JELLO Popcorn

This is such a great idea for parties. There's so many flavors of JELLO that you'll always have a color to match your theme. In this picture we used watermelon, pineapple, grape and lime. Sooo delicious and your friends will keep coming back for another handful.

INGREDIENTS
8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup butter
3 T. light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1- 3.5oz box jello, any flavor (not the sugar free kind)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°F.   Line a jelly roll pan with foil or parchment.  If using foil, spray lightly with non-stick spray and set aside.  Pop popcorn into an extra large mixing bowl.

Add butter and syrup to a sauce pan on medium heat.  Stir until butter is melted.  Add sugar and Jello and stir to combine.

Increase heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat so it just simmers and cook for about 5 minutes.

After the sugar mixture has simmered, immediately pour over popcorn in bowl.  Mix right away and keep stirring so everything gets well coated. *It is really hot so be careful! Spread mixture onto prepared pan and spread out evenly.
Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes.  Remove pan from the oven and as it cools, break into pieces and enjoy!

*You can definitely eat this without baking in the oven...it will just be soft and gooey.  Definitely bake it if you’re going to pack it up for sharing, or serve it as party food so it will be light and crunchy.

Spinach Salad

This is one of our favorite salads. It has so many yummy ingredients and is very filling so we sometimes just eat this for dinner.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup red white vinegar
1 1/2 T. red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Combine above ingredients and then add:
1 cup oil

Stir dressing well and then add to Spinach Salad.

In our salad we like: romaine lettuce, spinach, cranberries, feta cheese, strawberries, candied almonds and bacon.

Red, White and Blue Jello Cups

These jello cups are super easy, fun and festive! Change up the flavors depending on what holiday your celebrating!

INGREDIENTS
2 large boxes (6 oz.) Strawberry JELLO
2 large boxes (6 oz.) Blueberry JELLO
Fresh strawberries, chopped
Fresh blueberries
1 can of squirty Redi Whip  whipped topping
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS
Make JELLO according to instructions on the box for JELLO Jigglers. Pour flavors of JELLO into separate pans. Add chopped strawberries to red JELLO and blueberries to blue JELLO. (I throw in about a cup of berries to each 9 inch square pan).

Let JELLO set up in the refrigerator.  Once JELLO is set, cut JELLO into small cubes. Layer into cups with squirty Redi Whip in between. Top with sprinkles! Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Spring Mix Walnut Salad

A couple months ago we went to a local restaurant and enjoyed a yummy salad that I just had to go right home and try to recreate. Here's my version that I think turned out super tasty!  

INGREDIENTS
Spring Mix Lettuce
Red Onion
Granny Smith Apple
Candied Walnuts
Goat Cheese

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, and sugar until well blended. Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while mixing until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chocolate Creme Brulee

Whenever I go to a restaurant I always scan the dessert menu for Creme Brulee.  It's probably my favorite dessert. I've never once seen Chocolate Creme Brulee on the menu but I thought for sure if I made it at home it would be a winner. Of course, it was so good!!!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup heavy cream
2 T. plus 1/3 cup sugar
2 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate, finely chopped
2 extra large or jumbo egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Prepare some boiling water.  In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, 2 T. sugar and chocolate.  Cook, stirring occasionally until small bubbles appear around edges of pan.  Set aside.  Stir to dissolve any remaining chocolate pieces.

In a bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and light.  Pour hot chocolate mixture into egg yolks, a little at a time, beating continuously until well blended.  Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Divide mixture among 4 oz. ramekins.

Arrange ramekins in a baking pan and place on the middle shelf of preheated oven.  Fill pan with boiling water to halfway up sides of ramekins.  Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil.  Bake until custard is just set, about 25 minutes.  Chill for 2-3 hours.

Sprinkle remaining sugar evenly over top of cooled custards.  With a cooking torch, move the flame continuously over the surface of the ramekins, in a circular motion until sugar melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.

Watermelon Slush

Another great recipe from mom! She says, "Here's a refreshing fruit concoction that keeps for weeks in your freezer and tastes as fresh as summer. Enjoy it piled into a dessert bowl, too!"

INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1-12 oz. can frozen fruit punch concentrate
5 cups cubed watermelon (seeds removed)
1 T. lemon juice
Lemon-lime carbonated beverage, chilled
Lemon slices, optional

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in frozen fruit punch concentrate until dissolved. In a blender, blend until smooth, half of the cubed watermelon and half of the lemon juice. Repeat with the remaining cubed watermelon. Stir the watermelon into the fruit punch mixture. Pour into two freezer containers and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight until firm. To serve, scrape the top of the frozen melon mixture with a spoon to form a slush. Spoon into cups and pour chilled lemon-lime soda over top. Garnish with lemon slices. (Makes 8-12 oz. servings)