Tri-Color Set Salad

Not Helpful

Of all the titles of all the recipes in Grandma's box, this one had to be the least helpful. And so, even before the test began, I knew one thing about this recipe would have to change--its name. 

A quick scan through the recipe showed me one more thing that would have to go. Salad dressing (aka mayo). In a Jello dish? Nope. Not happening.

The dilemma was, what to use in its place. I stewed about that for a day or two and finally decided to replace the salad dressing with plain Greek yogurt, hoping that the added tang would be offset by the sixteen marshmallows the recipe also called for. 

This one would be interesting. 

How to make Tri-Color Set Salad

Once I figured out the somewhat confusing directions, I realized that two of the layers, one and three, were just plain Jello poured on the top and bottom. This recipe, it seemed, would be easier than it looked. However, layered Jello dishes do take time, so I decided to shorten the time as much as possible by using the quick-set method with the two plain layers, beginning with the green. 

I dissolved the jello in a cup of boiling water, then added a cup of ice water. 

I stirred until the ice had melted and poured the jello into a 9 x 13-inch dish. It then went into the fridge to set up. 

Following the recipe for the next layer, I brought two cups of water to a boil. All that water would be necessary to dissolve the Jello and 16 marshmallows.

What was the purpose of the marshmallows? Only Grandma would know for sure, but this wasn't the only recipe where she used marshmallows for their gelatin content. Her homemade ice cream recipe also called for marshmallows, which were melted into the pudding-based custard. Because they're one of the secrets to her silky smooth ice cream, I had high hopes for the middle layer of this Jello.

It took some vigorous stirring and a zap in the microwave to get the marshmallows to dissolve, but they eventually melted and incorporated nicely into the Jello. I placed the bowl into a sink filled with ice water to speed the cooling process while I went to work on the next step. 

The directions for combining the next few ingredients were vague, so I had to think about the best order in which to do it to avoid the dreaded lumps. This was where the mayo would have made its appearance. Call me chicken, but I just couldn't. Instead, I added a cup of Greek yogurt to the cream cheese and beat that together. 

Little by little, I then beat in the lemon Jello.  

Finally, I folded in the whipped cream and then the pineapple. I used tidbits because that was what I had on hand.    

I spread the mixture over the chilled lime Jello and let it set for a couple of hours to ensure that it was firm before adding the next layer. 

I used the quick set method for the last layer, again dissolving the Jello in hot water, then adding ice water. 

I poured it over the top and let it set for several hours before bringing it out again to serve. 

The Verdict

With its bold colors and distinctive layering, the finished dish was a beauty, and it tasted as good as you might think. The middle layer was rich and creamy, sweet but not overly so. and contrasted nicely with the top and bottom. This would be the perfect dish to take to a potluck because it's attractive, tasty, and serves a crowd. I cut it into 24 pieces, but it's thick, so it could probably serve even more. The only issue was that the green layer kept sliding out from beneath the layer above. 

Of course, that only mattered for pictures, not for eating. 

"So, what shall we call it?" I asked my kids, and they named various flags the dish reminded them of. I suppose the flavors of Jello could be switched out to recreate any tri-color flag, which would make this a great holiday dish. I think you'll agree that the look of it and the taste are definitely worthy of a special occasion.