Summer!

It's Summer vacation...starting in exactly 4 hours and 5 minutes.  There will soon be a picture of happy jumping people (namely me and possibly Lincoln) on my other blog.  It's that exciting around here.  The excitement will last all Summer for me, for Lincoln it'll last maybe a month.  He likes school, I like having him home.  

I think of Summer food and I think of barbeque, salads, lemonade and JELL-O.  Everything comes back to Jell-o for me, I'm from Utah remember?  I LOVE Jell-o, I thinking cooking science is all about combining different flavors of Jell-o together to see how they work out.  K, not really, since I want this blog to represent my maturity in cooking....hmmm.

Did I mention I have a whole cookbook about Jell-o?

I also have one all about eggs, but that's just because I used to have chickens.

Anyway, I love Jell-o...and Summer.

Here are three recipes from my beloved, treasured and priceless Jell-o cookbook...you can ask to borrow the book anytime.  Wow, I think I just saw my maturity fly out the window.  Dang.

Cool 'N Easy Pie

2/3 cup boiling water

1 package (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any flavor

1/2 cup cold juice, any flavor

Ice Cubes

1 tub (8 ounces) Cool Whip Whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared graham cracker crumb crust (6 ounces)

Assorted fruit (optional)

Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl 2 minutes or until completely dissolved.  Mix cold juice and ice to make 1 cup.  Add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened.  Remove any remaining ice.

Stir in whipped topping with wire whisk until smooth.  Refrigerate 10 -15 minutes or until mixture is very thick and willmound.  Spoon into crust. 

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Just before serving, garnish with fruit and additional whipped topping. 

Tropical Cake Squares

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 package (8-serving size) JELL-O Brand orange flavor gelatin

2 cups cold pineapple orange juice or orange juice

1 package (12 ounces) pound cake, cut into 10 to 12 slices

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed

2 cans (15 1/4 ounces each) fruit cocktail, drained

Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  Stir in cold juice.  Refrigerate about 1 1/2 hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression).  Meanwhile, line 13x9-inch pan with pound cakes slices, filling any holes with cake pieces.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  Spread evenly over crust.  Top with fruit.  Spoon thickened gelatin over cream cheese layer and fruit.

Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

Layered Cranberry Cheesecake

1 package (11.1 ounces) JELL-O No Bake Real Cheesecake

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Mix crumbs, sugar and butter with fork in small bowl until crumbs are well moistened.  Press firmly onto bottom of foil-lined 9-inch square pan.

Beat milk and filling mix with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.  Beat on medium speed 3 minutes.  (filling will be thick).  Spoon 1/2 of the filling over crust.  Cover with Cranberry sauce and walnuts.  Top with remaining filling.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Garnish as desired.