We picked both winners on random.org,  I still can’t figure out how to post the random number generator thing.  You are just going to have to trust me.

Drum roll please…..

The winner on facebook is Robin Davis

The recipe superstar winner is J.P Baxter

Congratulations Robin and J.P.!

We will feature all of the submitted recipes here and we will contact you when we feature your recipe.

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.

What would make jello better?  Jello girl and I (Eunice) thought that a giveaway would be a perfect way to add some fun to Jello Week.  This time we are going to do it a bit different from our last giveaway.  Our mission is two-fold:  we want to make some new friends on facebook and we want to see some of your favorite jello recipes.

There are two ways to enter (and you can enter in both ways):

#1  Go to our Facebook joyofjello page and press like.  Leave us a comment to enter the contest.

#2  Send us a favorite recipe for jello, gelatin or anything else that jells to:  eunicejello@hotmail.com

Now you might be asking yourself:  what are they giving away?  As we considered our many options, we finally decided on a cookbook–not just any cookbook–but a ”Mormon” cookbook.  If you haven’t followed our blog, we are from Utah where Jell-O is the official state snack and the 2nd full week in February is Jello Week.  Since we “Mormons” choose not to drink, smoke, or take drugs, it seems that food is our chosen vice.  I have heard that The Biggest Loser has an unusually high proportion of contestants from Utah.  I can’t vouch for that since I don’t watch The Biggest Loser, but I do know that Utah–with its very high population of Mormons–also has an unusually high proportion of food blogs.

A very budget friendly (“Mormons” are all about being frugal) and down-to-earth cookbook featuring favorite dishes lovingly prepared by Mormon Mothers around the globe.  Recipes include:  Puero Rican Garlic Shrimp, “Perfection Rolls,” Spicy Singapore Noodles, Hearty Norwegian Meatballs and a Utah Grandma’s legendary Chocolate-Peanut Butter Fudge.  Are there any jello recipes?  Enter to win and find out!

*Mormon is the nickname for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (http://www.mormon.org/).

Now Go Enter to Win and Have a Little Jello Joy!

In honor of jello week, please take note:  Jello isn’t just for jiggly salads and desserts, it has lots of different yummy uses!

Jello popcorn balls

1 C. light corn syrup

1 small box sugar free or regular flavor jello, any flavor

1 C. Sugar

4 quarts air- popped popcorn

Whisk corn syrup, jello, and sugar together in a pot and bring to a boil.  Boil 1 minute.  Pour over popcorn and mix well with a large spoon.  When mixture is cooled just enough to touch, grease hands and form into balls.

* I got this recipe from the simply de*lite*ful cookbook, which by the way has some very good recipes!

Now Go Get Poppin’ and Have Some Jello Joy!

Celebrate Jello Week with these yummy treats!  What kid could resist them?  So cute!  How fun would they be in a lunch box or for a holiday or party treat!  You can do them in any color for any theme:  red for Valentines, red and green for Christmas, orange for Halloween, green for St. Patricks, red and blue for 4th of July etc.

My kids were not in agreement as to the name of these treats.  On the Kraft website http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/easy-marshmallow-pinwheels-51697.aspx they are called Gelatin Pinwheels, but some of my kids thought that fruity roll-ups sounded better.  Either way they are fun, easy and delicious!

Gelatin Pinwheel/ Fruity Roll-Ups

1 (3 oz.) pkg. jello

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Lightly spray an 8 or 9 inch pan square pan with non-stick cooking spray and make sure it is spread well.

Stir together water and jello powder in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute.   Remove bowl and stir well making sure jello is dissolved.  If necessary, return to microwave for 20 seconds or so to make sure jello is dissolved and stir again.

Add marshmallows and return to microwave for 20-40 seconds or until marshmallows have just begun to puff.  This is the key to a successful marshmallow layer!  If you over cook the marshmallows, they just dissolve and your roll-up will not have two distinct layers.

Whisk quickly until marshmallows are dissolved.

Pour quickly into prepared pan and chill in fridge for 45 minutes or until well set.  Creamy layer will float to the top.

Remove the pan from fridge.  At this point,  the jello should be very firm and easy to handle.  Gently pull one side away from pan and lift entire sheet onto counter.  Starting at one end, roll up tightly.  With seam side down, cut into 10-12 (1/2) inch slices.  We found it easiest to cut with a piece of thread or dental floss.  Just put the string around roll-up, cross and pull.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Now Go Spread Some Fruity Gelatin Pinwheel Joy!

We are linked to the link party on fingerprints on the fridge,  Tatertots and jello and So you think you are crafty,go there and check out all the other cool links!.

* Check out our cookbook giveaway here.

It’s finally here!  The week we have all been waiting for.  It’s almost as exciting as Christmas:  Yes, today is the first official day of Jello Week.

In 2001 Governor Leavitt and the Utah Senate made a significant decision that would change Utah forever.  After much thought, consideration and debate, Jello was made Utah’s official state snack and the second full week in February was determined to be know heretofore after as Jello Week.

I know what you are thinking and it didn’t come easy.  There of course were voices of dissent.  Ron Allen for one said, “The suggestion that Jell-O is the carrot sprinkled glue that keeps families together has pushed me over the edge.”  He apparently has not tasted my Jello- and as of this date it has never had carrots in it, but I plan to try that soon.

Top 24 Ways to Celebrate Jello Week

1.  Have a Jello Eating Contest

2.  Drink Jello Through a Straw

3.  Have a Jello Making Contest

4.  Have a Jello Wrestling Competition

5.  Make Jello Shots (if you are not Mormon) if you are, talk to your Bishop

6.  Buy a Jello Mold at a Near-by Thrift Shop

7.  Make Jello With Your New Jello Mold

8.  Buy a Jello Recipe Book

9.  Try Out a New Recipe

10.  Try a New Flavor- or Better Yet- Create Your Own Flavor.  Mix Kinds and Give a Nifty Prize to the Person that Can Guess the Flavors.

11.  Write a Letter to a Utah Congressman/Woman Telling About Your Jello Joys.

12.  Take Jello to a Neighbor.

13.  Take Jello to Work

14.  Congeal Your Co-Workers Stapler or Other Item in Jello.  See jellostapler.com for details.

15.  Congeal Your Husband’s Car Keys in Jello

16.  If You Have Had it with Your Teenager Texting, Congeal His/Her Cell Phone in Jello

17.  Play a Jello Joy Joke

18.  Have a Jello Buffet

19.  Fill Your Bathtub with Jello

20.  Make Jello Jigglers

21.  Try to Make a Delicate Arch Out of Jello

22.  Make a Jello Valentine

23.  Do Something Romantic with Jello

24.  Make a Mold of Your Face with Jello.  Google:  Eat Yer’ Face Gelatin Mold

Go and have some Jello Joy this week!  Let me know how you celebrate.

I don’t think I’ve seen more whoopie pies in my life.  It seems every magazine, cooking blog, recipe book etc. is featuring whoopie pies.  So I figured, why not?  We should join the crowd!  When I saw this recipe for jello frosting on http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/11/kid-friendly-jello-frosting.html I knew it would be a perfect fit for Valentines Day.  In addition, today is Eunice’s birthday:  WHOOPIE!!!  Happy Birthday girl.  Hope you have a fabulous day filled with lots of jello joy!

For the whoopie pies, I used a recipe from Family Fun.   http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/whoopie-pies-975408/

Whoopie Pies

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup softened butter- not melted, just soft

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1.  Heat oven to 350.  In a bowl or zip-lock bag mix:  flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Mix and set aside.

2.  Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla.

3.  Add half the flour mixture to creamed butter mixture and mix.  Then add half buttermilk and mix.  Add remaining flour mixture, mixing well and remaining buttermilk and mix well.

4.  With a spoon (I like to use a small cookie/ice cream scoop to get a uniform shape and size)  scoop out batter onto a prepared cookie sheet.  (I like to use parchment paper.)

5.  Bake for 8 minutes at 350.  Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet.

Whoopie Pie review: These cookies are perfect for whoopie pies-  just be careful, if you overcook or if the butter is melted rather than just softened they will go flat and thin.  Then they are too thin and delicate.  They would make a yummy cookie for an ice cream sandwich.

Jello Frosting/Filling

3 ounce pkg. of raspberry or strawberry jello

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

Place the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Turn mixer on high and then slowly stream 1/2 cup boiling water over ingredients.  Whip on high for five minutes- occasionally scraping down the bowl.

Spoon filling onto cookie- again a little cookie scoop works great.  Top with another cookie and press lightly.

*Frosting Review: This is truly a unique frosting.  It has a bit of a marshmallowy texture.  It is very light and fluffy.  It is best to decorate right away as it sets up a bit.  I think that I would prefer a more traditional filling on whoopie pies, but it would be great on cupcakes.   The best part is, you can use any flavor you want ie:  blueberry for 4th of July, orange for Halloween etc.

Now Go Make Some Whoopie Pies and Have Some Jello Joy Today!

A jello love potion, just in time for Valentines!

Sparkling Jello Love Potion

1 Tblsp. unflavored gelatin

4 cups chilled sparkling red grape juice, divided

2 Tblsp. sugar

In a small pan, sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup sparkling juice; let stand for 1 minute.  Add sugar and heat over medium heat stirring until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup sparkling juice.  Cool to room temperature- about 30 minutes on counter, or you can speed it up by placing pan in a sink or bowl of ice water.  (You do not want gelatin to thicken, just cool down.)

Pour gelatin into a large bowl-gelatin may foam up.  Slowly stir in remaining sparkling juice and mix well.  Reserve 1/2 cup, and pour remaining mixture into eight champagne glasses.  Leave reserved gelatin at room temperature.  Chill champagne glasses for about 1 hour or until slightly thickened.  Whip reserved gelatin until very foamy- use your hand held mixer with wisk attachment or blender.  Spoon into glasses and chill until set.

This is my kids favorite thing to do with it:

Now Go Make a Potion and Have Some Jello Joy Today!

Jello Girl and Eunice here with another idea to take your Valentines to a new dimension!  No other food says romance better than chocolate and berries, so today in preparation for Valentines we will make chocolate raspberry cake balls- and yes jello is included.  They are easy to make and you can decorate them any way you like- let your imagination run wild!

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Balls

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 small box raspberry jello

1(16 oz.)  container chocolate frosting

Chocolate chips or dipping chocolate

Crisco

1.  Pour cake mix and dry jello into a large bowl.  Mix and then add ingredients as cake mix directs.  Pour batter into 9×13 pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake according to cake mix directions for 9×13 pan.  (They cake may may not be perfectly smooth on top- do not worry

2.  When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl and stir in the frosting.  Mix until well blended. 

3.  Roll into about 1 inch round balls.  I like to use a small cookie scoop to help me keep them uniform- although after I have scooped them all out I roll between my hands to give them a more round shape.  Chill in fridge or freezer until firm. 

4.  Melt chocolate (see tips below), dip balls and decorate if desired.

Tips: 

You can use any chocolate you like to dip.  I like using chocolate chips because I always have them on hand.  For me, the balls are easier to dip if the chocolate is a thiner consistency.  I like to add 1 tsp. crisco per 1/2 cup chocolate chips. 

Put 1-2 cups chocolate chips in a small pyrex measuring cup or tall, narrow microwavable container.  Add crisco.  Melt on full power for 30 seconds.  Stir and place back in microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir well and if needed place back in microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring well each time.  Remove when all the chips are almost melted.  Keep stirring until all chips are melted and incorporated.  If you get chocolate too hot, it will have white streaks in it after it sets up. 

I like to use a long skewer to dip balls.  I then place them on parchment paper and use a toothpick to help push ball off as I pull skewer out. 

At this point, there will be a small hole at the top.  I use one of my fingers to give the chocolate a swirl to cover the hole. 

Then decorate as desired and place in the fridge to allow chocolate to set-up.

Now Go Have Some Cake Ball Jello Joy Today!