National Jell-O Week - Yum

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By Chef Diane,

Years and years ago, someone once told me that Jell-O was made from the stringy part of chicken, the part that is next to the bone.  Well after that it was a long time before I ate Jell-O again.  Jell-O is the brand name for gelatin desserts.  It originated in the Victorian period, where it was made in complicated gelatin molds, it was a difficult process, and so only the well to do were able to afford it.  In 1845 the patent was sold to Mr. Peter Cooper, who invented the powdered gelatin.  40 years later, the patent was sold to Mr. Wait, and he gave it the name Jell-O.  Not being able to make a go of the business, he sold the patent for $450.00.

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It was then advertised in the Ladies’ Home Journal and proclaimed to be America's Most Famous Dessert.  Business began to improve, and started being advertised by Jack Benny in 1934, and was seen on “I love Lucy” show and other outlets. In 1974 Bill Cosby became the spokesman, and once again in 2010.  Today there are around 300 million boxes made each year.

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Jell-O is one of the main foods of choice being served in hospitals for patients recovering from surgery, it is also an inexpensive food for school children, and is sometimes mixed with fruit.   I have since overcome my fear of Jell-O and make a congealed salad that my grandmother used to make.  I have a set of copper Jell-O molds like my mother had hanging around the walls of her kitchen.  There are many things you can make with Jell-O, one of my favorites is a crunchy punch, and you can change the color of the punch by putting the color of Jell-O you want.

This is National Jell-O Week.  The Joy of Jell-O site has some other fun activities you can do with Jell-O, they can be found below.

Ways to Celebrate Jell-O Week:

• Have a Jell-O Eating Contest
• Drink Jell-O Through a Straw
• Have a Jell-O Making Contest
• Have a Jell-O Wrestling Competition
• Make Jell-O Shots (if you are not Mormon) if you are, talk to your Bishop
• Buy a Jell-O Mold at a Near-by Thrift Shop
• Make Jell-O With Your New Jell-O Mold
• Buy a Jell-O Recipe Book
• Try out a New Recipe
• Try a New Flavor- or Better Yet- Create Your Own Flavor. Mix Kinds and Give a Nifty Prize to the Person that Can Guess the Flavors.
• Write a Letter to a Utah Congressman/Woman Telling About Your Jell-O Joys.
• Take Jell-O to a Neighbor.
• Take Jell-O to Work
• Congeal Your Co-Workers Stapler or Other Item in Jell-o. See Jell-ostapler.com for details.
• Congeal Your Husband’s Car Keys in Jell-O
• If you have had it with Your Teenager texting, 
• Congeal His/hers Cell Phone in Jell-O
• Play a Jell-O Joy Joke
• Have a Jell-O Buffet
• Utah's Delicate Arch
• Fill Your Bathtub with Jell-O
• Make Jell-O Jigglers
• Try to Make a Delicate Arch Out of Jell-O
• Make a Jell-O Valentine

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Granny’s Orange Salad:

Disolve 1 package of orange Jell-Oin 1 cup Hot water.  Cool. 

Add 7 cups of miniature marshmallows,

1 small can crushed pineapples

1 cup cottage cheese and

1 small container of cool whip. 

Pour in casserole dish and place in the refrigerator until set.