Wiggle and Jiggle

It’s Not a Dance It’s a Recipe

Remember that Familiar J-E-L-L-O Jingle

Photo by Shamblen Studios on Unsplash

I had a lovely lunch recently with some friends. We agreed to nosh on several small appetizers. One of the appetizers was a classic strawberry Jello dessert. It was a layering of strawberry Jell-O, sweetened cream cheese, topped with crushed salty pretzels. It’s a classic dessert made frequently years ago.

Our discussion turned to how popular Jell-O was in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, and by the 80’s, these wonderfully delicious, refreshing side dishes had slowly begun to disappear.

Charcuterie boards are all the rage these days, and they can be quite beautiful and delicious. I have enjoyed creating some fun boards myself.

But Jell-O! It is quite versatile. My family always served a dish as part of the main course. This was quite bizarre considering my Italian heritage. Pasta, meatballs, and Jello. Well, there were other items in our typical huge feasts.

A cousin made a strawberry Jell-O dessert many years ago. It was one of my favorites.

So simple. Strawberry Jell-O prepared according to directions. Roll a very small cream cheese ball (like a teaspoon). Then roll the ball in chopped pecans and scatter these tiny balls in the strawberry jello dessert until it firms. When I saw this dish at our family gatherings, I scooped a bit of the Jell-O, making sure it had the scrumptious cream cheese ball. A perfect blend of sweet and salty with a little crunch.

I found a treasure in my “never throw this away” drawer. It is a small 95 page paper booklet called “Joys of Jello.” It has hundreds of mouthwatering recipes made with Jello.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that my grandmother had given it to my mom on May 9, 1965, with her signature inside. I would have been 12 years old. Seeing my grandmother’s handwriting after so many years stirred an emotional stirring in my heart. It literally turned me into Jello!

Photo of gelatin desserts from Joys of Jello booklet

I browsed through the booklet while my mouth watered. However, it seems the combination of lime jello with vegetables and horseradish was quite popular. Not very appealing to me, though. I prefer the fruity concoctions best.

Like the cancelled pervert comedian (you know who) said, “There is always room for Jell-O.” My kids grew up watching his family-friendly show. But I don’t want to equate Jell-O with him.

This is my vow. My promise.

I want to bring back something nostalgic and delicious. It is therapeutic to take a trip down memory lane every once in a while. Especially now in this unsettling political climate.

In fact, at this time, a Jell-O mold is in my shopping cart on Amazon.

Getting back to my lunch with the ladies. Someone mentioned that RFK Jr. wants to ban Jell-O. He believes it is the most unhealthy item in the grocery store. Well, yeah, if that’s all you eat? Jell-O, sure, it can be unhealthy. So can ice cream, potato chips, and fries if that is all you eat.

Like my Grandmother always said, “Eat everything, just small amounts.”

I decided then and there I would be on a pilgrimage to “Bring back Jello”. From this day forward, I shall pledge every time I am requested to bring a salad or side dish to a family function, I will bring delicious, refreshing Jell-O. I will use my mother’s booklet on the Joys of Jello and decide on one of the mouth-watering recipes.

I shall call my pilgrimage, “MAJA!”

LET’S MAKE AMERICA JIGGLE AGAIN.

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