Rainbow Jell-O

We decided to have a Rainbow-themed birthday party for Stella's 5th birthday and I found this Jell-O idea on Pinterest. There are many different versions of how to do this - some even have a beautiful Cool Whip layer between each color.  And this would also be fun on St. Patrick's Day.  Many thanks to Do Better and her instructions found HERE.

What I did...

Ingredients:
6 oz. boxes of Red, Yellow, Blue, Purple Jell-O
Box of Knox Gelatin (contains 4 envelopes, is right next to Jell-O)

In a bowl, mix box of purple Jell-O with one envelope of Knox Gelatin.  Add 2 cups of boiling water and dissolve Jell-O.  Add 1/2 cup of ice.  Stir until it thickens.  Pour into a 9x13 pan (I greased mine, but not sure you have to).  Put in the refrigerator and leave it alone until really firm.  I'd wait at least an hour.

Repeat steps with blue, yellow and red.  Pouring your cooled layer over top of the already firm layer.  After completely cooled, cut into squares to serve.

Orange and Green are NOT needed.  When stacked, the blue and yellow will create the green.  I did NOT use green and just look at the photos...it works!  I will admit I did use orange because I had room in the pan and I wasn't sure if it really would create the "missing" colors...but the GREEN proves it does!

This is an EASY process, but you have to take into account the time it will take each layer to become firm.  For our Saturday party I actually started the process on Thursday night with the purple layer.  The blue layer was Friday before work and Yellow and Red were Friday night.  I cut them Saturday morning. 

Enjoy!  These were gobbled up quickly and talked about most of the afternoon.



Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are oh. so. good.  I found the recipe because it had, of course, been pinned.  Then I realized it was originally posted on Tatertots & Jello which is one of my favorite blogs.  The original recipe is HERE. 

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 3.4 oz box of vanilla instant pudding
1 cup milk chocolate chips
25 mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 375.

Peel the peanut butter cups and cut them into fourths...do not chop!  You don't want them to completely fall apart.  Then stick them in the freezer while you do the next steps of making the dough.  This will prevent them from completely melting into the dough by getting them nice and firm.

Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl (I used my mixer).  Add the eggs and beat until creamy.  Then add the rest of the dry ingredients including the instant pudding.

Add and stir in the chocolate chips.  Finally add the peanut butter cups and gently fold them in with a wooden spoon.

Drop teaspoons of the batter onto a cookie sheet.  I baked mine for 8 minutes and then let them sit another 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Do not overcook.  They will get harder as they cool.

Pour yourself a large glass of milk and savor each bite...