Jello and memories


How often do you feel compelled to #GiveThanks for Jello™? I do, almost every holiday. Yesterday's Easter Dinner was no exception.
My mother loved Jello. We (her children) always found that curious. Mom was born and raised in Germany, and Jello is very un-German. Our mother generally had a more sophisticated taste in desserts and side dishes. But for some reason, she really liked the spongy jiggly gelatin stuff. I remember sometimes having shredded carrots or fruit mixed in. Occasionally she made multi-color creations with more than one flavor.
But especially in later years, there was one recipe she really liked best, using orange Jello and cream cheese, plus orange juice concentrate and lemon juice. Often she garnished with canned mandarin oranges or whipped cream. She would almost always make this jello on special occasions such as holidays. So for me, it has become a holiday tradition, in her honor! It's hard to think of a formal family gathering that doesn't include it. And I always become just a little verklempt as I taste the flavor again.
Isn't it a blessing to have quirky little things that link us to those we love, especially after they are gone? It's not always food - sometimes it's a way of talking, an aspect of personality, a preference in clothing, or some other unique characteristic. It's worth making an effort to notice and appreciate those things while we still have family and dear friends close to us.

Grandma Kenison's Orange Jello (I usually double this to fill my mold.) 3 oz package orange jello 1 1/2 cups boiling water 8 oz cream cheese 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate 1 tsp lemon juice
Mix jello and hot water thoroughly and pour into blender. Add cream cheese, broken into small pieces. Blend until completely blended, then add frozen orange concentrate and lemon juice. Pour into mold and set. Optional: mix in or garnish with mandarin orange sections.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Persistence

Image
  There's a principle of persistence that applies to climbing mountains, but also to many other aspects of life. We all get tired, we "run out of gas," we get frustrated with delays, we despair of reaching our goal, we think the job will never end, we keep waiting for the weather to improve, we become frustrated with "enduring." We give up, and we probably never know if we stopped just short of the point of significant achievement. The most growth often comes at, and after, that point of fatigue. I really appreciate the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It was a favorite of Heber J. Grant and is often attributed to him, but he was quoting Emerson when he spoke it. It makes sense that we get more comfortable and competent at anything we persist in doing. Hard things become easier as we become practiced and proficient. On the other hand, there is sometimes wisdom in not "running faster than we are able." Or running longer than we are able! There comes a po...
Read more

"Sing, Choirs of Angels!"

Image
  "Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation; Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!" "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:13-14) The accounts of the birth of Jesus don't actually say that heavenly choirs of angels were singing when they appeared to the shepherds in the fields. It says "saying," not "singing." But most of us can't read the words they shared without hearing in our minds Handel's arrangement from Messiah. And we often associate singing with the most joyful expression of emotion. That is certainly felt at Christmastime. I love Christmas music and look forward to enjoying it each year during the weeks leading to Christmas. Many of our most favorite carols and hymns are so familiar, but yet so powerful. Through the years I've found several lesser-known Christmas songs that ...
Read more

Sensory memories: juicy pear jelly bellies

Image
  My mother was a fascinating woman, with a broad exposure to the world resulting from extensive and frequent travel. She knew all about various cultures, cuisines, and delicacies. In her later years, she had a series of strokes that made it difficult to remember and communicate. Her world shrank dramatically. I don't recall when she developed a liking for "jelly bellies" - those small, flavorful jelly beans. At some point, I started bringing them to her regularly, usually in the bag of multi-flavor assortments. If her supply ran low, she would remind me, "I need more of those - what are they? - bellies." That was all she remembered. So I would bring her more. She quickly developed a favorite, though. She was always delighted to come across the light green ones with dark green spots among the assortment. I had already developed a preference for the "juicy pear" variety myself, so it was interesting that both of us discovered that liking separately! I ...
Read more