As popular as it was, I know that Jell-O is not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’. Jell-O was synonymous with most, if not all, of the major holiday’s years ago but not so much anymore. It seems there are certain culinary traditions that accompany each holiday. Some are near universally enjoyed amongst those who celebrate those special days, others are more along the lines of a specific family tradition and some fall squarely into the middle.
When my siblings and I were growing up, a lime Jell-O salad with crushed pineapple, marshmallows and cottage cheese was always made to complement our Christmas dinner. One year, family friends that had been invited to dinner, asked if this salad had something to do with our German heritage because it always appeared on special occasions. To me this salad was like having a little dish of ice cream as it tasted so good.
Jell-O brand powder might seem as commonplace as sliced bread and pasteurized milk nowadays, but when it first emerged on the scene in 1897, it was a truly revolutionary food.
Gelatin itself had been around for many centuries, but the act of making it – a process done by extracting the gelatin protein produced when animal bones, connective tissues and other similar products are boiled and then using that product as a setting agent/ingredient in a sweet or savory dish – was a very labor intensive one and something that many home cooks saved for only the most special of occasions/fanciest dinner parties, if they even bothered at all. The French were the first to use gelatin in cooking.
Jell-O became available in Canada in 1904.The first Canadian Jell-O factory was located in Bridgeburg (now Fort Erie). As part of an advertising campaign, recipe booklets were sent to households across North America. These contained suggestions for how to use Jell-O in desserts, salads and main courses.
Initially jellied salads rose to fame in the 1950s and 60s. This recipe came from a magazine years ago. It is somewhere between a Jell-O salad and a dessert.
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1950's Tart Cherry/Lemon Jell-O Dessert
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Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring cherries with juice & sugar to a boil then add the package of cherry Jell-O powder. Stir to dissolve then pour into serving dishes. Refrigerate until firm. After cherry mixture has had time to start setting up begin the next step.
Rinse saucepan & add 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil then stir in lemon Jell-O powder until it is dissolved. Refrigerate until slightly setting up.
While lemon Jell-O sets up, whip cream until stiff & fluffy. Beat in cream cheese & whip together. Add lemon Jell-O which is just starting to become firm. Whip the mixture to combine.
Pour lemon Jell-O mixture over the cherry Jell-O in the serving dishes. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with a dollop of whip cream if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Its so nice to be able to use cherries from our own tree in the back yard.
It’s spring and with warm weather on the horizon, it’s time to trade in decadent, comforting desserts for some light and airy cheesecakes. Bright springtime days seem to call for a change of flavors as we leave winter behind and rush headlong into the season of renewal. It doesn’t get much better than classic cheesecake. Smooth, creamy, and incredibly rich, it’s one of the few desserts we can eat with different fillings, and anything piled on top.
It has ‘cake’ in its name, but in many ways, it is more like a pie. It can be made with ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese, or quark. It can have a crust or not, be topped with fresh fruit or jam; spend time in the oven or be no-bake and turn out anywhere from very sweet and creamy to dense and only slightly sweet. Cheesecake is a dessert beloved the world over.
When I think spring baking, I instantly think of lemon and blueberries! These mini desserts feature a light lemon cream cheese filling, ginger cookie crumb crusts and are topped with a homemade blueberry sauce. Yum!
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Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Minis
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Instructions
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
Dissolve the Jell-O powder in boiling water. Set aside to cool. Combine cream cheese, sugar & vanilla in a mixer bowl. Beat until well combined. Stir in the cooled lemon Jell-O, until well combined. Place in refrigerator until slightly starting to gel.
Gingersnap Crust
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In a small bowl combine gingersnap crumbs & sugar (if using) & mix well. Add melted butter & mix until it is well blended. Using a mini cheesecake pan, divide crumb mixture evenly between the 12 cups. Bake for about 5 minutes. Cool completely.
Blueberry Topping
In a small saucepan, mix together cornstarch, sugar & salt. Add water & blueberries & cook until 'clear' & bubbling.
Assembly
Place slightly thickened lemon filling in a pastry bag with an open nozzle. On top of the cooled crumb base in each cup, divide the lemon filling evenly. Cover lightly with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 2 hours or more.
When firm enough, remove cheesecakes from the pan. Place on a serving dish & top each one with some blueberry topping. Garnish with lemon zest if desired.
For years, Sangria has been enjoyed at many summer picnics and outdoor events. This Spanish wine punch has deviated so far from its simple origins it has become nearly unrecognizable. The concept seems endlessly adaptable not only as a drink but as dessert.
Tradition goes back a long way when it comes to sangria. Early Greeks and Romans mixed wine with sugar and spices because their water was bacteria filled and unsafe to drink. Adding a touch of alcohol made the liquid drinkable and mixing the watered down wine gave it flavor. This drink, called Hippocras, was likely the common ancestor of both sangria and mulled wine.
Our love of sangria in North America dates back probably to the sixties and it has never really fell out of vogue to this day.
These sangria parfaits let you enjoy some summer fruit combined with the flavor of sangria. You can make them either with or without wine —your choice.
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Summer Sangria Parfaits
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Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring wine to a boil over medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, stir boiling wine into dry gelatin mix for about 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in club soda, lime & orange juice.
Place bowl of gelatin in a larger bowl of ice & water. Let stand 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup EACH grapes & strawberries. Pour into 6-1 cup parfait glasses. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Garnish with remaining fruit.
Lemon chicken is the name of several dishes found in cuisines around the world which include chicken and lemon.
In Canada, we usually either use breading or batter to coat the chicken before cooking it and serving it in a sweet lemon flavored sauce. A completely unrelated dish from Italy, also called lemon chicken is where a whole chicken is roasted with white wine, fresh lemon juice, fresh thyme and vegetables. In France, lemon chicken generally includes Dijon mustard in the sauce and is accompanied by roasted potatoes. I would presume the German version would be a chicken schnitzel with fresh lemon.
Having an inherited love of ‘sweet things’, lemon chicken has always appealed to me. I prefer to make a tempura batter to dip the chicken strips in and then fry them on a griddle. I’m not big on anything deep fried so this is as close as it gets for me. Some years ago I came across a recipe on a kraftfoods.com site for a very unique and easy ‘lemon sauce’ for chicken. It might not appeal to everyone but we enjoy it every so often.
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Lemon Chicken
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Ingredients
Tempura Batter for Chicken
Ingredients
Tempura Batter for Chicken
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Instructions
Stir-Fry Vegetables
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Prepare vegetables & saute in 1/2 cup chicken broth until tender-crisp. Drain broth & reserve for later.
Tempura Batter
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In a bowl, whisk together all batter ingredients. Slice chicken breast into thin strips & place in batter; mix well. Heat griddle to 325 F. Add a small amount of oil; remove chicken strips from batter & place on griddle. Fry on each side until cooked & golden. Lay on paper towel to blot off oil.
Lemon Sauce
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In a small saucepan, combine jelly powder & cornstarch. Add 1 cup chicken broth, dressing, garlic & ginger; stir until jelly powder is dissolved. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Add reserved broth from vegetables.
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Combine vegetables chicken & lemon sauce. Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired.
