This week's comfort food post was submitted by Lynette Setzkorn, a reader, blogger, and my first blog follower brave enough to send me her memories and recipe. I hope my images do her memories justice.
Pot Luck Jello Salad
by Lynette Setzkorn
On pot luck Sundays after church, all of us church folks would gather in the basement of the Lutheran elementary school my sister and I faithfully attended, Just across the street from that bastion of conservative faith, First Lutheran of Ponca City, Oklahoma. That grand old church, a classic rock built house of worship of simple design, was ornamented with jewel like stained glass windows and beautifully tended walnut pews and woodwork. It's the only thing I miss about religion, the beauty of the old buildings, and the rituals of the faithful. One of those rituals was the quarterly Pot Luck Sunday. When people speak of a church family, this is what I think of: serious, mostly German, Lutheran people coming together to share home cooked food in a linoleum-floored basement on a Sunday afternoon. Of course no men contributed fifty years ago, and the women worked to outdo one another with there well considered offerings. A bucket of chicken, had that even been available in a tiny Oklahoma town in the 1960's, would have been an insult. everyone knew they the best food was always cooked at home.
Years of exposure to those marvelous meals has left me with an ever-present hankering for what I call "church supper food". Grandma Wolfe, she of the rock hard corset and ankle length black dresses, always brought her homemade noodles with creamed chicken. Oleta Gonterman, Queen of the Gonterman Dairy, invariably appeared with a sweetened fruit dish with clouds of exquisitely rich whipped cream. Aggie DeBolt, my mother's best friend, constantly searched for new and modern recipes, generally something exotic, and usually some combination of fruit and meat was her preference. My own mother's contributions were varied, but at least once a year, Miss Audrey's baby daughter's favorite lime jello salad would make an appearance. When I mention the ambrosia to friends nowadays, those who can refrain from sneering at the idea of jello, simply say that it sounds nasty. But I can tell you, the sweet richness of that mom food remains one of my lifetime favorites. I make it still for the holidays, absent the marshmallows and apples, but chock full of pineapple, milk, pecans, and a good quality rich mayonnaise. With finely chopped nuts, it is addictive and delicious! Not too sweet, but cheesecake rich, its the perfect accompaniment to a home cooked meal. Since my church supper days long past, I've only ever encountered this recipe in cafeterias. Don't be fooled if you've experienced the faker; its just not the same. Make it yourself and see. It's heaven in a jiggly pale green form, and if you can serve it in a milk glass daisy bowl like Miss Audrey, you'll have achieved perfection.
Recipe:
2 pkg Lime Jello + 1 T sugar
2 C hot water
1 carton large curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup small marshmallows
1 C mayonnaise
1 Tall can of conduced milk
2 apples chopped
1 C chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 C crushed pineapple, well drained
Preparation:
Add 2 cups of hot water to lime jello and sugar, and whisk until dissolved. Let rest 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Add the other ingredients in the order listed, last addition being the pineapple. Pour mixture into a casserole or serving dish, and chill for three hours in the refrigerator. Best served the same day you prepare it.
My thanks to Lynette for her recipe and memories, something that is essential to most comfort food. I too, remember church pot luck suppers, and this dish, or one very much like it was always on the salad table. I loved that I got to eat a "salad" that was actually delicious and kid friendly. If you would like to submit a recipe and memories from your childhood, feel free to email me at tate@tatehunt.com
