This dish of yummy fabulousness is Jan's Famous Jello Salad. Yes, I made it for Thanksgiving. What a hit. It has a base of cherry pie filling and a cream cheese/whipped cream crushed pineapple topping. Gelatin salads are so retro, and really get a bad rap these days. I used to love them with just about any meal, especially on holidays or hot summer days. I am going to copy Jan's story below so you can all enjoy it and get a good laugh. Who knows, if you make it, you might get famous for it too! It may be too late to make it for this Thanksgiving, but it sure would be great as part of your Christmas dinner.
Jan's Story
The Cherry Jello Supreme story is…we live across the country from family so celebrate holidays with our friends’ family here. Everyone is related except us & we love being included in their holidays. There will be 20 of us at our house on Thursday with lots of laughter & teasing.
These are always meals where the host provides the meat & a side dish or two & everyone else brings a side dish, rolls or dessert. Our first year as a guest I took the Jello salad that is from a recipe in a Methodist Church cookbook from South Florida. For some reason I’ve been expected to take/serve that salad at every holiday meal for the last 25 years.
I didn’t think much about it & one year asked the grandmother (90+ years at that time) of the family to bring a salad to our house for Thanksgiving. “WHERE’S THE CHERRY SALAD???” was blurted out at the dinner table. " Really? This strawberry Jello salad your grandma made is pretty tasty with pretzels on the bottom.” Back to my boring salad, then after a couple more years passed I asked our friend to bring the salad. He knew about reaction the last time we diverted from Cherry Jello Supreme & made a beautiful red salad. Again, “WHERE’S THE CHERRY SALAD????” was heard at the table despite a delicious fresh cranberry & Jello salad. He was embarrassed & I felt awful for having asked him to fix the salad.
I’ve given up. I’ll be making 2 pans of Cherry Jello Supreme so there’s plenty for 20 at dinner on Thursday plus enough to send home with leftovers. Here’s the recipe in case anyone wants to give it a try. Be warned that you’re on your own if you have to make it for every holiday for years to come!
Cherry Jello Supreme
‘The Burnt Offering’ cookbook (circa 1972), Christ Church, United Methodist, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Use a 9”x13” pan.
Dissolve 1-3 oz. package of raspberry Jello in 1 Cup of boiling water.
Stir in 1-21 oz. can of cherry pie filling.
Allow to set up in the refrigerator.
Dissolve 1-3 oz. package of lemon Jello in 1 Cup of boiling water.
Beat 1-8 oz. cream cheese & ⅓ Cup mayonnaise until smooth.
Gradually add lemon Jello to the cream cheese & mayonnaise.
Stir in ⅓ Cup crushed pineapple & 1 Cup Cool Whip (or real whipped cream).
Add 1 Cup mini marshmallows.
Pour on top of set up raspberry/cherry layer. Allow to set up in the refrigerator.
Serves 12.
I have made this salad many times, using a recipe that someone had submitted to Better Homes & Gardens. It was my daughter's favorite dish, so after not having made it for several years I recently decided to make it again especially for her. She didn't even remember it, let alone the fact that it had been her favorite when she was young.
Posted by: Linda Enneking | November 25, 2022 at 05:26 AM
Yummy! Thanks for sharing, and I will make it very soon. Love this blog for it's variety of content and stories, keep them coming.
Posted by: Marie Woodhouse | November 25, 2022 at 06:33 AM
That looks yummy. I love most of those retro jello salads. My favorite is a lemon pineapple one that is much requested. The family also asks for what has jokingly referred to as 'vulture vomit'. (I think a teen brother called it that lots of years ago) It is kind of a raspberry/angel food cake torte.
I sew and potluck with older gals that have good recipes like these. On a hot afternoon really yummy. I'm seeing lots of sales in my mailbox this morning. Are you shopping for some fabric today?
Posted by: taria | November 25, 2022 at 07:46 AM
I'm happy you liked the Jello salad! The only bad rap comes if we have something different! So retro or not, I'll be making it to take on Christmas! We had a 3-year old little boy here yesterday & what fun it was to have a little one at the party! Have a great weekend full of leftovers & decorating!
Posted by: Jan | November 25, 2022 at 09:06 AM
I love jello recipes and will give this one a try. Most of my family tease me about my jello “salads”, but I don’t care. Think I will go ahead and make something jello from now on at family gatherings.
Posted by: Kathi Kittle | November 25, 2022 at 09:19 AM
All of my childhood my grandma brought a "green jello" salad. Similar to yours it was lime jello, cream cheese, pineapples, maraschino cherries, all the good stuff! I loved the tang. The first few years after she was gone I made it, but then it fell out favor as we went towards "healthier" meals. Someday I will make it again.
Posted by: sue s | November 25, 2022 at 09:55 AM
Oh goodie -- I love looking at the photo of the cherry jello supreme! Will definitely make it in the future. Thank you to Jan for passing on the recipe and thank you, Nicole, for posting the fabulous photo!
Posted by: Sally | November 25, 2022 at 12:22 PM
Yum Sounds so delicious. I usually make the cranberry jello salad but this one sounds like a new adventure. Will be trying it for Christmas. Thanks you two, for sharing.
Posted by: Jocelyn | November 25, 2022 at 02:11 PM
Growing up, we rotated who hosted the Thanksgiving meal. My Mom always brought the salads, a 7-layer lettuce salad and an orange jello salad. I still make it for special occasions but my brothers wives never make it because for them jello is not salad, but dessert. This year I live in the same state as one of my brothers and this morning commented that this week two of our cousins asked me for the recipe to moms orange salad. He said in a loud voice well glad the tradition is being carried on by part of the family. I will be making it for Christmas with them.
Posted by: Sandy | November 25, 2022 at 04:27 PM
My family has a very similar cherry jello salad story. When my children were little, my sister-in-law brought cherry jello salad to each holiday meal. It became a tradition. The several years we changed things up led to outcries of disappointment. The kids are now 30 and 33. The cherry jello salad is still a regular menu item at each holiday meal!
Posted by: Julie | November 26, 2022 at 09:17 AM