A Recipe From My Childhood

by
How they wrapped my finger up at the ER.

I don’t think I’ve shared this fact before, but I’m super clumsy. My father used to tease me and say they should’ve named me Grace. I always joke that even if there was only one piece of furniture in a room, I’d manage to bump into it and end up with a bruise.

Well, I’ve done it again. I got tangled up with my dogs, fell, and broke my left ring finger. As it is hard to type, I’m doing a simple recipe post today. My family has made this Strawberry Dessert as we call it, for years. It’s light and refreshing, a perfect dessert for a big easter dinner. As it’s best made the day before to be completely set, it leaves you time on Easter for church, preparing the meal, and having fun with family. If you’re like me, unless I make dessert ahead of time whenever, we go without because by the time we’re done cooking, eating, and cleaning up, I’m too tired to make dessert!

 

Strawberry Dessert

Ingredients:

1 angel food cake

2 packages of # ounce strawberry Jell-O

2 Cups boiling water

2 10 oz (approximately) frozen strawberries in syrup, not the unsweetened kind

1 pint whipped cream

Directions:

  1. Tear angel food cake into bite size pieces and place in a 9×13 pan.
  2. In a bowl, stir boiling water and Jell-O until dissolved. Add frozen strawberries. Stir until strawberries are separated and mixture has started to thicken. Place in refrigerator for fifteen or so minutes until much thicker but not set.
  3. Whip cream to a thick but not stiff stage. Remove strawberry and Jell-O mixture from refrigerator. Fold in whipped cream until mixture is well combined and smooth.
  4. Pour over angel food cake. Refrigerate until firm.

Growing up Lutheran in the Midwest, Jell-O was a staple at family events and church potlucks. I can’t even count how many salad and dessert recipes I have that require this ingredient. This one is one of my spring and summer favorites. I hope you enjoy this blast from my past.

To be entered in my random giveaway for the Hanging With My Peeps T-shirt and a signed copy of Family Ties leave a comment about your favorite Jell-O recipe or the oddest one someone you know has made.

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Julie Benson has written five novels for Harlequin American, and her Wishing, Texas series is available from Tule Publishing. Now that her three sons have left the nest in Dallas, when she isn't writing, Julie spends her time working on home improvement projects, rescuing dogs, and visiting Texas wineries with her husband. Visit her at www.juliebenson.net.

60 thoughts on “A Recipe From My Childhood”

  1. Love this. I think my mom made something similar, but omit the angel food cake, and put the mixture in the tupperware jello mold.

    So sorry to hear about your finger. I hope it heals quickly.

    Denise

    • Denise, thank you for the good wishes on my finger. Guess I need to be on more calcium to help with my bones. Now that I’ve gone gluten free, I may go to your mom’s recipe and omit the angel food cake. Thanks for mentioning her recipe and for being here today. Take care.

  2. My aunt always made fruit salad and jello. Please take care of yourself. I hope you finger heals quickly. I hope you have a blessed Easter.

    • Debbie, thank you for being here today and for wishing me well. This time isn’t as bad as when I injured my right index finger. Goodness we use our thumbs and index fingers for everything! This one isn’t slowing me down too much except for typing.

      Ah, fruit salad and Jell-O. It takes me back to every Church and potluck family dinner I’ve ever had. Thanks for being here. Take care and may your Easter be blessed as well.

    • Rhonda, living in Texas, it’s a great refreshing dessert for summer. I love that i’s easy, too. However now that I’m gluten free I’m going to have to make my own angel food cake to get gluten free or leave it out. 🙁

      Thanks for stopping by the corral today. Take care and have a great rest of the week.

    • Debra, Cool Whip is another midwestern potluck staple! I have a ton of old recipes that use that. The strawberry dessert looks odd but tastes fabulous. Thank you for being here and for the good wishes on my finger.

  5. Sorry about your hand!
    My aunt makes a dessert using an orange jello packet, cool whip and mandarin oranges. ?

    • Becky, thanks for stopping by today. The orange Jell-O, Cool Whip, and mandarin oranges sounds good, too. I may have to try that, and yippee, it’s gluten free!

      Thankfully the finger I broke is on my left hand and I’m right handed. The only thing that’s been a big problem so far is typing. It’s really slowing me down and I make a ton of typos.

      Take care and have a fantastic rest of the week.

  6. My MIL made the best jello salads and I miss them!! Anyway my grands have been know to request my lemon blueberry trifle – like yours very easy! Tear up an angel food cake and put a single layer in a large bowl, then mix a big box of instant lemon pudding and put a layer of that over the cake, sprinkle with fresh or frozen blueberries and continue with more layers ending with blueberries over pudding!

    • Teresa, this sounds absolutely wonderful. I’m going to a graduation in Florida. We’re all staying in condos and will be cooking. The graduate loves lemon so I may need to make this dessert. I love when a dessert looks like it took a ton of work (like this one because trifles are always impressive) but are really easy. And blueberries and lemon are so great together.

      Thanks for being here today and giving me a great fancy schmancy but easy dessert for Florida. Take care and have a great rest of the week!

  7. Julie – great recipe! Easter seems to be the go-time for strawberries since they’re coming into season. And I had to smile at your reference to Jello. I have tons of Jello recipes – like you, I was raised on the stuff. Now my kids won’t eat it plain and the varieties available at the store seem to be shrinking.

    Thanks for sharing – and hugs on that hand injury. The blog looked great in spite of it!

  8. My daughter has the same “gift” you do regarding earning her bruises. You poor thing! Yes, jello desserts are a huge staple here at any gathering. One of my favorites is snickers salad. I laugh because it’s called salad but the whole thing is a dessert with snickers bars in it!

    • Susan, first my sympathies to your daughter. 🙂 People are always asking me where I got a bruise because I also bruise easily and horribly. Most times I have no idea so I say I bumped into something.

      I laughed at your salad comment. I have quite a few recipes that are labeled salads but are really desserts too. How could our mothers, grandmothers, and aunts have labeled a recipe with a SNICKERS CANDY BAR a salad? I bet my family who are all addicted to Snickers would love your recipe. What else is in it? You’ve peaked my curiosity and boy am I craving a Snickers bar now.

      Thanks for being here. Take care and have a great rest of the week.

  9. Being a midwest girl and growing up Lutheran, I can confirm Jello is a staple (though there is a lot at Baptist potlucks, too). I hope you heal soon.

    • Cheryl, I think I’ve had that salad with pineapple and the carrots before! I’ve also had it with lemon Jell-O. It’s surprisingly good. Boy does that bring back memories of being at church potlucks and nagging my parents as to when we could leave.

      Thanks for the smile and for being here. Take care.

  11. I have two odd jello recipes, one from my mom and one from my dad:

    #1. Lime jello with shredded raw cabbage and carrots mixed in. Slice into squares and serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise on top

    #2. Cherry jello mixed with Coca Cola, on pecans, with shredded cheddar cheese on top

    Thanks!

    • Okay, Abby, you get the stumped me award! I thought I’d had every Jell-O recipe possible, but I’ve never had or heard or those two! My mom made a lime Jell-O one with cream cheese, possibly mayo if I remember correctly, and crushed pineapple. It tasted better than it sounds. How about your lime recipe? How did it taste? The cherry and Coke sound good. Afterall, a cherry Coke is wonderful. Pecans, yup, I’m good with that, too. But I’m trying to imagine how the cheddar cheese on top adds to it. I my have to try this one. Thanks for stopping by to chat today.

    • Anne, I bet we’d be amazed if we could see all the boxes from the Jell-O we’ve consumed in our lifetime! Wait a minute. Maybe I don’t want to know. 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by to chat. Take care and have a super rest of the week!

  13. When I wanted a fancy dessert I made a mousse with jello. It was so delectable and special. I haven’t made it in years but remember it so well and it was quick and fun to make.

    • I’ve seen recipes for mousse with Jell-O but haven’t tried them. I will now after your recommendation! I love strawberry or chocolate mousse. Thank you for being here today and letting me know about the mousse. Take care and have a great rest of the week.

  14. My grandmother and my aunt made jelly salads. Not done much anymore. Nobody really ate them and we would have more than 20 sometimes for holiday meals. So, they stopped making them. Too many leftovers. I am going to try this dessert one. I love strawberries.

    • Kathleen, your comment made me laugh. It brought to mind church potlucks with an entire table of Jell-0 stuff. I know I make way less Jell-O salads and desserts than I used to. I think, at least for me, it’s been because of trying to eat healthier and reduce my sugar intake.

  15. Eons ago when I was in school, the school would serve orange jello with shredded carrots in it. My aunt for family picnics would make strawberry pie using jello.

    • I have a great recipe for strawberry pie I shared ages ago that calls for strawberry Jell-O, too. I got if from my youngest son who made it in a skills for living class in middle school. He is the best pie chef in the family. I’ve also had the Jell-O with carrots in it and have been surprise how good it tastes. Thanks for stopping by to chat today. Have a fabulous week.

  16. Poke cake – much like what you’ve described, but you poke holes in the cake and poor the jello mixture over it. Any fruit is added upside-down style, on top, or baked into the cake. Refrigerate, then cover with whipped cream (like a frosting). Any flavor or multiple flavors of Jello, lots of variations.

    • That sounds so good! I’ve had a poke cake before but never thought to add fruit on or in the cake. What a super idea. I’m definitely going to try that. Thanks for sharing the recipe with all of us today. Have a wonderful day of the week

  17. I love the wrapping job for your poor finger!! It almost looks like the wrapping job when I broke my wrist!! The recipe sounds a bit like one my Mom made.

    • Trudy, I know the wrapping was ridiculous. There was a splint on there too. All they really needed to do was tape my ring finger to my middle finger but they really wanted to keep it immobile. Most of my hand front and back was bruised. You’ll laugh but they also gave me a sling.

  18. Hi Julie! Hope you mend well my friend! My mom had a recipe similar to this as well. We used fresh squeezed lemons and sweetened condensed milk along with the whipping cream. Oh what a delight. Strawberries makes a very appealing dessert. So pretty! Take it easy. Happy Easter.

    • Kathy, thank you for your good wishes. I’m so thankful this injury was to a finger on my left hand and not my right again.

      Your dessert sounds great too. But the I love pretty much anything with strawberries. Take care and may your Easter be blessed.

    • Tonya, it’s so easy to make. The toughest thing is waiting for the Jell-O strawberry mixture to thicken enough. It’s one of my favorite desserts, but it’s not as good as my grandma’s angel food cake, fresh strawberries, and whip cream, but it’s close. Let me know how it turns out if you make it. Take care, have a great rest of the week, and a blessed Easter.

  20. We go more for the Strawberry Pretzel jell-o salad here. We make it about all summer
    2 cups crushed pretzels

    ¾ cup butter, melted

    3 tablespoons white sugar

    1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

    1 cup white sugar

    1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

    2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored Jell-O®

    2 cups boiling water

    2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries
    ADD ALL INGREDIENTS TO SHOPPING LIST
    Directions Instructions Checklist
    Step 1
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

    Step 2
    Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.

    Step 3
    Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool.

    Step 4
    In a large mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust.

    Step 5
    Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in still frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.
    We sometimes top this with cool whip.

    • I love this recipe. Thanks for sharing. A tearoom I would go to had this but they called it a salad! I’d order a salad trio, eat the other two items like chicken and pasta salad for my lunch. Then I’d eat the pretzel “salad” for my dessert. Since I’ve gone gluten free I miss this so much. I’ve got to see if someone makes gluten free pretzels because now I’m craving this dessert something fierce. Thanks for stopping by and sharing this terrific recipe with everyone.

  21. Im sorry about your finger. Prayers that it heals properly quickly. Oh but that recipe looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing. My mom made red and green jello pops one year for the grandkids for Christmas. The kids loved them. One year for St Patrick’s Day I made a green jello with tiny marshmallows. It looked fun when I put it in the ‘fridge. When I pulled it out all the marshmallows had made a circle in the middle. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the middle marshmallows weren’t gooey. LOL. We just ate the jello.

    • Lori, thank you for the prayers I hate when I add fruit or marshmallows to Jell-O and they float to the top or clump in the center, too. My trick is I let the Jello-O set some before I add the fruit or marshmallows. As to them getting gooey, I’m at a loss on that. And what a great idea your mom had about the Jell-O pops. I wish I’d have thought of something like that when my kids were little.

      Thanks for sharing your marshmallow disappointment with us. Take care and have a great rest of the week.

  22. I will always remember one of aunts would make us pineapple yellow with crushed pineapple in it and it was delicious !! She would make it especially foe Easter!

  23. My mom made a salad with lime jello and 7Up and Cool Whip and cream cheese. It was a pretty green color.

    • Laurie, my mom made a 7-up salad, too! She made hers with lemon Jell-O and pineapple on the bottom layer. The top layer had pineapple juice mixed with Cool Whip. It’s been amazing to see today how many of us have similar Jell-O recipes/food memories! Who’d have thunk it? Thanks for being here today. Take care.

  24. Good book I am sure. Love the T-shirt. It would have been perfect when I was working as a children’s librarian. My “professional” wardrobe was pretty much T’s like this and skirts with Dr. Seuss , Dino, train, or fish fabric. I am always tempted to wear them when an event says work dress, but haven’t yet dared to.

    Anyway…. Thank you for the recipe. I have not done a Jello anything in a long time. I do have frozen strawberries and will have to try this one. Sounds good.

    I had a cousin that made a striking dessert. I have been meaning to make it for years, but still haven’t. It is lovely when served and not hard to make, but time consuming.

    LAYERED JELLO SALAD

    Use a 9 x 13 baking dish.

    Select 8 different flavors (colors) of Jello.
    Mix the first package of Jello (3 oz.) with one cup of hot water, pour half into the dish, and refrigerate until hard set.
    To the reserved half, add 1/3 cup of sour cream. Layer on top of hard set first layer, and refrigerate to hard set.
    Repeat steps 2 and 3 with each different color/flavor.
    Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

    Like I said, not hard, just time consuming. It really is a pretty dessert when served this way. Spooning it out doesn’t have the same effect.

    • Was just reading through the other comments and now have some good recipes to try. The jello salad ideas are pretty standard with slight variations. I have had the orange jello with shredded carrots, but with raisins and sometimes pineapple added. Another I liked was usually made with lime jello, cottage cheese, and either fruit cocktail or crushed pineapple added. Take good care of yourself. Take good care of that finger. Hopefully it will heal quickly with no more problems.

      • Patricia, I bet the layered Jell-O looks so cool, but I don’t have the patience to stick with it to get it made. I want to try the orange Jell-O with shaved carrots, raisins and pineapple. Thank you for the good wishes on my finger. I appreciate everyone sending me good vibes. Y’all are the sweetest readers ever! Take care and have a blessed Easter.

    • Caryl, thank you for stopping by to send me good wishes. I’m hoping it’s a quick heal too. I’m just glad this injury was on my left hand. Take care and have a great rest of the week.

    • Colleen, you must not have grown up in the Midwest. When I lived there I never went to a family or church event where it wasn’t in some salad.

      Thank you so much for sending healing thoughts my way. I appreciate the kindness. Have a good rest of the week and a blessed Easter.

  30. Stawberry Sour Cream Jello Salad. Yum. Haven’t had it in years and don’t know why they call it a “salad”, but deeelish. I’ll have to make it soon!

    Gods blessings to you for a speedy healing process ;o)

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