Layered Rainbow Jello from Rebel with a Donut

Buckle up. While this is easy, it takes forever. If you happen to make your own version of this....let me know! It would be great for book club!

INGREDIENTS:

7 colors/flavors of Jello, 3 ounce boxes (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). Note: I had 3-ounce boxes of Great Value Flavored Gelatin for Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green. I had slightly bigger boxes of Starburst brand for Blue and Violet, and used 3 ounces from them for blue and violet, and for indigo I mixed the remainder of the two together.

Unflavored Gelatin. Get the 4 pack of envelopes. You're getting to need quite a bit.

Sweetened Condensed Milk, 2 14-ounce cans, you'll have 1/2 a can left at the end

Hot Water

DIRECTIONS:

1. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of violet/purple Jello and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Pour this into a 9x13 pan. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

2. While first layer is chilling, mix up the white layer. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin and 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix together. 

3. When first layer is set, pour 1/2 of the white gelatin mix over the purple layer. Return to refrigerator to set, for 20-30 minutes. You can make the next colored layered right now to give it time to cool.

4. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of indigo Jello (I mixed blue and purple) and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Don't let this be too hot when you pour it on the white layer. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

5. When second color layer is set, pour the remainder of white gelatin mix over the indigo layer. Return to refrigerator to set, for 20-30 minutes. You can make the next colored layered right now to give it time to cool.

6. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of blue Jello and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Don't let this be too hot when you pour it on the white layer. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

7. While those layers chill, mix up another batch of the white layer. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin and 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix together. 

8. When third color layer is set, pour 1/2 of the white gelatin mix over the blue layer. Return to refrigerator to set, for 20-30 minutes. You can make the next colored layered right now to give it time to cool.

9. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of green Jello and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Don't let this be too hot when you pour it on the white layer. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

10. When fourth color layer is set, pour the remainder of white gelatin mix over the green layer. Return to refrigerator to set, for 20-30 minutes. You can make the next colored layered right now to give it time to cool.

11. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of yellow Jello and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Don't let this be too hot when you pour it on the white layer. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

13. While those layers chill, mix up another batch of the white layer. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin and 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix together. 

14. When fifth color layer is set, pour 1/2 of the white gelatin mix over the yellow layer. Return to refrigerator to set, for 20-30 minutes. You can make the next colored layered right now to give it time to cool.

15. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of orange Jello and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Don't let this be too hot when you pour it on the white layer. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

16. When sixth color layer is set, pour the remainder of white gelatin mix over the orange layer. Return to refrigerator to set, for 20-30 minutes. You can make the next colored layered right now to give it time to cool.

17. In 1 cup of boiling water, add 3 ounces of red Jello and 1 teaspoon unflavored Jello. Mix until dissolved. Don't let this be too hot when you pour it on the white layer. Set flat in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. 

18. Cut into squares and serve! Don't forget to admire your pretty creation and take photos!

If you want to see a condensed (haha, I laugh at my own jokes) version of this long process, enjoy this video I put together. I'm obviously not a food blogger, but it was fun!

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Jello Fluff Salad

 Book: Rebel with a Donut

Ingredients:

• 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
• 1 package (3 oz) gelatin, your choice of flavor
• 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping

Directions:

1. Combine cottage cheese and gelatin powder in a bowl, mix well.
2. Stir in oranges and pineapple.
3. Fold in whipped topping.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Video Directions:

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Book: The Sweet Dream

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

Icing Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp jam (optional for coloring and flavor)
• food coloring (optional)
• sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar, butter, and cream cheese and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until smooth.
2. Stir together flour and baking powder, add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly.
3. For cut-out cookies, chill dough. Roll out on a surface dusted with a mixture of 1/2 powdered sugar and 1/2 flour. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shape.
4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in 375F oven 8-10 minutes. Watch for the edges to barely begin to brown if you like a moist cookie. Cool on rack.
5. For Icing: Beat together powdered sugar, butter, milk, and flavorings. Tint with color or jam, if desired. (I used strawberry jam in the ones above). Add small amounts of milk and/or powdered sugar to get your desired consistency. 
6. Ice cookies and decorate.
7. Enjoy!

Chocolate Soda

Book: Rebel with a Donut

These chocolate sodas are from "Rebel with a Donut." Find them in Chapter 10. Emma's grandpa used to make them for her, and her grandma takes over after he passes away. My grandma used to make them for me when I visited her, and now my dad always makes them for my siblings, me, and all the grandkids. My dad didn't like that the grandpa in the book was dead (sorry, dad), but the grandmas needed to be single in the story.

Here's how to make the chocolate sodas from the book, if you'd like to try them yourselves. There are no given amounts, because you can add what you like to your taste. You can also find a video tutorial on my YouTube Shorts.

You'll need:

• Chocolate syrup
• Club Soda (best if chilled)
• Vanilla ice cream (or go crazy with chocolate, fudge swirled, or any other flavor)

To assemble:

1. Put chocolate syrup in bottom of glass. Add lots if you like chocolate.
2. Add club soda about halfway to two-thirds of the way up the glass. Stir. It will get foamy. Suck off the extra foam, if needed.
3. Add scoops of ice cream.
4. Enjoy! We like to use these special soda straws in ours. They're handy stainless-steel straws with a spoon built on the end. 

Cheery Cherry Rolls

 Book: The Dream Christmas

Bread ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 slightly beaten egg at room temperature
• 3 Tbsp dry instant milk
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp yeast
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 12-15 chopped maraschino cherries
• 2 Tbsp liquid from maraschino cherry bottle
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups bread flour

Filling ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Frosting ingredients:

• 2-3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2-3 Tbsp hot water
• Dash of maraschino cherry liquid for coloring
• A dash of almond flavoring or vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, combine warm water, egg, instant milk, sugar, yeast, oil, chopped cherries, cherry liquid, and salt. Add flour and knead into dough.
2. Let dough rise and expand. 1-2 hours. 
3. Assemble filling. Mix together brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and melted butter.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle. Approx...10x20 inches. 
5. Spread the filling on the dough, all the way to edges. Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 12 rolls.
6. Place in a greased 9x12 plan. Let rise for 30-45 minutes or place in refrigerator overnight to bake in morning.
7. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes, until slightly browned.
8. Prepare frosting to your taste. Spread over rolls. 

Sweet Romance Books & Food

Food and books pair like...well, coffee and donuts.

Here's a growing list of foods mentioned in my books. Click the food to be taken to a blog post of the recipe. I'll add on as I get time to make, photograph, and write them out. (I'm obviously not a food photographer or cookbook writer). I'd love to hear if you try one!

CHEERY CHERRY ROLLS (The Dream Christmas)

CHOCOLATE SODA (Rebel with a Donut)

CREAM CHEESE SUGAR COOKIES (The Sweet Dream)

JELLO FLUFF SALAD (Rebel with a Donut)

LAYERD RAINBOW JELLO (Rebel with a Donut)