Friday, December 27, 2013

Jello-Pineapple Minis by Melinda Curtis

My mom is old school.  She likes to have a Jell-O salad as a first course at the holidays.  That used to mean Jell-O displayed on a leaf of lettuce and topped with mayonnaise.  The first time Mr. Curtis ate this, he thought the mayonnaise was whipped cream.  Oh, the face!


Several years ago, I picked up this recipe from Rachel Raye's magazine and, with some variations, made it my own - Jell-O-Pineapple Minis.  Much to my mother's chagrin, it isn't its own course.  And I don't serve it on a bed of lettuce.  I offer it as one of the many sides whenever we have a family get-together.  It's a crowd-pleaser.

1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1-6 oz. pkg. Jell-O Strawberry Gelatin (choose another flavor if you feel daring)
1-small container blueberries (if you love cranberries, try a 16oz can of whole berry cranberry sauce)
2/3 cup walnut pieces (or pecans if you have some leftover)
1-small apple, chopped into bite size pieces
1-package holiday themed cupcake wrappers/muffin cups and cupcake tins to help Jell-O set

"Mash" the pineapple in the can, squeezing out as much juice as you can (this adds to the sweetness).  Add water to the juice to measure 2-1/4 cups.  Heat liquid to boiling either in a saucepan or microwave.  Pour liquid into bowl (one with a spout is useful) and mix with Jell-O about 2 minutes until completely dissolved.

Place cupcake wrappers into cupcake tins.  Recipe should make somewhere between 18-24 servings, depending upon how much fruit you add.  Pour Jell-O mixture into cupcake wrappers (I admit that I've made this for Christmas with Halloween cupcake wrappers - go with what you have!).  Add bits of crushed pineapple, blueberries (or whole cranberries as in the picture above), apple, and walnut pieces.  Refrigerate for 2-1/2 hours or until firm. 

Now, Rachel suggests you remove the liners and when you use expensive liners, they come out beautifully like the picture.  Despite me getting out my grandmother's china at the holidays, I admit I serve them in their cupcake wrappers.  Because when you use everyday wrappers, they don't come out so cleanly. 

Melinda Curtis writes the Harmony Valley series of sweet romances for the Harlequin Heartwarming line. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”.  Melinda also writes independently published, hotter romances as Mel Curtis. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: Sharp, sassy, modern version of a screwball comedy from Hollywood's Golden Age except a lot hotter.”  Melinda is married to her college sweetheart, and has three kids in college.  She follows the NFL because one young quarterback is from her hometown, and follows Duke basketball because Mr. Curtis has a man crush on Coach K.
 

2 comments:

  1. Oh, yes! My mom used to make something just like this. Nothing like a taste of home. Thanks for sharing, Melinda. :)

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  2. I never make jello since I'm the only one in the family who eats it. But I still love my dh's aunt's recipe for lime jello!

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