Raspberry Dream Salad...Monday's with Mom

It wouldn't be Christmas without some type of Jell O salad....it's tradition! This is the one I made for Christmas this year, Raspberry Dream, I'm just getting around to posting it now. Better late then never!

My mom made Jell O for every Sunday dinner, and every major holiday. Brent's mom also makes Jell O salad for every get together. Actually, when I stop to think about it, my grandma always made it too! Usually there is always some salad or dessert made with Jell O at every church potluck or family reunion around here. Kind of goes with hot dish....which is also a familiar dish served at so many events up north.

I read that Jell O was introduced to the public in a big ad in the Ladies Home Journal back in 1904. They included a bunch of recipes, and Jello took off!
       

The first flavors were orange, lemon, strawberry, and raspberry. So it has been around for some time.

Even Bill Cosby has been a spokesperson for the company since 1974! I remember the Jell O pudding Pops! I used to beg mom to buy them.




 (You can read more about the history of Jell O here.)


My Mom ALWAYS had a stash of Jell O on hand. From gelatin to pudding and pie fillings. It was right next to her stash of Campbell's soups and Betty Crocker cake mixes. All things she considered staples, I guess. She made just about every Jell O salad I can think of. Some were quite fancy...with four or more layers of colors, each with a different ad-in. And sometimes, it was just plain jello with some fruit tossed in. She often made pudding or pies with Jell O too.

I found some photos that remind me of things she made.

 

Here are some pictures of different molds she had:

                      

 

While I don't often make jello salads, I always do for holidays. They are a favorite of Brent, and also our son. This is probably the one I make most often, Raspberry Dream. I make it with either raspberries or strawberries. I don't use molds for my salads, just a bowl, but I do have my moms star jello mold, and my grandma's ring mold. Funny.....they look EXACTLY like the photo's above!

When I make a Jell O salad, I often think of mom, in fact this was one of her recipes. I think the reason why our family loves this salad is in it's name....Raspberry Dream...it is SO creamy and full of bright raspberry flavor!

And you know what they say......"there's always room for Jell O!"




Raspberry Dream Salad

1 (3 oz.) box vanilla cook and serve pudding
1 (3 oz.) box raspberry jello
1 1/2 c. cold water
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 package frozen raspberries, thawed

Drain the raspberries, keeping the juice. Add enough water to the jusice to make 1 1/2 c. liquid. Cook the jello, pudding, and 1 1/2 c. liquid to boiling. Boil 1 minute. Cool completely. Fold in the raspberries and cool whip. Refrigerate.