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Do any of your little children or grandchildren ever ask you if there was jello when you were little? Mine have and I’m very quick to tell them that it’s been around since the late 1890s, and of course, I ate jello when I was little and I still do. I think most all of us call gelatin, jello, but I’ve found that other brands work well in recipes using gelatin. I will say that jello-o brand of gelatin has a wider variety of flavors and flavor combinations than other gelatins but I’ve never had a recipe not turn out by using another brand.

Peter Cooper invented this dessert/salad food product in 1845 but never did anything with the idea for 50 years and neither did anyone else. Then along came a Mr. Wait, of New York, who was in the package foods business and he adapted Cooper’s idea. His wife came up with the name of “Jello-O” for the product in 1897 and we’ve been eating Jello-O ever since.

In 1906, sales were near to the million dollar mark. I’d say they were doing quite well financially, and most likely still are. I don’t know of a grocery store that doesn’t carry Jello-O.

I heard that there is a fun thing that’s coming up soon at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church, in Center City. As part of their 150th anniversary celebration, they are hosting a jell-o cookoff and potluck luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5. The cook-off is open to anyone who wishes to participate. If you’d like more information on the particulars of how to enter, etc., call Cheryl Martinson at 257-3503.

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So, we’re going to do recipes using gelatin today. Let’s start with a tangy lemon dessert...

TANGY LEMONADE PIE

1––.3 oz. pkg. sugar-free lemon gelatin

1––8 oz. pkg. reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1––3/4 t. sugar-free lemonade mix

1––reduced-fat graham cracker 8-inch crust (you may use a regular graham cracker crust or a baked pastry crust if you wish)

lite whipped topping

Prepare gelatin according to package directions. Refrigerate until almost set. Pour into food processor or blender; add cheese and lemonade mix. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into crust. Refrigerate overnight.

Serve with whipped topping. Serves 6.

(The ingredients tell you it’s a lowfat, low-calorie dessert, but I don’t have the nutritional analysis, sorry.)

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One of our friends, who has since moved from our area, served this refreshing salad at a luncheon a number of years ago. This recipe uses regular lemon gelatin.

SHIRLEY’S MT. DEW ‘N LEMON SALAD

1 large (6 oz.) pkg. lemon gelatin

2 c. boiling water

2 c. Mt. Dew

2 medium bananas, peeled and sliced

1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1 c. whipped topping or whipped cream (1/2 c. unwhipped)

1-15.75 oz. can lemon pie filling

2 c. mini-marshmallows

In large bowl, combine gelatin and water stirring to completely dissolve gelatin. Add Mt. Dew. Refrigerate until slightly thickened (see below). Fold in bananas, pineapple and whipped topping. Fold in pie filling and marshmallows. Turn into a 9x13 pan. Chill until firm, at least three hours. Cut into squares and garnish with fresh pineapple and mint leaves or a twist of lemon if you wish. Serves 12-15.

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This salad is so light and refreshing and easy to make.

ORANGE GINGER WHIP

1-3 oz. pkg. orange or orange-pineapple gelatin

1 c. boiling ginger ale

1 c. cold orange juice

Dissolve gelatin in ginger ale. Add orange juice, chill until very thick. Whip until fluffy. Spoon into 1 qt. ring mold. Chill until firm 2-3 hours. Fill center with whipped topping and garnish with orange sections or well drained mandarin oranges and fresh mint leaves.

To make whipped gelatin, chill until very thick. Then beat with electric mixer until thick and fluffy . . . about double in volume. Serves 4-6.

Paging through four gelatin recipe books I came upon this time chart that might be of help to you when you are preparing a gelatin recipe.

chilling time chart

When a recipe says . . .

•Chill until syrupy––should be consistency of thick syrup and will take about 1 hour.

•Chill until slightly thickened––should be consistency of unbeaten egg whites, take about 1-1/4 hours.

•Chill until thickened––should be thick enough so that a spoon drawn through it leaves a definite impression, take about 1-1/2 hours.

•Chill until set but not firm––should stick to the finger when touched and should mound or move to the side when bowl or mold is tilted, take about 2 hours.

•Chill until firm––should not stick to finger when touched, 4-5 cup mold take at least 3 hours; 2-6 cup mold take at least 4 hours.

And, regular and sugar-free gelatins may be used interchangeably in recipes.

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Thought for the day: Remember, there’s always room for J-E-L-L-0!

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