I know the clock is ticking and you might be thinking that you don’t have time to make any Jello for your Valentine, but you do! Because you add ice cream to the Jello, it will set up faster. If you don’t want to cut it into heart shapes, you can put it in a small bowl or individual containers like we did here, it only takes about an hour to set up.
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream heart Jello
Every year for my Birthday as long as I can remember, my mom has made me this delicious Raspberry Dessert. My Birthday happens to be the day before Valentines. But for people that don’t have their birthday so close to Valentines, this is a great dessert to make for your Valentine. I usually would prefer something chocolate for dessert, but this really is non-chocolate perfection!
Raspberry Dessert
(This recipe makes two pans of dessert)
Cake:
2 C. Flour
1 ½ C. Sugar
3 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
½ C. Butter (cut up)
1 C. Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together. Add cut-up butter and 2/3 cup milk. Beat 2 minutes at low speed. Add remaining milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes more. Pour batter into two greased 9×13 pans. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool.
Filling:
2- 8oz. Pkg. Cream cheese, softened.
2 envelopes dream whip, prepared. Add to cream cheese and beat.
2 C. powdered sugar. Beat into above mixture.
Spread on cake and let chill for 1 hour
Topping:
3 packages Danish dessert mix
1 package frozen raspberries. You can add more depending on how much you like raspberries.
Prepare according to pie filling directions on back of package. Add raspberries and cool, but don’t set. When cool, spread on top of cream cheese mixture. Chill until set-overnight is best. (The above picture was not chilled so top is a more soft set)
*If you don’t know what Danish Dessert, and Dream whip are here are some pictures. I usually find them in the jello section of the grocery store.
*For more jello Valentines ideas check out our other Valentines posts by clicking on the Valentines link in the sidebar on the left.
Now go and make some Raspberry Dessert for your Valentine and enjoy some Jello Joy!
The other day I was browsing around on Pinterest and I came across this pin of a old Dole Pineapple advertisement.
My first thought was why haven’t I ever thought of this? So I decided then and there that I must try it! It really couldn’t be easier to make and my kids thought that it was the best Jello that I had ever made. I credit that to the cool visual effect- kids dig it. Recently I made 6 cans for a family dinner: 2 with blue Jello, 1 with orange Jello, 1 with lemon Jello, 1 with lime Jello and one with red Jello. I liked the look of the green the best, but they all tasted good. After all of that, we were snowed in and stuck with 6 cans of pineapple Jello.
Nifty Jello in a Can
Pour out liquid from a can of sliced pineapple and discard.
Dissolve a 3oz. box of lime Jello in 1 cup boiling water (you could also use the pineapple juice and water to equal 1 cup liquid)
Pour hot Jello water over pineapple rings in the can.
Chill until set. Run hot water on the sides and bottom of can to loosen. Then cut the bottom of the can and push the mold out. Cut between pineapple slices and serve.
*Optional: top a slice with an ice cream scoop of cottage cheese or a dollop of whipped cream.
*You could also do this with other canned fruit and flavors of Jello, but you would lose the nifty pineapple ring effect.
Now Go Can Some Jello and Have a Nifty Night!
If you have read our blog before you know that Jello Girl and I don’t imbibe. But with all the pretty jello shots out there on the internet, we felt left out. Hence, we have decided to coin a new food term: Mellow Jello. From here on out, these cute little alcohol-free jello bites will be known as Mellow Jello. They are perfect as an appetizer or on a dessert table. They are more mellow than their jello shot counterpart- eat as many as you like- and the possibilities for cute creations are endless. Plus I have a good reason to try something new and I am pretty happy about how they turned out. A group of friends that live in my neighborhood get together once a month for our version of Iron Chef. Every month we have a theme ingredient and we all make something using that ingredient. We then get together to taste what everybody made and vote for winners. We have 4 fabulous trophies, a gold, sliver, bronze and a trophy for best presentation. The winners each month get to take the trophy home and display it for that month. It’s a silly thing to do but those of us that attend have a great time. Plus it’s been a great way to get to know some of the women in the neighborhood.
Now go have some jello joy!
Tonight’s ingredient is grapefruit, so I adapted a recipe for a Paloma jelly shot. Here is what I did…
Mellow Jello Grapefruit Bite
1 1/3 C. grapefruit soda
1 T. lime juice
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
2/3 C. grapefruit juice
1 T. sugar
Pour soda and lime juice into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over medium heat and add sugar until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the grapefruit juice. Pour into a loaf pan or mold. Put in the refrigerator to set for a few hours or over night.
Here is a yummy twist for homemade marshmallows. A few posts ago I dipped them in chocolate, this time I dipped them in crushed marshmallows. They are so good in hot cocoa!
Homemade Marshmallows
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 C. Cold water
2 C. sugar
2/3 C. light corn syrup
1/4 C. water
1/4 t. salt
1 T. vanilla extract
Candy canes (optional)
powdered sugar for dredging
Line 9×13-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 C. cold water to soften, about 10 min.
Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 C. water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard 1 min. Pour boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on mixer, using the wire attachment. Mix on high speed. Add salt and beat 12 min. After 12 min, add vanilla or mint extract. and beat to incorporate.
Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray, be careful the mixture might be quite hot. Scrape the mixture into prepared pan. Cover the pan with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray and softly press onto the top of the marshmallow mixture, creating a seal. Let the mixture cool and set for several hours or overnight.
Lightly dust counter with powdered sugar and dump the marshmallows out. Cut into pieces and dredge in powdered sugar. I have found that scissors work the best for cutting the marshmallows. Store in an airtight container.
If you want to coat the marshmallows with candy canes. Crush candy canes into small bits. Mix 1/2 C. powdered sugar with enough water to make a glaze. Dip marshmallows in the glaze and then in the candy and set on wax paper to dry.
Now go have some marshmallow joy!
Sugar-Free Fruit Juice Snacks
3 packets of unflavored gelatin
1 cup fruit juice- any flavor (We used 1/2 pineapple juice which gave it a nice sweet flavor and 1/2 cup unsweetened grape juice to give the snacks some color!)
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Molds (We suggest using very small molds. If they are bigger, it is just too much chewiness in one bite!)
Pour juice and lemon juice into a small pan. Sprinkle gelatin over juice and let set for a minute. Add fructose and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Fill molds (I suggest using a small syringe to do this.) You can also pour gelatin into a pan. With your fingers pull to break suction against one side of pan. Pull side up and lift onto cutting board to slice or dice. (Snakes work best if they are sliced thin.)
Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until well set.
They should easily unmold- just give a little push with your finger. For variety, you can toss them in citric acid for a sour punch of flavor!
Now Go Do Right Thing and Make These Today!
Eunice here and I am here to declare that I am becoming a marshmallow snob. After all, I am known for my scrumptious Jello flavored marshmallows. Even so, the first time I attempted these vanilla marshmallows I thought it would also be the last. They were a hot goopy mess; but they were so yummy I haven’t been able to get them off my mind. So I have decided that they are worth it. They taste so much better store bought marshmallows. One day I was thinking how I could make the marshmallows even better and I thought, chocolate makes almost anything better. (I have eaten chocolate covered bacon and bacon fudge) So I dipped some marshmallows in chocolate and I was right!
Line 9×13-inch pan with wax paper and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 C. water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard 1 min or if you have a thermometer boil until it gets to 250 degrees. Pour boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on mixer, using the wire attachment. Mix on high speed. Add salt and beat 12 min. After 12 min, add vanilla, and beat to incorporate.
*I found that if I boil it until it gets to 250 degrees the mixture is more stable and less sticky when it comes to cutting them.
Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray, be careful the mixture might be quite hot. Scrape the mixture into prepared pan. Cover the pan with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray and softly press onto the top of the marshmallow mixture, creating a seal. Let the mixture cool on the counter to set for a few hours or over night.
*The sprayed plastic is the easiest way that I have found to spread the mixture evenly into the pan
At this point if you want to dip them in chocolate. I have found that the easiest way to do this for me is to melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave. Then I don’t have to worry about moisture getting in the chocolate from a double boiler.
Now Go Do the Right Thing and Have Some Joy with Gelatin!
Creamy Green Jello Salad
1 cup water
1 small pkg. green jello
1 cup canned pineapple, drained
1 (8oz.) pkg cream cheese
Dissolve jello in boiling water. Combine jello, pineapple and cream cheese in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into 9×13 pan. Refrigerate until firm.
We Always Eat Lucky Charms For Breakfast On St. Patrick's Day: My Kids Think They Are Magically Delicious, But I Am With the Chicken.
Now Go Make Some Green Jello and Have a Happy Maewyn Succat’s Day!
Here is another re-post from last year:
Why is it that we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the United States of America? What is the ratio of Irish immigrants to immigrants from other lands? I don’t really know, but I think it’s the pinching thing don’t you?
What other holiday do you get to go around pinching people?
And the color green, don’t you just love it? There is a different shade of green for each decade, such as Hunter Green during the 80′s; totally out now. I use to have a Granny Smith Apple colored kitchen. I loved it- so cheery. I miss that kitchen.
Back to St. Patrick’s Day. We have a few ideas to celebrate the season. This blog is about our St. Patty’s Poke Cake. I wish I could call them St. Patty’s Pinch Cakes, but I’m not sure how pinching a cake would work out, so I will stick with poke. Jello Poke cakes use to be the rage. Everyone was baking cakes, poking them and pouring jello over the top.
We are going to bring the Jello Poke Cake up to date in cupcake form. You could use a cake mix, but we recommend homemade. It is so much tastier. We are using a Lemon-Honey Cupcake recipe from the March 2010 issue of Woman’s Day and changing it up just a bit. If you like to bake cupcakes from scratch check out the cupcake feature article at http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Food/Recipes/6-One-of-a-Kind-Cupcakes.html Here is our spin:
Lemon-Lime Jello Poke Cakes
Cupcakes
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
4 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1. Heat oven to 350. Line muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk sour cream, milk, lemon zest and juice in a medium-small bow.
4. Beat butter, honey and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy- about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. With mixer on low speed, beat in half flour mixture, then the sour cream mixture. Beat in remaining flour mixture until just combined.
6. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 16-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove to cool completely.
7. When cupcakes are cool, poke holes in cake with a wooden pick or meat fork.
Jello Glaze
Mix a 3 ounce package of lime jello with 1 cup boiling water. Stir until sugar crystals are completely dissolved. Carefully pour over each cupcake.
We suggest topping with lightly sweetened whipped cream to balance the sweetness of the cupcake. See our post on stabilized whipped cream. You can then sprinkle with jello crystals for a little extra color and flavor.
For some free cupcake wrapper templates, check out http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/10/22/make-your-own-cupcake-wrappers/
Now go have some Jello
Yes, our cookbook giveaway is still open! Go here to find out how to enter.
No, it’s not berry season yet, but I’m longing for it! My incredible kids can’t wait. They are ready to get rid of their bulky winter wear and put on a super “swim suit.” This dessert will give you a little bite of what is to come…
Easy Fruit Tarts
Store purchased mini-tart shells or homemade mini-tart shells: Here is an easy recipe http://www.joyofjello.com/?p=640
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (about 20-25 seconds per side in microwave)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 (3oz.) lemon jello
1 cup ice
Fruit of choice
Beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Spoon or pipe cream into tart shells. Place fruit on top of cream. In large glass bowl, heat 3/4 cup water in microwave until boiling- about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Remove from microwave and slowly pour in jello powder. Stir until blended and return to microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir well until jello is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup ice and stir until ice is completely dissolved. Spoon gelatin over tarts. (If your cream and fruit are mounded up in tart- as shown in picture- rather than level, the glaze will not adhere to the fruit very well. That’s ok, it will run down in crevices and on cream and it will look pretty and still have a punch of flavor from the glaze.
Now Go Make Some Tarts and Have a Little Jello Joy!
P.S. We linked up on the link party one Little Eme, go check out the other cool links.
