Thursday, November 23, 2023

Mom's Strawberry Jello Salad

This is one of the family favorites. I made it when the children were young. They still love it today now that they have children of their own. I mean who doesn't love strawberries?

Other than the gorgeous look of the finished strawberry jello salad, it is just the right color for Christmas. Made in layers, the glass baking dish that I serve it in highlights the festive and picturesque appeal of this yummy salad.
It's so good, you can call it a salad, or call it dessert. It is equally welcome as both.

It quickly becomes a family favorite. It did at our house. The children loved it. It has been the centerpiece of wonderful memories sharing good food and conversation around the holiday table.

Mom's Strawberry Jello Salad

Simple Ingredients:

2 (3 oz) packages strawberry jello
1 1/2 cups boiling water
16 oz package frozen strawberries
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 cup miniature marshmellos
2 bananas, sliced and cubed
8 oz carton sour cream
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in the hot water. Stir in strawberries, pineapple, marshmello, bananas and nuts.

Pour half of the mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass dish, cover and let set for about an hour. If your dish does not have a fitted lid, cover with plastic wrap.

I usually let set for 2 to 3 hours, because it needs to be firmly set up. When I spread on the next layer, I don't want it to mush all over. 

Set the remaining gelatin mixture aside. Do not refrigerate, because it will begin to gel and you don't want it to at this point.


When the first strawberry layer in the refrigerated dish is setup and firm, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl.

Spread the sour cream mixture over the chilled gelatin. Smooth out evenly with the back of a spoon without tearing the strawberry mixture below. You want the sour cream mix to completely cover the first layer.

Gently spoon remaining gelatin mixture over the top of the sour cream mixture. Cover and chill overnight.
 
When ready to serve, garnish with fresh strawberry and banana slices and springs of mint, if desired, to give the dish a feeling of Christmas.

Cut into squares, and serve with a fancy spatula. To make it super easy to cut serving sizes, use a lasagna server/cutter instead of a typical pie-shaped server spatula. You can also just let your lunch, brunch or dinner guests scoop up a serving with a large spoon.

Serves 12-16

It so yummy, I've served it at a baby shower as a dessert. It looks so good and is ready for any special event, party or family gathering.

Tip: You don't have to use a glass baking dish. I do, because I like guests to see the beautiful layers. But this dish needs no baking, so it's wonderful served in a round dish, a sterling silver or crystal dish, or  on a platter you've had in your family for years.

I make this dish ahead of time so it has time to fully gel. Plus, this leaves me more time to enjoy the family gathered at the Christmas table instead of being in the kitchen cooking. Enjoy!

That's it for today, blog.