4th of July Finger Jello (Otherwise known as Rainbow Finger Jello)

I don't think I've ever put this on the blog.

Rainbow Finger Jello

(or in this case...4th of July Finger Jello...only two colors)

 

4 small boxes different colors Jello (the size that serves 4)

   (for red, white and blue Jello or red, white, green, just use 2 boxes of each color...and fewer, larger bowls)

6 pkg Knox unflavored geletin

1 can sweetened condensed milk

boiling water

patience...and love for the delighted faces of your kids/grandkids...

Plan on sticking around the kitchen for a couple of hours...do the laundry or play Candy Crush...

This is not rocket science, but you do have to get set up a bit...

You'll need 4 small bowls and another larger one.

A 9 x 13 glass pyrex dish (you could just use a metal cake pan but it's prettier and easier to make your layers level if you use a glass pan. 

1. Put 1/4 cup cold water in each of the small bowls and 1/2 cup water in the larger bowl.

2. Sprinkle one pkg unflavored geletin over the water in the small bowls and 2 pkg in the large bowl.

     Let sit for 3 or 4 minutes until dissolved and transparent.

3. Meanwhile boil a couple quarts of water

4. Add 1 C boiling water to each small bowl; add 1 1/2 C water to the large one; stir to dissolve.

5. Add one small pkg jello to each small bowl and dump the whole can of milk into the larger bowl.

6. Stir to dissolve. You may want to stick them in the microwave for 30 seconds to make sure the jello is dissolved.

7. Clear a space in your refrigerator for your glass dish. Pour in one of your bowls of colored jello. Check that your layer looks level. You may have to raise one end of your dish slightly if your layer looks thicker at one end. (I use a folded paper napkin). Let this layer gel for 15-20 minutes until firm to the touch. (later levels may gel quicker as the jello cools off).

8. Over this first layer pour 1 C of the condensed milk mixture. Tip the dish a bit to spread evenly. Let gel for 15 minutes.

9. Continue with your layers: color 1 - white - color 2 - white - color 3 - white - color 4

10. If your jello thickens up a bit as it's waiting for it's turn, just put in the microwave for 15 seconds to liquify.

****Please note...this is NOT tagged as a "healthy recipe"....but it's a lot of fun! (If you must you could also use sugar free jello and fat free condensed milk...just don't tell the kids!)

Pizza Monkey Bread

The original recipe had you make your own bread dough....I made it way easier by using frozen Parkerhouse roll dough!

1 pkg frozen Parkerhouse Rolls (24 in pkg)
1/2 C melted butter (you could probably use less in the interest of good health!)
1 C parmesan or asiago cheese, finely grated
1/2 C pepperoni slices, cut into small pieces
1 t dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Serve with pizza or marinara sauce.

Preheat oven to 400.
Cut semi thawed rolls into quarters. (They are too sticky if you let them totally thaw out)
Spray a bundt pan with Pam
Melt butter; then combine with cheese, pepperoni, oregano and garlic. Roll a few of the dough pieces at a time into this mixture, generously coating; place in bundt pan. Let rise to top of pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Serve with pizza or marinara sauce for dipping.

Chocolate Stuffed Sticky Bread

1 pkg Rhodes Dinner Rolls(24 in pkg)

1 1/2 C chocolate chips

1/2 C sugar

1 T unsweetened cocoa

1 t cinnamon

1/2 C chopped pecans, walnuts or toffee bits

1/2 C melted butter

1/2 C packed brown sugar

Thaw rolls, cut each one in half, flatten a bit and wrap around about 1 t chocolate chips (5 or 6).

Mix sugar, cocoa and cinnamon in a small bowl, roll each roll in sugar mixture and drop into a Bundt pan that has been well sprayed with Pam.

Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture and nuts over the rolls.

Mix butter and brown sugar and pour over rolls.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise to the top of the pan.

Bake at 350 about 35-40 minutes, covering with a piece of foil the last 10 minutes of baking.

Immediately turn out on plate.

Mulling Spices...for Wassail

I didn't explain the mulling spices too well ....When my mom used to make this we just threw in some whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves and orange peel to add flavor to the simmering juices. Now you can buy mulling spices at Safeway or a kit with the "mulling ball"(kind of like a large tea ball...if you drank tea) at Williams & Sonoma or other nice cooking store. I got mine there a few years ago for about $10.
Here's a recipe for making your own mulling spices....which I have never done (and probably never will!)...but if you are so inclined...it might make a cute gift...often these spices were wrapped in small squares of cheesecloth or muslin and tied with thread.

***Note: these spices are also great to put in a "simmering pot" (small crock pot) to make the house smell yummy during the holidays.

Homemade Mulling Spice Packets

25 cinnamon sticks, each 2 inches long (about 3 oz.)
6 whole nutmegs (1 oz.)
1/3 C each: chopped dried orange and lemon peel
1/4 C each: whole allspice and whole cloves
2 T finely chopped, crystalized ginger (optional)

You have to whack this stuff to bits (mortar and pestle, rolling pin and plastic bag, heavy duty blender?) then put in a glass jar where it will keep for a year or two....see why I'll probably never get into making my own? Really....some cinnamon sticks and a few whole cloves work just fine.

Winter Wassail

We had our first big storm yesterday......here's Mt. Diablo hidden by clouds...just the weather for wassail! I actually measured the juices for this recipe...normally I just dump together what I have around, always starting with the apple juice of course...but everything else is pretty flexible.

2 Qt. apple juice/cider
1 Qt. pineapple juice
2 C orange juice
1/2 C lemon juice
1/2 C sugar
mulling spices in a mulling ball
a few slices of orange if desired

Simmer and enjoy!

Mother Goose Popcorn

Here's Carson making a "scary face" with the Halloween (Mother Goose) Popcorn

Mother Goose Popcorn (from Donna Tobler)
This seems easier than caramel corn and you can change the color depending on the season...

Pop 4 bags of microwave popcorn and dump into a clean brown paper bag (I get a few at Safeway and put one inside the other for strength)

Stir together in a pan on the stove:

2 1/2 C powdered sugar
1 C white sugar
1 T butter
2/3 C milk

Bring to a soft boil and boil for 2 minutes. Then add:

1 t vanilla
food coloring (paste type gives the deepest color)

Pour this over the popcorn in the bag; stir to mix; dump out on 2 cookie sheets (I line with foil)
This makes a lot and is virtually fat free (but not totally non caloric)

Crepes

I learned about crepes when I went to France with the BYU semester in Grenoble in 1965...making crepes has been a family tradition for a lot of years....you can make them fancy with lots of fillings...but plain old "buerre et sucre" (butter and sugar) are still the favorite!

Ummmmmm....irresistable!

It helps to make these in a blender...and while at first I used to make them in a small saute pan...our preferred pan is the Nordic Ware Crepe Pan



Crepes

3/4 C milk
3/4 C water
6 eggs
2 C flour
2 T melted butter
2 T sugar
1 t flavoring (almond, vanilla,)
1/2 t salt

Mix in blender (or with an electric mixer); pour into shallow pie plate (the one in the picture came with our latest crepe pan)
Heat pan medium hot (test with a few drops of water...they should "skitter") You may turn down the heat a bit after you get going. Pam the pan and wipe off with paper towel.
Dip hot pan into batter; wait about 5 seconds, then flip over and put back on heat...but only for about 15 seconds. Lift the edge with a spatula or knife and peel off onto a plate (someone else should be standing by to do the buttering and sugaring) Immediately dip again and keep going.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

This is so easy...but I usually have to read the instructions on the package again.

This is a "double" recipe. I always use the Sure-Jell pectin. Other brands, MCP, Certo, use corn syrup instead of sugar...I don't know if it matters, but I usually have sugar...I got a great deal on Sure Jell last summer at Walmart: 2 pkg for about $3.00. Sometimes it's over that for one box at Safeway...
Also...the strawberries in this picture are some I crushed last summer and put in a zip lock bag in the freezer. To make this batch I let them thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. The berries have more juice this way, but use all of it...the jam turns out great.

So for a double batch:

4 C crushed strawberries (= 8 C fresh -just moosh with a potato masher)
8 C sugar
2 pkg Sure Jell
1 1/2 C water



Mix the berries and sugar; let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally;
Mix the water with the Sure Jell; bring to a boil; boil 1 minute; stir into berries;mix 3 minutes.



Fill jars(leave a little space for expansion due to freezing; you can use any size jars or plastic containers; we had these cute jars left from Dave and Jess's wedding last year....they don' t hold much (4 oz)...but you get a lot...this batch made 24! The instructions say to let the jam set out on the counter for 24 hours, but this probably isn't necessary. Then either freeze or keep in the refrigerator.