A midwestern salad that isn't really a salad. Tastes like a tangy orange creamsicle popsicle, in fluff salad form. Great for summer or Halloween/Fall Festivals.
Ingredients
6 oz box orange gelatin
2 3.4 oz box vanilla pudding mix
2 8 oz tubs cool whip
3 15oz cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 bag mini marshmallows
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin and boiling water until fully dissolved. Add the cold water. Put in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Pull bowl from fridge and whisk in pudding mixture until smooth. Cover or put on lid. Put it back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes.
Pull bowl and whisk the mixture. Fold in the cool whip and mini marshmallows until light orange and uniform. Fold in the oranges gently, so the majority stay intact.
Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve. Optional: Reserve a cup of the marshmallows and one can's worth of oranges to garnish before serving.
A friend of mine, during my first marriage, was predictable when it came to potluck affairs as she always showed up with this dessert. Then again, she had 3 children under the age of 3 at the time so this was something she could quickly whip up to take somewhere.
List of Ingredients:
- 1 package of white cake mix; prepare and bake in a 9 x 13 cake pan per instructions; cool
- 1 large package of fruit flavored gelatin (lime, cherry, or strawberry is generally what I use)
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups whipped topping (i.e. Cool-Whip)
Preparation: After the cake is cool (leave it in the baking dish), take a fork or butter knife (my friend and I used both for variety) and randomly 'stab' or puncture the cake. You want to create small holes or slits that are random in location and depth in the cake.
Prepare gelatin mix per instructions then gradually pour across the top of the cake. Allow it to seep into the slits and punctures you made across the top before pouring more of the gelatin across the top.
Place cake in refridgerator and let chill for at least 30 minutes. Right before serving, or heading out of the house to the potluck affair, spread a layer of the whipped topping across the top. Slice and serve!
If you want to be fancy, divide the cake mix into 2 8-inch square baking pans and use two small boxes that are different, but complimentary, flavors of gelatin mix. Use one flavor of gelatin on one cake and the second gelatin on the other. After chilling, to let the gelatin set, gently remove one cake from the pan and put on a serving plate. Spread a layer of whipped topping across the top. Place the second cake on top, spread the remaining whipped topping across the top (and sides if you want to go an extra mile).
Servings: 8 to 10
Garnishments (optional): Place sliced strawberries or sprinkle some blueberries or rasberries across the top.
Family Rating: 5 out of 5 wanted seconds.
When I was much younger my mother used to make a dessert simply by using Milnot and Jello. She would whip the this up, pour it into a glass dish then place it in the freezer (to speed up the setting time as us kids were impatient lot). What fond memories I have of that dessert! Jell-o sold a package mix called "1-2-3", that was similar, in the 1980s but I haven't seen it on store shelves for a few years now. The trick is in this dessert recipe is to plan timing as you don't want to the gelatin to harden but yet be cold as warm gelatin has the Milnot loose some of its stiffness.
Now Milnot was easily found in stores way back when but nowadays many people look at you blankly when mentioning it. My daughters, when making this recipe, use whipped topping (i.e. Cool-Whip) in place of Milnot; not quite the same but close enough to satisfy them.
List of Ingredients:
- 1 3-ounce box of flavored gelatin mix (we prefered using lime or strawberry for this dessert)
- 1 can Milnot (some people today substitute whipped topping)
- (optional)1 can crushed pineapple; drained
- (optional)1/4 cup chopped pecans
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Chill Milnot, still in the can, at least 1 hour before starting this recipe. Prepare gelatin according to directions (use a couple of ice cubes method as you want this to be cool and not warm) and set in fridge to start setting. Whip Milnot until it forms stiff peaks, and yes - this takes a little while, then set aside. Take gelatin out of fridge, it should not be set but cold. Whip the gelatin just to get it frothy then, while still mixing, gradually add in the Milnot. If using crushed pineapple and/or nuts, gradually mix those in last. Spread the mixture into glass container and chill for at least 1 hour in refridgerator before serving. For optimal visual effect, pour into a clear glass rectangle dish or clear individual dessert dishes as this gradually dessert forms 3 layers as its sets, the top one being the fluffiest tasting.
Garnishments: (optional)
Slice and serve on a leaf of lettuce.
Servings: 6 to 8.
Family Rating: 5 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
When I was younger my parents often attended functions that had potluck dinner. A woman shared this recipe with my mother, saying she got it from a box of Dream Whip. We weren't big mandarin oranges fans so we usually left that ingredient out of the recipe when making it at home. Although it may not sound good, when reading the recipe ingredients, it is a tasty cool treat!
List of Ingredients:
- 1 can crushed pineapple; drained
- 1 can mandarin oranges
- 1 small container of small curd cottage cheese
- 1 lg box orange or lime flavored gelatin mix
- Whipped topping mix
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Prepare whipped topping per instructions on box (or may substitute something like small container of Cool Whip), fold in cottage cheese and fruits then gradually fold in the gelatin mix powder. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Some people call this recipe Jello Fluff, but my mother called another dessert by that name, and like to add some chopped pecans or shredded coconut to this recipe.
Garnishments: (optional)
Serve on a leaf of lettuce.
Servings: 6 to 8.
Family Rating: 4 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
List of Ingredients:
- 20 ounce can of sliced pineapple or mixed fruit; drained; leave fruit in can
- 1 3-ounce package of flavored gelatin; your choice of flavor
- i cup water; boiling
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Pour gelatin into can with fruit. Chill at least 2-1/2 hours, or overnight is better, to set.
To serve, slide gelatin out of the can, slice (easy to do with the pineapple since you would cut between the slices.
Garnishments: (optional)
Serve on top of a leaf of lettuce if feeling fancy.
Servings: 5 to 6.
Family Rating: 5 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells