Quick'n'easy U.s. Flag Gelatin Dessert

Name: Quick'n'easy U.s. Flag Gelatin Dessert
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 24 2-inch squares, 24 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 pints strawberries; 1 1/3 cups blueberries, divided; 1 banana; 3 1/2 ounces large box red gelatin, any flavor; 2 cups boiling water; 12 ice cubes; 12 ounces frozen non-dairy topping, thawed or 12 ounces real whipped cream; 1 cup powdered non-dairy coffee creamer; 1/4 cup cold milk (OR water); 1 tablespoon cold lemon juice concentrate; 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Submitted by Kimberly Annette

"This gelatin dessert can actually be ready to present in half an hour, yet is beautifully elegant for U.S. patriotic holiday gatherings. I came up with the idea when I'd forgotten that I was supposed to bring my usual Flag Cake to a 4th of July picnic during a very hectic time. I had lots of red gelatin and berries on hand, but no pound cake, no whipped topping in the house, no time to go to the store, and only an hour to have something ready. Here it is..."

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photo by Kimberly Annette

Ready In:: 25mins
Ingredients:: 11
Yields:: 24 2-inch squares
Serves:: 24

ingredients

2 pints strawberries
1 ¹⁄₃ cups blueberries, divided
1 banana
3 ¹⁄₂ ounces large box red gelatin, any flavor
2 cups boiling water
12 ice cubes
Whipped Topping of choice
EITHER
12 ounces frozen non-dairy topping, thawed or 12 ounces real whipped cream
OR the following
1 cup powdered non-dairy coffee creamer
¹⁄₄ cup cold milk (OR water)
1 tablespoon cold lemon juice concentrate
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

directions

IF making whipped topping from powdered coffee creamer, put mixing bowl, beaters, measuring cup and measuring spoons in the freezer to chill thoroughly. Note: Also see Step #4.
While boiling water for gelatin, hull strawberries, slice enough to make 1 cup, cut the rest into halves. Also slice 1 banana.
In a 13"x9"x2" baking pan, dissolve 1 large (3-1/2 oz.) box of gelatin in 2 cups of boiling water. Stir to thoroughly dissolve, about 2 minutes.
IF making whipped topping from powdered coffee creamer, pour 1/4 cup milk OR water into measuring cup and return to the freezer; then measure 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the mixing bowl, and return to freezer until gelatin is prepared. Do NOT mix lemon juice directly with milk!
When gelatin is completely dissolved, add 12 ice cubes and continue stirring until gelatin is "soft set," about 4 minutes (gelatin will be somewhat "lumpy"). Remove unmelted ice pieces.
Add 1 cup of blueberries, sliced strawberries and all sliced banana to the gelatin. Stir to distribute fruit throughout.
IF making whipped topping from powdered coffee creamer, cover gelatin with plastic wrap and chill in fridge. OTHERWISE skip to next step -.
Spread whipped topping of choice evenly over the gelatin. Arrange remaining blueberries to form a square in one corner, and arrange the halved strawberries in 4-5 lines about an inch and a half apart, making the "Stars and Bars" of the U.S. flag.
To serve: Cut into squares of about 2 inches.
TO MAKE WHIPPED TOPPING FROM POWDERED NON-DAIRY COFFEE CREAMER: Remove all equipment and liquid ingredients from the freezer.
Pour 1 cup powdered non-dairy coffee creamer over COLD lemon juice.
Pour COLD milk (OR water) over powdered creamer. Do NOT mix milk directly into lemon juice or milk will sour.
Using FREEZER-CHILLED beaters, beat lemon juice, creamer and milk on high speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in sugar; continue beating about another 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Spread over top of gelatin-fruit mixture, and follow Steps #8 & #9.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Kimberly Annette

The story below is old. "The Man" in question is a college ethics instructor who took out a credit card in my name without my prior knowledge or consent, transferred a balance from his credit card, emptied our joint checking acct., ran it $500 into overdraft paying for some other woman's medical care, and kicked me out of the house (actually, he demanded rent, but he hadn't wanted me working much outside the home so I had no means of paying him rent). I myself am in need of medical care but am now unable to obtain it because I had to leave the state and I do not qualify for medical assistance here. The woman he left me for bills herself as a "patient's advocate." She's also a law student and they've threatened to sue me for defamation of character if I tell anyone what they've done. SO SUE ME. He also says it's my fault for having trusted him, I should have listened to Suze Orman and protected myself from him better. Well, here's the previous story from when he was pretending to like me: I live in a Post-War Tract House that we're slowly updating. The Man and I are battling over "Generic Cheap But Functional, Modern, and Cosmetic" vs. "Being True to Post-War Period Housing, Evoking a Sense of Nostalgia and Respect for Our Parent's Generation." Mostly HE'S winning. We have a 7'x15' galley style kitchen, one end of which is supposedly the dining nook. It's not nookish at all. It's just the end of the room in front of the doorway to the rest of the house. There is no dining room or other eating area. This is one area I would eagerly modernize, reserving nostalgia solely for the decor. Instead, it seems to be the only part of the house that will preserve its original integrity. Our dining table is too big for the space, and even a small table would block the doorway. So we put a breakfast bar on the long wall - smack dab in front of a 4'x5' window. We put a kitcheny-looking bookcase at the short wall, so all my cookbooks and recipe card boxes are at hand. My favorite cookbook is the Betty Crocker Dessert Cookbook my mother gave me for my 17th Christmas. My next favorite is the Hill Country (Austin, Tx) Senior Activity Center's Recipe Book for 1982.

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