Layered Christmas Gelatin Salad #SundaySuper

This red, white, and green fruit filled layered Christmas gelatin salad is as yummy as it is pretty! It is the perfect addition to any holiday buffet table. Years ago when my children were small, we started a tradition of adding a gelatin salad to our holiday dinner party. Funny enough, this tradition was born in a hotel room in Houston, Texas.

You see, we were traveling for the holidays – having Christmas with my brother and his family in Texas. This was a big trip for our family. Going away at Christmas with three small children – Robert was probably no older than six or seven at the time, meant that we packed and shipped all of our holiday gifts with us from California to Texas.

The kids were a little bit worried about Santa finding them in a hotel in Texas, but they went along with whatever story we told them. Santa did not disappoint. While their Christmas stockings were filled in the hotel room, Santa left their other gifts sitting under their cousin’s Christmas tree waiting for them when we arrived.

For the Christmas dinner, I really wanted to find a fun way for the kids and me to help out and bring over something yummy. When you are planning to fix up a dish in a traditional hotel room, you are limited in space and equipment. Looking around, I realized that given a microwave, a refrigerator, and a sink – the kids and I could pull off a gelatin salad. After all – all you really need is boiling water (microwave) and a refrigerator to set it in. 

So that day we headed to the grocery store to pick up our ingredients – we borrowed a dish and can opener from my brother’s kitchen – and set everything up in out hotel room.

The strawberry gelatin filled with cranberries and topped with whipped cream was a huge success. My kids were  very proud of themselves for being able to bring a yummy dish to our Christmas dinner. That year and every year since, a gelatin salad has been a part of our holiday meal. Many years the girls would walk around the table showing off their beautiful salad and serve it up to our family. Some years we made this layered version in a large pyrex and other years we use a Christmas wreath mold that I acquired somewhere once upon a time. However we choose to serve it – it is always delicious!

This layered Christmas gelatin salad is made with a layer of lime Jello and crushed pineapples, a layer of cream cheese whipped with a bit of milk and some unflavored gelatin, and a top layer of strawberry Jello with whole cranberry suace. It is a little bit sweet, a little bit tangy, a little bit creamy, and a whole lot of yummy!

It is super easy to make, but you do need to plan the time to chill and let the layers of gelatin set before you add the next layer. This is never a problem for me, as it seems like I always have something to do. Make the first layer and then fold laundry. Make the second layer and then grade some papers. Put together the third layer and then let it set overnight. So get your tea kettle going – and make up a layered Christmas gelatin salad.

Layered Christmas Gelatin Salad

Ingredients

Green Layer:

• 1 package (3 ounces) lime gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (draining the pineapple will give you more than 1/3 cup pineapple juice.)

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup milk

Red Layer:

• 2 packages (3 ounces each) strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
• Whipped topping, optional

Directions:

Green Layer:

1. Dissolve lime gelatin in boiling water.
2. Stir in pineapple juice. Stir in pineapple.
3. Pour into an 11×7-in. dish; refrigerate until set.

Cream Cheese Layer:

1. In a small saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute.
2. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
3. Transfer to a small bowl and beat in cream cheese and milk until smooth.
4. Spread over lime layer; refrigerate until set. 

Red Layer:

1. Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water. 
2. Stir in cranberry sauce.
3. Let cool for 10 minutes – you don’t want it to melt your cream cheese layer.
4. Carefully spoon over cream cheese layer. 
5. Refrigerate until set. 
6. Cut into squares.
7. Garnish with whipped topping if desired. 

Yield: 15 servings.

Layered Christmas Gelatin Salad

November 19, 2017

by Stacey

Category Holiday Kid-friendly Recipes Salads Side dishes

Ingredients

Green Layer

• 1 package (3 ounces) lime gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 - 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (draining the pineapple will give you more than 1/3 cup pineapple juice.)

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup milk

Red Layer:

• 2 packages (3 ounces each) strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
• Whipped topping, optional

Instructions

Green Layer:

1. Dissolve lime gelatin in boiling water.
2. Stir in pineapple juice. Stir in pineapple.
3. Pour into an 11x7-in. dish; refrigerate until set.

Cream Cheese Layer:

1. In a small saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute.
2. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
3. Transfer to a small bowl and beat in cream cheese and milk until smooth.
4. Spread over lime layer; refrigerate until set.

Red Layer:

1. Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water.
2. Stir in cranberry sauce.
3. Let cool for 10 minutes - you don't want it to melt your cream cheese layer.
4. Carefully spoon over cream cheese layer.
5. Refrigerate until set.
6. Cut into squares.
7. Garnish with whipped topping if desired.

Tags

Buffet,

Holiday,

Jello,

kids

© 2024 Positively Stacey

https://positivelystacey.com/2017/11/layered-christmas-gelatin-salad-sundaysuper/

Holiday Salad Recipes #SundaySupper

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The Sunday Supper Movement is committed to bringing our readers delicious recipes that encourage them to gather and eat together around the family table. Search for your favorite ingredients on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Sunday Supper Pinterest boards for plenty more ideas and inspiration.