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Jell-O and Easter go together like soup and sandwich!  So why not make Jell-O eggs?  I bought one of the egg shaped molds once and got frustrated because the Jell-O always stuck to the sides!  Now I just use real eggs.  Here’s how…

First you need to get the egg out of the shell.  To do this, gently piece one side of the egg with a thick needle.

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Do this very slowly with a slight twisting motion to prevent breaking the shell.  ^[3]

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Then turn the egg over and piece the other side, making a bit larger of a hole.

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Blow the egg out into a bowl (omelet time!) and rinse the inside of the shell.  Do this for 6-12 eggs, depending on how many you want for your celebration.

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After the shells are dry, use tape to close up the smaller end – and make sure the larger openings are big enough for a funnel. ^[7]

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To mix the Jell-O, follow the directions on the box, using only ¼ of the hot water and ¾ of the cold water.  I used only ½ of each package.  If you do this, you will need to empty it to measure how much powder is in the box.  Use half of that and then cut your water accordingly.

Put the funnel into the top of the egg and pour.  You can make them all one color or mix the colors (I used lime, orange and lemon).  If you layer, allow time in between layers for the Jell-O to set – usually about 30-40 minutes.

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IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you are going to layer the Jell-O to make rings, do NOT mix sugar free with the full sugar version.  The layers will not stick together and you’ll have little Jell-O rings!

Once all the eggs have been filled and have set long enough to set (I prefer to do 24 hours just to be sure!), CAREFULLY peel the eggs.  If you put too much pressure on the shell, you’ll damage the Jell-O inside.  Most of the time, the thin membrane inside the shell stays on the shell, but you may occasionally have to pull it off the Jell-O with fingernails or tweezers.

Place your “eggs” in a bowl or in egg cups and serve – refreshing Jell-O Eggs!

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Ready to make three kinds of deviled eggs?  Onion and Parsley, Bacon and Bleu and Cream Cheese and Lox….

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What you need:

• 1 dozen eggs, hard-boiled
• Food coloring
• 9 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 Tablespoon Bleu cheese salad dressing
• 2 Tablespoon cream cheese
• 4 Tablespoons minced green onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• 4 Tablespoons chopped smoked salmon (lox)
• 4 Tablespoon chopped, crisp cooked bacon  (keep one full, crisp slice for garnish)
• Green olives, Sliced

How to Do it:

First, dye the eggs.  To do this you need to crack the shells all around the egg.

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Put food coloring on the shell so that it goes in the cracks – rubbing it gently.  Let dry for a couple of minutes and then rinse.  Do this will all 12 eggs and let them dry.

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After they are dried, carefully remove the shells.  You can leave them out in a bowl just to eat as hard-boiled eggs,

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or make them into deviled eggs!

Slice them in half lengthwise and gently scoop out the yolks.  Set the whites on a serving dish and put all the yolks in a bowl.

To the yolks, add 7 tablespoons of mayonnaise and the yellow mustard.  Add a bit of pepper to taste.  Separate the mixture evenly into three bowls.

Onion and Parsley Eggs

In one of the bowls, mix in the remaining two tablespoons of mayonnaise,  2 Tablespoons of the green onion and the parsley.  Mix well and scoop the mixture evenly into 8 egg halves.  Top with a slice of green olive.

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Bacon and Bleu Bunnies

In another bowl, add the blue cheese and the bacon.  Thoroughly mix and place evenly into 8 egg halves.  Use pieces of bacon for the ears, small chunks of green olives for the eyes and a tiny bit of green onion for the nose.

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Cream Cheese and Lox

In the remaining bowl, add the cream cheese and mix it well into the yolks.  Carefully fold in the chopped lox.  Place the mixture evenly in the remaining 8 egg halves and garnish with a bit of green onion.

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Makes 24 appetizers

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I love my crock pot and I love chili.  It’s that cup that warms you up while you eat it – and this one will do just that.  Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you.  It’s mostly spices!  Just throw it all in your crock pot in the morning and you’ll have a pot of chili when you get home!

What you need:

• 1 pound of cut up beef for stew (or chuck)
• 1 16-oz can of pinto beans, drained
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 16-oz can of diced tomatoes with green chiles
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup brewed coffee
• ½ cup tomato based vegetable juice
• 1 clove of garlic, diced
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon of regular chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon of ancho chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon of chipotle chili powder
• Avocado, shredded cheddar and chopped red onion for garnish

How to Do it:

Put everything (except the garnishes) into the crockpot.  Mix it up well (taste the liquid to see if it needs more salt or pepper).

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Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or until the meat falls apart.

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Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped onion, diced avocado and a little shredded cheese.

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Warning – this is a bit spicy – a little sour cream will help to counter that or leave out the chipotle powder and use more regular chili powder.

Makes about 4 servings

 

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Springtime brings sunnier weather and the outside grill suddenly calls out my name!!  Here is a great (and pretty easy) dish to welcome in the BBQ season!

Here’s What you Need:

• 2 Tablespoons chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds of pork loin back ribs

Here’s how you do it:

Cut the slab of ribs in half so they will fit in a gallon sized zip lock bag.  Mix all the ingredients except the ribs in a small bowl with a fork.

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You’ll have a sandy mixture.  Rub it on both sides of the ribs, using all the mix.

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Place the ribs in the bag and seal air tight.  Place in the refrigerator for 24 -36 hours.

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Remove the ribs from the bag and grill on low for about 20 minutes per side with the top down on the grill.  You want to cook them slow so that they get sweet and tender.  After they are done through and the meat pulls off easily, turn the grill up to medium high and cook, away from the direct heat (with the lid down) until they are well browned and crispy.  It’s now that you will put the barbeque sauce on and cook it on – nice and sticky.

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Serve them hot and, if you want, throw some corn still in the husk on about 20 minutes before they are done.  Pull the husks off hot and you have perfectly steamed corn to go with your perfectly tender ribs!  Yum

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