JELL-O IS OLDER THAN WE THINK

How many of you remember your first Jell-O? Was strawberry your favorite, or was it orange?
In the South Jell-O was the dessert of choice for kids. Sometimes there was fruit in it. But mostly it was just the wriggle alone, that we loved. I wanted to give you something different in recipes, which led me to look through my Mothers notes in her cookbook, and I found a whole section, hand written mind you, of recipes for Jell-O salads, desserts, and even party Punches.
It made me want to know more about the history of the Wiggle, and I was surprised to find out that Jell-O was invented in 1845, Developed into a fruit flavor in 1897, by a carpenter, and the company was sold in 1899, for $450. Is that a hoot or what. The first flavors were strawberry, raspberry, orange and lemon. The carpenter, Mr. Pearle Waite, wife May named the the wriggle Jell-O. In 1902 the first Jell-O ads proclaimed Jell-O " Americas most favorite dessert"
In 1930 congealed salads became popular, leading to the creation of the Lime Jell-O, which brings us to our recipe. "7 UP JELL-O CONGEALED SALAD"
Please follow the link at the bottom to find out more about the history of Jell-O, it is Jell-O's official site, and I think you will find it informative and very interesting.
Back to this recipe, every Church dinner had a Jell-O salad. Some were better than others, but this one is a favorite of mine. This is a version my Mother made. She is not the only one to make this salad, but I liked hers the best.
It is colorful and easy. With warm weather, coming, have your girl friends over and serve some finger sandwiches, chips and salsa, and this salad. It serves as a desert.

7 UP JELL-O SALAD

1 pkg of lime jello(small)
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans
1 10 oz 7-up
1-8 oz pkg. cram cheese(room temp)

Heat y up to boil. Add jello and dissolve. Mix pineapple with cream cheese and pecans. Add to Jell-o mixture when cool. Pour into mold, or 8 x8 glass baking pan. Refrigerate until set. If you use a glass dish, you cut in squares, serve with a dollop of whip cream, and sprig of mint, if you want it to be fancy.
Enjoy!! Remember your childhood.!



JELL-O History - JELL-O Gelatin, Pudding, and No-Bake Desserts

Hot Water Gingerbread

I wanted to include this recipe for gingerbread also. It contains the same ingredients as 60 year old gingerbread, but it is a double recipe. This recipe I believe is basically the same, so I don't know why it is named different except that it was from another source, but [probably the same era. This recipe was found in Helon's old recipe box. I don't know if she used this one or not, but it seems to be the same just a doubled recipe. Here goes another staple recipe of Southern Cooking.

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and shortening: add molasses and egg Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture. Add hot water and beat by hand until smooth. Bake in 13 x9 inch pan at 325 until done(here we go again)

Apparently the cooks of days gone by just eyeballed there baking, but the reason was that ovens were so different and not as exact as ours are today. Hope one of these works for you. I haven't used this one, but I think it is just a larger recipe from the 60 year old gingerbread.

60 Year Old Gingerbread

During the Holidays one of the favorites in Helon's Kitchen was the smell of gingerbread baking.
I don't know if the smell wasn't better or at least close to the great taste. This is an incredible recipe and makes a moist gingerbread. It is very easy, but I do not have the exact length of time that the gingerbread is to bake since this is an old recipe, and it was baked by touch, smell, and color. I cook it the same way and it takes about 25-35 minutes, and is cooked at a rather high heat for baking.
The ingredients are simple and probably already in your cupboard....so grab them and cook up a batch and fill the air with the smell of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Do this and have company over to not only taste the gingerbread but enjoy the aroma.

1 egg
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1tsp. ginger
1tsp. allspice
1tsp. cloves
1 tsp. soda
1/2 cup boiling water


Mix all ingredients (soda and boiling water last) and bake in well greased, floured pan at 400 degrees or until done. (see what I mean) This is dark gingerbread because of the dark molasses.
I use an 8x8 metal pan and do exactly as the recipe. The gingerbread is done when it springs back at touch, or insert a toothpick in the center when it comes out clean it is done. In keeping with the original recipe, I do not use no stick spray, but the flour and oil.

Southern Comfort

Sunday was the day for Church and Chicken. Fried chicken was the standard. None of this baked, healthy stuff. No good ole fried chicken in Crisco usually. My grandmother use to only use fresh chicken. By that I mean she went outside and caught one and we had very, fresh chicken. She would do this and still be ready in time to teach Sunday School.
This was Helon's mother, my grandmother, Mignon. I still fry chicken the same way. Only my chicken comes from the nearest grocery. There is an art to cutting up a chicken, which I learned growing up. There are 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breast, a pulley bone if large enough( was my favorite) and 2 back pieces, which I never touched. Some people preferred those pieces. So you actually got 10 pieces, and 11 if you cut the pulley bone. For those of you who don't know about this piece, it is the top of the two breast.
Below is the recipe for Sunday Southern Fried Chicken, nothing is exact, but I think you will be able to manage. It is not hard, just a bit time consuming but worth it.
Included in the meal would always be mashed potatoes, and you may think there is no difference in mashed potatoes, unless add garlic, sour cream etc. Not so. I include my grandmothers mashed potatoes. The lumps are part of the great taste and texture, so don't work to hard to remove them.

Helon's Mothers Chicken
1 chicken cut up
salt and pepper to taste(we used lots of black pepper)
buttermilk
flour(not self rising)
Crisco (enough to measure about 2 inches in skillet

You will need and iron skillet, or dutch oven for the best, but do what you can with what pots you have.

Wash chicken really good.
pour buttermilk into a large shallow pan or bowl
put flour in another large shallow pan or bowl
salt & pepper chicken, roll in flour
Dip into buttermilk drain off and roll back into flour

Get grease hot almost smoking, and place chicken in , brown on one side turn to the other, then turn down heat to medium , cover and cook , turning occasionally. Uncover when chicken is no longer running pink when pierced with a fork turn up heat and let crisp up. Turn once. Remove and drain on brown paper or paper towels. This should take about 25 minutes. You just have to watch the chicken and learn to tell by the look. There is no exact, or even a written down recipe.

Hint. It takes longer to cook the dark meat so add the white meat later in the cooking.

Mashed potatoes.
This potatoes recipe is basically boil potatoes, we used white potatoes, Yukon gold are good.
Cover with water add salt bring to boil, and cover and let cook on medium until soft. You can slice the potatoes anyway you want we would quarter.
Drain, add 2 or more tablespoons of butter and start mashing. Add carnation milk(no substitutes) and mash until almost smooth, if possible. Keep adding the milk until you get the right consistency. These are stiff potatoes, and hold up to some thick gravy. Add black pepper to taste, but actually ours were made where could see the black dots of pepper. It is the carnation milk, and butte that makes a difference. The potatoes will be white, due to light butter, don't use yellow margarine.

Brown Chicken Gravy
To top these potatoes, drain most of the oil from the skillet. Scrape up all the brown pieces in the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, stir until brown on medium heat, add cup of hot water, it will smoke, season with salt and pepper, and cook until thickened.

Hope you enjoy!