Joys of Jello - but Watch for Prunes

Ms. Prune Whip has agreed to guest blog again with a fruitcake recipe for the holidays. You've been warned.

Lots of news around here. First off - the site is live! www.amyalessio.com brings vintage cookbooks to a whole new level, thanks to the talents of designer Beth Tindall.

Secondly, I'm off to Boucheron in a couple days for two wonderful programs on teen/children's mysteries. More on that, but I've been reading some great books to get ready.

In the meantime, I noticed that Molly dissed Jello with marshmallows in the comments after her post. Has she eaten too many prunes? That's almost as good as sweet potatoes and marshmallows. So I pulled out one of my many many Jello cookbooks, and found the one I worked with when I was little, the 1973 edition. But I surely did not ever make this recipe. Not even marshmallows would help this one! Perhaps it will make Molly do more with Jello...

Jellied Prune Whip (and I'm not even kidding)

1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Orange or Lemon Gelatin

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cold water

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. grated orange rind

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked prune pulp (about 1 lb. dried prunes) (There are no words. Two prunes, a pulp, and a dried in one description. Like a sci fi novel.)

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add cold water, salt, and orange rind. Place bowl of gelatin in a larger bowl of ice and water. Stir until slightly thickened; then whip until fluffy and thick. Add sugar to prune pulp and fold into whipped gelatin. Pile lightly in sherbet glasses. (Pile lightly? Sounds like a load of something else that piles.) Chill until set - at least 1 hour. Serve with custard sauce (Excuse me?) or light cream. Makes 5 cups or 8 - 10 servings.

Folks, the next time someone you don't like at work or in your family has a party of some sort bring this. Just kidding. I don't want anyone harmed.