Does the scent of baking bread bring back memories for you?  How about the taste of the favorite cookie from your childhood?  The taste and smell of coffee?

For me the taste (and smell) of certain foods sometimes remind me of people, especially family.

            Homemade lasagna – my mother

            Barbecued chicken – my grandfather (his recipe) and my dad who complained that I didn’t sear the chicken enough that one time.

            Christmas recipes – multiple recipes from my grandmother who hosted our holiday dinners when I was growing up.

For Christmas 2020, appreciating and remembering family and friends is especially important.  The family dinner at my cousin’s house is cancelled so I am planning the entire meal for our household.  This year my grandmother’s “Green Salad” is back on the menu.  It’s a version of the classic Lime Jello salad with cream cheese, crushed pineapple, celery, and pecans.

Ingredients:

            Lime Jello – 3 oz. package

            Cream cheese, softened – 4 oz.

            1 cup boiling water

            1 cup room temperature water

            Crushed pineapple with liquid – 8 oz.

            2 stalks celery, diced (1/4 inch pieces)

            Pecan pieces – ½ cup (4 oz.)

Preparation: 

1. Mix dry Lime Jello with the softened cream cheese thoroughly. This is the easiest way to avoid those stubborn bits of cheese that refuse to blend in.
2. Stir in 1 cup of boiling water and mix. Let the mixture rest for 2 minutes to dissolve the Jello.
3. Add the room temperature water and mix.
4. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is thickened but not fully set (about 1-1 ½ hour.)
5. Stir in the pineapple, celery, and pecan pieces.
6. If desired, transfer to a gelatin mold. We usually just left it in a bowl or transferred it to a casserole dish.
7. Cover and refrigerate until set.

I always liked this retro salad.  It’s sweet and tart from the lime and the pineapple.  The cream cheese gives it a creamy texture.  The celery provides a little crunch and the pecans lend some solidity with a nutty flavor.  I don’t know how this will pair with my first attempt at Beef Wellington but I guess I’ll find out!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Update-----

The pineapple I had on hand was in chunks....oops!  So I measured the chunks with juice and used a fork to break the pieces down a bit.  The pineapple pieces were chunkier than usual, no big deal!