One of the simplest of desserts and treats to make, yet so often gets overlooked. I love jello! Thankfully the kids love it too. So this week I wanted some desserts and refreshing snacks to make, but I didn’t want any cake or frosted things since we just had cake on Brian’s birthday I just wasn’t in the mood to add more sugar coated calories. Yes, jello has sugar in it, but it’s not sugar coated sugar and there is a sugar free option if you so choose to buy that kind. I go for plain ole regular jello ~ sugar and all.

First up, surprise surprise ~ orange jello! Plain and yummy. Guess who picked this flavor? Lucas the lover of all things orange. And I didn’t argue because he hasn’t been feeling well the past few weeks and orange jello is actually one of my favorite flavors.

Make sure the crystals dissolve all the way or your jello will get all uneven when you pour it into containers and some will be runnier than others. Speaking of Jello containers! My grandmother had a specific set of Tupperware bowls and a set of glass dessert dishes that were just for jello making when I was a kid. Occasionally she’d reuse the plastic ring that you can buy jello in at the store too! But, we were a small household back then and she only made one box of jello at a time, and she had a big fridge!

Me with my tiny apartment sized refrigerator and family of 6 I need to economize the space in there. I use a set of 8 ounce Ball canning jars when I make jello, they don’t take up a lot of room, they’re clear so you can see what flavor you’re grabbing, and they wash up fast and easy in the dishwasher cup rack.

Now that the orange jello is out of the way (and I only got 3 jars out of that because I filled them all the way full) it’s time to make the black cherry dessert! Woohoo! Only three ingredients needed and these are easily changeable to other flavors if you want.

*black cheery jello
*frozen pitted dark cherries
*cool whip!

Boil your water and make black cherry flavored jello as directed. In you containers put in a spoonful of coolwhip, and a 4 to 6 cherries. They’re frozen so you can go ahead them now instead of waiting an hour and adding them while the jello sets! I’m all about the easy recipes you know! Pour jello over cherries and cool whip, give it a stir and pop it in the fridge to chill and set. Takes 4 to 6 hours to set just like usual. I got 6 jars from one box of jello.

Enjoy! and yes that’s all that’s in my refrigerator! food doesn’t last around here with four growing boys!

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