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Now, I know what you are thinking: “Haven’t we talked about the Jell-O Museum enough yet?” And the answer is: Never. I will never stop talking about the Jell-O Museum. There were just so many cool things to learn and see and buy. Like these great recipes! Some of these were giveaways that they were handing out at the desk, but the rest came from a set of postcards that you could buy in the gift shop.  I knew I had to share these because, among other gems, they include a recipe for DIY Jell-O 1-2-3!

AuthorRetroRuth
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Production of Jell-O 1-2-3 stopped in 1996, but here is a DIY version of the treat from the Jell-O Gallery. http://www.jellogallery.org/

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 3 oz package fruit gelatin
 ¾ cup boiling water
 ½ cup cold water
 Ice Cubes
 ½ cup Cool Whip

1

Pour boiling water into a blender and add gelatin. Cover and blend at low speed until gelatin is completely dissolved (about 30 seconds). Combine cold water and ice cubes to make 1 1/ 4 cups. Add gelatin and stir until ice is partially melted. Then add Cool Whip; Blend at high speed, about 30 seconds. Pour into dessert glasses. Chill about 30 minutes.
Dessert layers as it chills.
Yield: 4 servings

Category, Cooking MethodTags,

Ingredients

 3 oz package fruit gelatin
 ¾ cup boiling water
 ½ cup cold water
 Ice Cubes
 ½ cup Cool Whip

Directions

1

Pour boiling water into a blender and add gelatin. Cover and blend at low speed until gelatin is completely dissolved (about 30 seconds). Combine cold water and ice cubes to make 1 1/ 4 cups. Add gelatin and stir until ice is partially melted. Then add Cool Whip; Blend at high speed, about 30 seconds. Pour into dessert glasses. Chill about 30 minutes.
Dessert layers as it chills.
Yield: 4 servings

DIY Jell-O 1-2-3

And a recipe for the beloved Strawberry Pretzel Salad:

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery, http://www.jellogallery.org/

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 2 cups pretzels
 ¾ cup salted butter1 1/2 sticks
 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
 ½ cup sugar
 8 oz Cool Whip\
 3 oz package strawberry gelatin
 3 oz package raspberry gelatin
 2 cups boiling water
 6 oz package frozen strawberries, thawed
 8 oz crushed pineapple with juice

1

Preheat oven to 400°. Crush the pretzels with a rolling pin. Melt the butter & mix with the pretzels. Spread in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 7 minutes, set aside to cool. Beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar. Gradually fold in the Cool Whip. Spread on the crust so it is totally covered. Place the pan in the refrigerator. Dissolve the contents of the 2 Jell-O boxes in the 2 cups of boiling water and stir in the strawberries and pineapple. Chill until slightly jelled (about an hour) . Pour the Jell-O mixture over the cream cheese filling. Return the pan to the refrigerator for several hours or until completely set.

Serves 8

Ingredients

 2 cups pretzels
 ¾ cup salted butter1 1/2 sticks
 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
 ½ cup sugar
 8 oz Cool Whip\
 3 oz package strawberry gelatin
 3 oz package raspberry gelatin
 2 cups boiling water
 6 oz package frozen strawberries, thawed
 8 oz crushed pineapple with juice

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 400°. Crush the pretzels with a rolling pin. Melt the butter & mix with the pretzels. Spread in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 7 minutes, set aside to cool. Beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar. Gradually fold in the Cool Whip. Spread on the crust so it is totally covered. Place the pan in the refrigerator. Dissolve the contents of the 2 Jell-O boxes in the 2 cups of boiling water and stir in the strawberries and pineapple. Chill until slightly jelled (about an hour) . Pour the Jell-O mixture over the cream cheese filling. Return the pan to the refrigerator for several hours or until completely set.

Serves 8

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Now, these recipes are from the set of postcards, which I am planning on using when people write to my P.O. Box (P.O. Box 222, Oxford, MI, 48371). So, if you are recipe pen pals with me, start checking your mailbox!

Of course, the first card was for Jell-O shots. Probably the current biggest use of Jell-O happening right now:

AuthorRetroRuth
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From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery

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 5 packages unflavored gelatinlike Knox
 2 ½ cups warm water
 12 oz flavored gelatinlike Jell-O
 3 ½ cups alcohol

1

Pour 5 packages of Knox unflavored gelatin into 2 ½ cups of warm water and gradually heat until completely dissolved. Gradually add 2 large or 4 small boxes of flavored Jell--O and stir until completely dissolved. This may take a few minutes. When mixture reaches room temperature and before it starts to set, add 3 1/2 cups of alcohol.

2

Pour into a lightly greased cake pan and when set cut into 2-inch squares. Or pour into 4 sets of plastic Jell-O egg molds.
Yield: Makes about 22 - 24 squares or eggs.

Ingredients

 5 packages unflavored gelatinlike Knox
 2 ½ cups warm water
 12 oz flavored gelatinlike Jell-O
 3 ½ cups alcohol

Directions

1

Pour 5 packages of Knox unflavored gelatin into 2 ½ cups of warm water and gradually heat until completely dissolved. Gradually add 2 large or 4 small boxes of flavored Jell--O and stir until completely dissolved. This may take a few minutes. When mixture reaches room temperature and before it starts to set, add 3 1/2 cups of alcohol.

2

Pour into a lightly greased cake pan and when set cut into 2-inch squares. Or pour into 4 sets of plastic Jell-O egg molds.
Yield: Makes about 22 - 24 squares or eggs.

Jell-O Shots

And then this really interesting Coffee Jell-O, which I need to try:

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From 1904, From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery, http://www.jellogallery.org/

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 1 cup strong coffee
 3 oz package raspberry gelatin
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 cup boiling water

1

Dissolve Jell-O in one cup boiling water; add coffee and vanilla. When firm serve whipped cream.

Ingredients

 1 cup strong coffee
 3 oz package raspberry gelatin
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 cup boiling water

Directions

1

Dissolve Jell-O in one cup boiling water; add coffee and vanilla. When firm serve whipped cream.

Coffee Jell-O

May Wait’s favorite salad, with lots of grapes!:

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery

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 6 oz package of lime gelatin
 2 cups halved red or purple grapes
 ½ cup walnuts
 Lettuce
 ½ cup mayonnaise

1

Prepare Jell-O according to package directions. Chill Jell-O until slightly thickened. Fold in grapes and walnuts and pour into a 5-cup ring mold. Chill until firm. Unmold onto serving plate garnish with lettuce. Fill ring hole with mayonnaise.
Yield: 6-8

Ingredients

 6 oz package of lime gelatin
 2 cups halved red or purple grapes
 ½ cup walnuts
 Lettuce
 ½ cup mayonnaise

Directions

1

Prepare Jell-O according to package directions. Chill Jell-O until slightly thickened. Fold in grapes and walnuts and pour into a 5-cup ring mold. Chill until firm. Unmold onto serving plate garnish with lettuce. Fill ring hole with mayonnaise.
Yield: 6-8

May Wait’s Lime Jell-O Salad

Bill Clinton’s favorite Jell-O salad. *Cough* :

AuthorRetroRuth
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From The Jell-O Museum and Gallery

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 15 oz can pitted dark sweet cherries in juice
 3 oz package cherry gelatin
 1 cup boiling water
 2 tbsp lemon juice
 cold water
 ½ cup walnuts (optional)

1

Drain can of cherries and reserve juice. Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Combine reserved cherry juice, lemon juice and enough water to equal 1 cup, and then add to Jell-O, Refrigerate until slightly set. Add cherries and nuts, and then pour into 4-cup mold. Chill until firm.
Yield: 6

Ingredients

 15 oz can pitted dark sweet cherries in juice
 3 oz package cherry gelatin
 1 cup boiling water
 2 tbsp lemon juice
 cold water
 ½ cup walnuts (optional)

Directions

1

Drain can of cherries and reserve juice. Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Combine reserved cherry juice, lemon juice and enough water to equal 1 cup, and then add to Jell-O, Refrigerate until slightly set. Add cherries and nuts, and then pour into 4-cup mold. Chill until firm.
Yield: 6

Bill’s Bing Cherry Salad

A fancy horseradish relish mold for meat:

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From 1922, from the Jell-O Museum and Gallery

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 3 oz package lemon gelatin
 2 cups boiling water
 2 tbsp vinegar
 1 pimiento
 ½ green pepper
 ½ cup grated horseradish

1

Dissolve a package of Lemon Jell-O in a scant 2 cups of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Add one pimento, one half of a green pepper cut fine, and half a cup of grated horseradish. As it begins to thicken mold in sweet green peppers, and when set, cut into slices. Serve with meat of fish.

Ingredients

 3 oz package lemon gelatin
 2 cups boiling water
 2 tbsp vinegar
 1 pimiento
 ½ green pepper
 ½ cup grated horseradish

Directions

1

Dissolve a package of Lemon Jell-O in a scant 2 cups of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Add one pimento, one half of a green pepper cut fine, and half a cup of grated horseradish. As it begins to thicken mold in sweet green peppers, and when set, cut into slices. Serve with meat of fish.

Jell-O Horseradish Relish

My personal favorite Jell-O salad (add extra cinnamon!):

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From 1930. From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery

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 6 oz pear halves in syrup, undrained
 1 cup boiling water
 3 oz package lime gelatin
 ¼ tsp salt (optional)
 1 tbsp lemon juice
 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

1

Drain pears, reserving ¾ cup of the syrup. Dice pears; set aside. Stir boiling water into Jell-O and salt in medium bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in reserved syrup and lemon juice, Pour 1-¼ cups into 8" x 4" loaf pan or 4 -cup mold. Refrigerate about I hour or until set but not firm (should stick finger when touched and should mound).

2

Meanwhile, stir remaining Jell-O gradually into cream cheese in a large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in pears and cinnamon. Spoon over the Jell-O layer in pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold. Garnish with cinnamon, if desired.
Yield: 6

Ingredients

 6 oz pear halves in syrup, undrained
 1 cup boiling water
 3 oz package lime gelatin
 ¼ tsp salt (optional)
 1 tbsp lemon juice
 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1

Drain pears, reserving ¾ cup of the syrup. Dice pears; set aside. Stir boiling water into Jell-O and salt in medium bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in reserved syrup and lemon juice, Pour 1-¼ cups into 8" x 4" loaf pan or 4 -cup mold. Refrigerate about I hour or until set but not firm (should stick finger when touched and should mound).

2

Meanwhile, stir remaining Jell-O gradually into cream cheese in a large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in pears and cinnamon. Spoon over the Jell-O layer in pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold. Garnish with cinnamon, if desired.
Yield: 6

Under-the-Sea Salad

Poke cake!!!

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery, 1978

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 1 2-layer white cake mix
 3 oz any flavor gelatin
 1 cup boiling water
 1 cup cold water

1

Prepare cake mix as directed. Bake in well-greased and floured 9" x 13" pan @ 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Poke with fork@ ½ "intervals. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add cold water and stir. Pour over cake in pan. Chill 3-4 hours. Top with thawed Cool Whip.

Ingredients

 1 2-layer white cake mix
 3 oz any flavor gelatin
 1 cup boiling water
 1 cup cold water

Directions

1

Prepare cake mix as directed. Bake in well-greased and floured 9" x 13" pan @ 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Poke with fork@ ½ "intervals. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add cold water and stir. Pour over cake in pan. Chill 3-4 hours. Top with thawed Cool Whip.

Jell-O Poke Cake

And this intriguing “Roman Sponge”. If I can get macaroons to remain in my house long enough to be crushed, I will have to try this out. 

AuthorRetroRuth
Rating

From 1924 - From the Jell-O Museum and Gallery

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 3 oz package cherry gelatin
 1 cup boiling water
 1 cup whipped cream
 6 macaroons, crushed
 Handful of nuts
 Cherries for garnish

1

Dissolve a package of Cherry Jell-O in 1 cup of boiling water and chill. When Jell-O is cold, whip to the consistency of whipped cream. Then add one cup whipped cream, one-half dozen macaroons crushed, and a handful of chopped nuts. Set away to harden. Garnish with cherries and serve with whipped cream.

Ingredients

 3 oz package cherry gelatin
 1 cup boiling water
 1 cup whipped cream
 6 macaroons, crushed
 Handful of nuts
 Cherries for garnish

Directions

1

Dissolve a package of Cherry Jell-O in 1 cup of boiling water and chill. When Jell-O is cold, whip to the consistency of whipped cream. Then add one cup whipped cream, one-half dozen macaroons crushed, and a handful of chopped nuts. Set away to harden. Garnish with cherries and serve with whipped cream.

Roman Sponge

So, I hope you enjoy the recipes!! I am excited to try these all out. They look like lots of fun!

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