Springtime Strawberry Gelatin Salad

I wanted a cold salad to go with all the Easter hot dishes, and came up with this simple idea for a jello salad.  This is an embarassingly easy recipe!  Using the carbonated water cooler instead of the usual cold water to make the jello adds a refreshing zest. Best of all, no added sugar!  This will be a great addition to a ham and potato-based work lunch next week.

Springtime Strawberry Gelatin Salad

2  .60-ounce packages of sugarfree strawberry Jello gelatin
4 cups boiling water
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 peeled oranges, each segment cut into 3 bite-size pieces
1 liter bottle (4 cups) 0-calorie strawberry-flavored carbonated water

1.  Place both boxes of gelatin into a large serving dish.  I used the largest of my four nested Pyrex bowls which holds just over 2 quarts. 

2.  Measure 4 cups of water into a 4-cup capacity Pyrex glass measuring cup.  Heat the cup in the microwave on high until the water boils, about 10-11 minutes depending on how powerful your microwave is.  While you wait for the water to boil, prepare the strawberries and oranges. 

3.  When you can see that the water is boiling, remove (use an oven mitt or potholder!) and pour over the dry gelatin.  Stir for 2 minutes, then add the bottle of strawberry water cooler.  The mixture will foam up temporarily.  Add the fruit and stir well.  Cover and place in the refrigerator to set, at least 2 hours for a firm set.



Easter Dinner 2011.  Yes, there are some bites taken.  I couldn't wait!



Cranberry Fluff

This is a Thanksgiving tradition for my family.  It's a great side for the Thanksgiving table, and it's also excellent with turkey sandwiches after the big day.   Mom serves hers in a very pretty cranberry-colored glass bowl.

Cranberry Fluff- Make this a day ahead!

1 bag                                    cranberries, ground

1 cup                                    sugar

20-ounce can                       crushed pineapple, drained

10.5 ounce bag                    mini marshmallows

1 pint (2 cups)                      heavy cream, whipped

1.            Pick through the bag of cranberries, discarding any that are soft and squishy.  Rinse the remaining firm cranberries and grind them.  There are a number of ways you can do this; the easiest is with a food processer (I've also used an old-fashioned meat grinder). Put the ground cranberries into the biggest bowl you have.  I use a Tupperware Thatsa bowl, which holds 32 cups.

2.            Add the sugar and mix well.  Next add the drained pineapple and marshmallows and stir everything together.

3.            Using a stand mixer with a wire whip attachment, beat the cream until it's firm.  You'll know it's done if you can confidently hold the bowl upside down without anything sloshing around or sliding out. 

4.            Gently fold the whipping cream into the cranberry mixture.  Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator for at least a day before serving.  Doing so allows the sweet ingredients to temper the tart cranberries.