Jell-O Times Two.

Until the last six months or so since my mom started trying to minimize, we have always known that if we’re looking for something from our growing-up years, she’s likely got it. It’s for that reason that when we come for a visit, we usually find long-forgotten things either by accident or, if mom finds something she wants us to take home, left on the dresser of the room in which we sleep.

I was tickled on this visit to find a short stack of old report cards, a program from an elementary school play, and a collaborative recipe book made by my kindergarten class on that dresser.

The recipe book is called “Try ’em Recipes”, and if that doesn’t make you want to try what’s inside, I don’t know what would.

I flipped through the book, skimming the recipes provided by all of my classmates until I got to mine. It was a recipe for “Iceleo”, and while I wrote it in such a way to make it look like it’s something I whipped up all the time, I can’t remember making it once. Anyway, it’s cute.

This visit seems to have a Jell-O theme, because my sister pulled this book out of my mom’s collection to put into a box as a gag gift for my dad. When he opened the box and held up the book I correctly guessed that it was published in 1973 because come on, that was when Jell-O was super cool and also totally a normal side dish to bring to a party. I felt old for a second after I guessed the year but then my sense of feeling super smart made that yucky old feeling go away. I mean, I guessed correctly!!

I promptly called dibs on that cookbook because I figured my mom probably hadn’t used it either since the 70s or possibly ever.

I mean, just look at these “appetizing” Jell-O dishes.

But don’t look at them too long, because if you’re anything like me (still full from Thanksgiving), you might feel a little icky about it.

Maybe you should come back tomorrow. The Jell-O will still be here.