Pineapple-Carrot Gelatin Salad

Cool, easy, and refreshing; what could be a tastier addition to the dinner menu? And, children usually love gelatin. So, if you have children or grandchildren, this recipe might be a helpful way to get a little more of the good stuff, like pineapple and carrots, down them. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
Scant 1 cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup crushed, drained pineapple
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot, about 1 medium carrot

1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water in a 5" x 9" loaf pan.
2. Add pineapple and lemon juice; stir. Refrigerate until partially set, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Stir in crushed pineapple and carrots.
4. Chill until firm, about another hour.

Yield: 8 servings
67 calories per serving
less than 1 gm. fiber

Tip: One 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained, will yield enough juice for this recipe. The remaining pineapple can be used up in a variety of ways, such as a carrot salad, or coleslaw.

Jello and Cottage Cheese Salad

This very old-fashioned fruit-and-cottage cheese gelatin salad recipe has a wonderful creamy texture due to the addition of a package of Dream Whip topping. Dream Whip topping, in- and-of-itself, is also very old-fashioned; you just rarely even hear of this product being used anymore. I find Dream Whip at Walmart, but not in my regular market, if that is of help to you who might want to give this recipe a try. We love this salad that is almost dessert-like in flavor and texture. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 envelope Dream Whip topping from a 2.6 oz. package or 2 cups whipped topping
1 cup cottage cheese (I use 2%)
1 pkg. (3 oz.) orange gelatin
1 can (11 oz.) Mandarin oranges, drained well
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice, drained well

1. Prepare the Dream Whip according to package directions.
2. Mix cottage cheese and dry gelatin together; add pineapple and oranges.
3. Fold the cottage cheese mixture into the whipped Dream Whip.
4. Pour into a 8 x 8-inch square pan and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Yield: 9 servings
112 calories per serving using Dream Whip
no fiber
Note: One envelope of Dream Whip prepared according to package directions equals 2 cups of topping. Two cups of whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, is a good substitution. I'm sure whipping cream would also work, but the calorie count would soar.

Pineapple-Ginger Gelatin Salad

Here's another very simple creation that helped use up some leftover ginger ale last week. The ginger ale adds wonderful flavor and sparkle to this gelatin salad; a very kid-friendly recipe. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 3-oz. pkg. lemon gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup ginger ale
1/16 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple

1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in ginger ale and ginger. Refrigerate until slightly thickened, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally as the gelatin cools and begins to thicken.
2. Add crushed pineapple and stir well, or whisk, to break up the clumps of pineapple.
3. Pour into a 4 cup mold or 4 x 8-inch loaf pan; chill until set. Unmold onto a plate or cut into squares.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
121 calories each for 4 servings
81 calories each for 6 servings

Cherry-Applesauce Salad

This fresh tasting gelatin salad, with a sparkle, is so quick and easy, and so kid-friendly! Blessings...

Recipe:

1 3-oz. package cherry gelatin or flavor of choice
2 cups good quality natural applesauce (thick, not runny)
1 cup 7-up

1. Heat applesauce in a medium size saucepan, covered, until boiling. (covering the pan keeps your stove top free of applesauce splatters).
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the gelatin; stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
3. Add the 7-up and gently stir until completely combined.
4. Pour into a bowl or 4"x 8" loaf pan; chill until set.

Yield: 8 servings
92 calories
1 gm. fiber
62 calories per serving if sugar-free gelatin and 7-up is used.

Prep. time: 10 minutes
Chill for 4-5 hours

Cherry Salad Supreme

This rich and delicious gelatin salad could almost pass as a dessert and would be a wonderful addition to any dinner menu. The cherry layer is topped with a rich, creamy layer that includes crushed pineapple. This recipe is another favorite from the wonderful cooks of my childhood church. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 (3 oz.) pkg. raspberry gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise (light works just fine)
1 (8-3/4 oz. can) crushed pineapple, undrained (1 cup)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup miniature marshmallows
chopped nuts for garnish

1. Dissolve raspberry gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Stir in pie filling. Turn into a 7-1/2 x 11-1/2-inch baking dish. Chill till partially set and still tacky to the touch.
2. Dissolve lemon gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Beat together cream cheese and mayonnaise. Gradually mix in lemon gelatin; stir in crushed pineapple.
3. Whip 1/2 cup whipping cream until stiff; fold into lemon mixture with the marshmallows.
Spread on the cherry layer and sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired. Chill until firm.

Yield: 12 servings
Rich, delicious and who cares about the calorie count; just enjoy every bite!

Sunshine Salad

There are many variations of "Sunshine Salad", some with strong lemon flavor that is not kid-friendly at all. In fact, I once made one that was too strong for me, and I love lemon. So when I came across this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine I gave it a try and I've been using it ever since. This one is very mild in flavor and very kid-friendly. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) lemon gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple

1/3 cup orange juice concentrate

1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

1. In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.

2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Set pineapple aside.

3. Add enough water to the juice to equal 1 cup; stir into gelatin. Add orange juice concentrate. Chill until partially set. This will take about 1-1/2 hours.

4. Stir in the pineapple and mandarin oranges. Pour into 4-cup mold, 4 x 8-inch loaf pan, or glass bowl. Chill until set.

Yield: 6 - 8 servings
128 calories each for 6 servings
96   calories each for 8 servings

Cherry Cola Salad

Are you old enough to remember cherry-flavored cola from the 1950's? Well, even if you aren't, a bite of this sparkling, delicious, ruby-colored cherry salad is sure to become a family favorite. The recipe goes together in minutes and is another one of those gelatin salads that holds it's shape beautifully for a few days. I love it when a gelatin doesn't separate into a puddle of moisture, and this one does not. The salad is full of fruit and very kid-friendly. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 cup water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) cherry gelatin (I used the large equivalent of sugar-free gelatin)
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling (I used Lucky Leaf. No high fructose syrup and more fiber)
3/4 cup cola (I used Hansen's natural soda)

1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside.
2. In a saucepan or microwave, bring pineapple juice and water to a boil. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved.
3. Stir in pie filling and cola. Stir in pineapple and pour into a serving bowl or a 9 x 9-inch pan.
4. Refrigerate until firm.

Yield: 9 servings
126 calories per serving
1 gm. fiber

Note: I figured the calorie and fiber counts using the products that I listed above. This is another Taste of Home Cookbook recipe.

Cherry Blossom Salad

This is a fun and tasty way to get yogurt into the diets of those you love, especially those that don't love yogurt, like my hubby. He loves soft-frozen dessert yogurt, but the only way he will eat any other kind of yogurt is if I sneak it in on him. He loves this cherry gelatin salad. I used Greek yogurt because it is thick like sour cream, which the original recipe called for, and because of the high protein value. This would be a great snack for kids. This recipe was adapted from a recipe in Betty Crocker's Cookbook. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups boiling liquid (water or the syrup drained off the cherries)
1 6-oz. pkg. cherry-flavored gelatin
2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt (I used 3 5.3-oz containers of yogurt)
2 cups pitted dark sweet cherries or 1 can (1 pound) dark sweet cherries, drained
1/3 cup chopped pecans

1. Pour boiling liquid over gelatin in a mixing bowl, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Cool.
2. Whisk in yogurt until smooth or beat in with a hand-mixer. Chill until slightly thickened but not set, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir in cherries and pecans. Pour into a 7 1/2 x 11 3/4-inch baking pan or 6-cup ring mold. Chill until firm.

Yield:  15 servings
115 calories each
.6 gms. fiber
3 gms. protein
Note: My calculations are based on using Tillamook Greek yogurt

Apple Cider Salad

This wonderful gelatin salad begins with  unflavored gelatin rather than the more commonly used fruit flavored gelatin. The fruit flavor comes from apple cider and fresh apple pieces. This recipe is a great addition to sandwich meals and it is very kid-friendly. I served it this week with the Sloppy Joe recipe posted yesterday for a very easy week-night dinner. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3-3/4 cups apple cider, divided
3 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3-1/2 to 4 cups chopped peeled apples
1 cup chopped pecans

1. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cider; let stand for 2 minutes to soften.
2. Add lemon juice, sugar, salt, ground cloves and remaining cider. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. This will only take a few minutes.
3. Refrigerate until slightly thickened, about 2-1/2 hours.
4. Stir apples and chopped pecans into gelatin. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until set.

Yield: 12 servings
1/2-cup serving equals 135 calories
1 gm. fiber
Note: For two of us, I cut the recipe in-half using 1-3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. apple cider and 2 cups chopped apples.

Blueberry Cream Salad

Gelatin salads have always been a tradition for holidays in our family; we love them. It just doesn't seem like a family gathering at mom's without a favorite from childhood on the table, and there are many to choose from. This wonderful recipe is adapted from an older Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. The original recipe calls for a sour cream layer, which is the part that I changed to a much richer, denser layer made with cream cheese and whipping cream. What can I say, it's Easter, and having "rich" on the table is part of our family traditions. Blessings...
 

Recipe:

1 3-oz pkg. lemon gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 1-lb. 5-oz. can blueberry pie filling

2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice

4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup whipping cream, whipped stiff
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tbsp. sugar

1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Set aside to cool.

2. Stir in pie filling and lemon juice. Chill till partially set.

3. Spoon half the gelatin mixture into a 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Chill till set. (Keep remaining gelatin at room temperature.)

4. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and nutmeg together. Beat in whipped cream. Spread evenly over gelatin in the loaf pan. Top with layer of remaining gelatin.

5. Chill 4 to 5 hours or overnight till firm. Cut into squares to serve.

Yield: 8 servings

Note: This salad can not be molded. The top layer will slide right off the bottom layer; but as you can see from the picture, the salad does stay together very well for serving.
Note: The original recipe calls for combining 1/2 cup sour cream with the sugar for the middle layer. When I have made the salad this way I used low-fat sour cream and the calorie count for 8 servings was 136 calories each.

Yield: 8 servings
176 calories each for the updated version

Pineapple Lime Gelatin Salad

Gelatin is just for fun. Most kids, and adults, enjoy something fun on the dinner plate alongside the meat and vegetables; I know I sure do. So, with that in mind, as I was going through the fridge the other day thinking about how I could use up some of the this-and-thats, this salad was put together. (It does have a bit of fruit and vegetable in it for nutrient value!) Blessings...

Recipe:

1 3-ounce pkg. lime gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
3/4 cup well-drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup finely shredded and chopped cabbage

1. In a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan or small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in boiling water. Stir in the pineapple juice, crushed pineapple and cabbage. Chill for about 1 hour.
2. Remove gelatin from fridge and stir again so that the pineapple and cabbage are dispersed throughout the gelatin rather than floating on top.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Creamy Orange Gelatin

I made this delicious orange gelatin salad to go alongside our barbecued salmon, recipe posted on 5/13/2010, and some leftover potato salad, recipe posted on 8/29/2013. The salad was a simple combination of cabbage, sliced almonds, green onion and sweetened dried cranberries dressed with a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette, recipe posted on 2/13/2013. For the vinaigrette, use the basic recipe and add 1/2 cup strawberry jam and 1 tsp. dried basil, crushed. This makes a wonderful salad dressing for any type of greens. The gelatin recipe comes from Taste of Homes 2009 Annual Recipes. The original recipe was twice this recipe to feed a large crowd; as it is, my husband and I will eat the salad for 6 dinners. Thankfully, it is delicious, and not a problem at all! Blessings...

Recipe:

2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) orange gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
3/4 cup orange juice
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

1. In a 8 x 11-inch pan, dissolve the gelatin in boiling water. Stir in ice cream and orange juice until blended. I used a whisk to help make this easier. Chill until partially set; about 20-30 minutes. Watch carefully.
2. Fold in mandarin oranges. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.

Yield: 12 servings

Double Citrus and Cabbage Salad

Most gelatin salads are more like a dessert than a salad, and we love them for those special holidays and family gatherings. I can associate old family favorites with fond memories when our family was together going back to my childhood, and then there are those everyday kind of recipes that are good, but hold no special significance other than to be apart of dinner. This is one of those kinds of gelatin salads.

I adapted this recipe from a recipe I found in Woman's Day Magazine long ago. It is a refreshing blend of mandarin oranges and orange juice with just a bit of cabbage added in for interest, or to use up that last little bit that might otherwise go begging or down the disposal. The main dish salad is Greek Pasta Salad posted on 8/23/2013. Have a wonderful, blessed week...

Recipe:

1 3-ounce pkg. lemon gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate (do not thaw)
1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained (1 cup)
1 cup finely shredded cabbage

1. Combine gelatin, water and lemon juice stirring until gelatin dissolves.
2. Stir in frozen orange juice concentrate until melted. Gelatin should be slightly thickened; if not, refrigerate until thick as unbeaten egg white.
3. Gently stir in oranges and cabbage. Pour into 4 cup mold or 4 x 8-inch loaf pan.
Refrigerate until set.

Yield: 8 servings
96 calories each

Raspberry Gelatin Salad

My family loves raspberries, so with that in mind, I'm always looking for or creating new ways to use this wonderful fruit. This bright and refreshing salad is great alongside other salads for a light summer meal or would make a nice light dessert topped with a little whipped topping or whipped cream.

I've served the raspberry salad here with Pajaro Valley Coleslaw Crunch, recipe posted on 5/20/2013 and Hawaiian Chicken Salad, recipe posted on 6/7/2013. Have a wonderful Father's Day celebration on Sunday with your family. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (.3 oz.) sugar-free raspberry gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
3 Dreyers Outshine Raspberry Fruit Ice bars, thawed (you will have just over 1 cup softened ice)
1 cup fresh raspberries, washed and gently dried or 1-1/4 cups frozen berries (don't thaw)

1. In a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan or in a serving bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
2. Stir in thawed raspberry fruit ice until combined. Stir in fresh or frozen raspberries; chill until set. (The frozen berries will cause the gelatin to set very quickly, and since they are frozen, they will not release juice to dilute the gelatin).

Yield: 8 servings
43 calories each, 1.4 gms. fiber
Note: If you prefer to use reg. gelatin with sugar, the calorie count will be 82 calories per serving. Still very low in calories!
 Note: Dreyers Outshine bars are a wonderful fat free fruit ice bar. If you have not had the opportunity to purchase them, they are a very good kid-friendly snack made with real fruit or a great low calorie dessert.

Cherry Gelatin Salad

Recently for my birthday, we invited friends to dinner to help us celebrate and I prepared some of my favorite recipes. Our guests generously brought a fresh vegetable salad, not the salad you see pictured here, and some dinner rolls. My husband bought me a beautiful and delicious birthday cake to end our meal on a very festive note.

The Cherry Gelatin Salad that I made is a favorite from my childhood that comes with very fond memories of wonderful family times together. This recipe comes from my great-aunt via a church cookbook from Iowa. I really do not know how old this recipe might be but, I do know that I have never seen this recipe printed anywhere other than in our families recipe files. The salad is beautiful on the plate, delicious and simple to prepare; perfect for potlucks and special occasions, very kid-friendly.

I served Baked Orange Chicken, recipe posted on 3/31/2010, and Party Rice and Noodles, recipe posted on 4/11/2014 for this dinner. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 6-oz. pkg. cherry gelatin
3 cups boiling water
1 can cherry pie filling
1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese
20 large marshmallows
1 pkg. Dream Whip (from a 2-pkg. box)
chopped pecans, if desired, for topping

1. In a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add the cherry pie filling and stir, or whisk, until pie filling is thoroughly combined with gelatin.
Refrigerate until set.
2. Melt the cream cheese and marshmallows together in double boiler over simmering water until thoroughly blended; remove from over the water and set aside to cool completely. Do not cool in the refrigerator.
3. Whip the pkg. of Dream Whip according to pkg. directions. Using the electric mixer, blend in half of the cooled cream cheese mixture and then repeat with remaining cream cheese mixture until thoroughly combined.
4. Spread the topping over the set gelatin and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until serving time.

Yield: 20 servings
Note: I can no longer get the 3-oz. pkg. of cream cheese in my grocery store, so I have to buy the 8-oz. size and I then use the remaining cream cheese for bagel topping or in other recipes.

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Creamy Frozen Fruit Salad

This recipe goes back to when my husband and I were dating and I wanted to make him a meal. I discovered that one of his favorite casseroles at that time was tuna casserole, so I got out my Mom's cookbook and found a recipe that I continue to use today. But, in addition to a green salad, I wanted to do something fun, so I used this recipe for Creamy Frozen Fruit Salad that I found in a magazine. He liked the salad, so I made it often, then there were just too many salads to try and this one got forgotten until I came upon it in my file a few weeks ago. Goodness, it brought back memories of our early years together. The salad is rich and creamy with a very fresh taste created by the use of lemonade. It's great for a summer meal, Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) strawberry flavor gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 can (6 oz.) frozen concentrated pink lemonade
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip whipped topping
1 can (16 oz.) sliced peaches, drained
1 can (8 oz.) sliced pears, drained

1. Chop fruit and set aside.
2. In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add lemonade and stir until melted. Chill until slightly thickened.
3. Blend in the whipped topping until there are no white streaks left; fold in the chopped fruit.
4. Pour into a 9" x 9" pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Remove salad from freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve.

Serves 12

Fresh Cranberry Salad

I know it is way past the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, in fact Easter is just right around the corner, but for me, anytime is a good time for cranberries. I love these tart little berries, and thankfully, so does my husband. So not too long ago I pulled out this recipe to serve alongside a chicken dish. If you don't have fresh frozen cranberries on hand, please do keep this recipe in mind as the holiday time comes around later this year. It is very simple to prepare and very good. I like to serve it to guests because it combines gelatin with fresh cranberries for a sweeter salad. This is nice for guests who don't care for the tartness of fresh berries in conserves and relishes. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1 package (6 ounces) raspberry gelatin or your favorite flavor
1 can (8-1/4 ounces)crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Heat water and sugar to boiling in a 2-quart saucepan; boil 1 minute. Add cranberries. Heat to boiling; boil 5 minutes.
2. Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Stir in pineapple (with juice) and pecans.
3. Pour into a 6-cup mold or a 8"x 8" pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours. Unmold on salad greens, such as red leaf lettuce, or cut the pan of gelatin into 9 servings.

Yield: 9 servings
Tips: For a sweeter salad, use crushed pineapple in syrup.
Celery, or other kinds of nuts, make good additions in place of the pecans.

Cranberry - Orange Salad

This salad is so easy to prepare, and the recipe can easily be doubled, if needed. Blessings...

Recipe:

1- 3 oz. package orange gelatin (lemon can also be used)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup (8 oz.) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 large, or 2 small, oranges, peeled and sectioned

1. Dissolve gelatin in the boiling water; add cranberry sauce and whisk until the sauce is melted and combined.
2. Chill until slightly thickened, about an hour
3. Add oranges and stir to combine.
4. Pour into a 4 cup mold or serving dish. Chill until firm

Yield: 4 servings
Tip: If oranges are unavailable, use 1 cup mandarin oranges, well drained. I also will sometimes add a bit of finely sliced celery and chopped pecans.