatra warns that only those that do not contain anything ending in "ose" are truly sugar free, and apparently those are hard to find.

It's a low-cal snack alternative for a dieter with a sweet tooth.

[yellerpup]

8. Blueberry Pie (fresh fruit version)

Pie crust (any type you like) baked.

Filling:

1 pkg. unflavored gelatin (soften in 1/4 C. cold water)
4 Pts. blueberries, cleaned and stemmed
1/4 C. sugar (or to taste)

Cook 1 pt. blueberries & sugar (bring to boil together until fruit releases juices)
Stir softened gelatin into cooked mixture and keep stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved
Pour into large bowl
Add last 3 pints of fresh blueberries (at this point, I often add a tsp. of vanilla OR a tsp. of lemon but neither is necessary)
Gently fold blueberries into cooked mixture until coated
Refrigerate for 1/2 Hr. or so
Stir to coat berries

Repeat this often over the next hour or so until the gelatin begins to set slightly
When the berries begin to cling to each other (but before the gelatin sets completely) turn into pie crust
Pile it high! The gelatin is undetectable and you have a pie of fresh fruit bursting with fresh flavor and nothing artificial added.

To garnish each slice, I add a dollop of whipped cream and a fanned out strawberry on top. Especially pretty for 4th of July (but don't try to take it to a picnic--it's spectacular but not sturdy.)

Enjoy the raves.

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. I've played around with using Jello

to add flavor and a bit of thickening to vanilla flavored protein shakes (substitute for yogurt). If used that way there are a wide variety of available fruits and flavor combinations to try.

[japple]

13. Back in the 1970's, when I was in nursing school, the hospital

cafeteria often had jello in individual plastic cups on the serving line. You could tell how old it was by the number of fingerprints there were on the surface. I guess everyone had to give it a poke to see how fresh it was! LOL

Anyway, I haven't used it much lately, but I do think I'll try that blueberry recipe if my bushes give me some berries this year.

[Catshrink]

14. A family favorite: "Green Jello Salad"

There are many variations on this but this is how my sisters and I make it:

2- 0.3 oz (or 1- 0.6 oz) box of lime jello, sugar free preferred
1 cup boiling water
1 20 oz. can of crushed pinapple (in its own juice)
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-16 oz carton cottage cheese

Empty the box(es) of jello into a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir for a minute or two to be sure the jello is completely dissolved. Add the other ingredients and refrigerate until set.

OMG -- it's my family's comfort food. It started with my mom's sister. My mom passed it on to my dad's mom. When we had a family memorial potluck for them last October, we had two bowls of it -- one of the cousins from mom's side and one from dad's side made it!

One of my aunts adds a cup of mayo and green food coloring. Blech!!!!

At Christmas time I mixed in some dried cranberries - not bad, not bad.

[yellowdogintexas]

16. a slightly different version:

1 each small lemon and lime jello
2 cups boiling water
1 large cream cheese
1 cup of pecan bits
20 oz can crushed pineapple
small container Cool Whip, thawed.

combine the jello with boiling water stir until dissolved and let sit in the refrigerator until partially thickened (at least egg white consistency)

cut up the softened cream cheese into the jello and whip with mixer. It will be a nice opaque pastel green color. Stir in everything else and pour into the mold or serving dish of your choice.

This is the family favorite for potlucks and big holiday dinners of my childhood. I made it for a covered dish at my church and two of the men in my Sunday School class just about ate the whole thing.

[Catshrink]

15. Crab Mousse

This is awesome!

1 pkg unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 cup mayo
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 can crab meat, drained and flaked
1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Soak the gelatin in cold water to soften. Heat the soup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the softened gelatin into the hot soup, making sure it is dissolved. Cut the cream cheese into 8 cubes and add it to the soup; stir until melted. Add the mayo to the soup and beat the mixture until smooth.

Add the remaining ingredidents to the soup and mix well.

Pour into a 4 cup mold or serving dish and chill.

I like to serve this with Wheat Thins.

[merci_me]

17. Here are two favorite non-dessert style gelatins

which you probably will want to do in a mold.

Cheese Mold

1 3oz pkg lemon gelatin
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup syrup from pineapple
1 cup mayo
1-1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; add syrup. Gradually add to mayo; mix until well blended. Chill until slightly thickened. Fold in pineapple and cheese; pour into 1-1/2 quart mold and chill until firm.


Molded Horseradish Ring

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup cream style prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Soften gelatin in cold water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine mayo, horseradish and salt; stir in gelatin. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into 1 quart mold; chill until firm. Really great served with cheese, deli cuts or cold sliced chicken.