4th of July and Flag Jello

First and foremost:

4th of July is my most favorite holiday, and I am SOOO excited for it this year. I'm not sure why but it has always been my favorite holiday. Maybe it it the sense of community, or that it is the pinnacle of summer, or you get to lay around all day and do nothing if you want, or maybe I've just always had REALLY great 4th of July's. It's probably a combination of all of the above tied with the fact that there isn't ever that much expectation that comes with this holiday, so whatever happens can be fabulous. I have yet to be disappointed on a 4th of July.

(knock on wood.)

Secondly:

I'm not typically a cutesie-make jello into crazy holiday caricature or turn cotton balls into various woodland christmas creatures- type. But... the 4th of July rocks, and deserves Jello, and preplanning. This is the first year that I have actually had time to decorate and think about and plan for this fabulous holiday.. and I WILL go all out.

Thirdly:

I'm not a recipe writer... I'm a photographer. Try and stay with me, I hope the photos help immensely.

Flag Jello

4 (3 oz) packages of some sort of red jello

3 (3 oz) packages of blue jello

4 packets of KNOX Gelatin

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Lots of Boiling water

Blue Jello:

Mix your 3 packages of Blue Jello with 1 package of KNOX and 3 cups Boiling water. Mix until all is dissolved and then pour the entire contents into a 9x14 GLASS dish. *the dish NEEDS to be see through, you will understand why at the end*

Set in refrigerator and let sit for 30-45 mins (this depends on how cold your fridge is, mine took 40.)

While your blue Jello is setting prepare red and white jello.

White Jello:

Mix 1/2 cup COLD water with 2 packets KNOX, let sit for 2 mins. In another bowl mix 1 cup BOILING water with your sweetened condensed milk. Then mix 1/2 cup BOILING water to your gelatin mix. Once Gelatin is all dissolved, mix with Milk Mixture. Set aside.

Red Jello:

Mix your 4 packages of red jello with 1 package of KNOX and 4 cups Boiling water. Mix until all is dissolved. Set aside.

Because you will be using both the RED and WHITE over a long period you need to keep it semi warm so that it does not set. AFTER both had cooled a significant amount I simply put the 2 bowls in a sink of warm water.

Take out your Blue jello from the fridge after it has set enough to not leave on imprint when you touch when your finger to it. Get a sharp knife and run under hot water. Cut Horizontally across the pan, 1 inch strips. If you run your knife under hot water after each cut it cuts much more smoothly. Now....remove every other strip of jello.

Add 3tbl of red jello to each empty strip.

Place back in fridge for 15 mins or so take out when jello passes the finger indent test.

Add 3 Tbls of the white jello to each strip containing just red. (If this doesn't bring it right up to the same level as the blue jello you can either add more white or place back in fridge and add another layer of red until it evens out.)

Once again, place in fridge.. you know the drill....

*at this point your jello should all be the same level.*

once set, Add 1 and 1/4 cup of red jello... this will cover your entire pan

Let set in fridge

Add 1 and 1/4 cup white jello

let set

Red

White

Red

White

Until you run out.

Let set at least another Hour or so before cutting to make sure all of the layers are jello-ed together and well set... waiting longer will probably be better.

Check out the side of your pan, start cutting horizontally where the blue begins. Cut on that same side of the blue on every strip of blue. Then cut jello vertically, I like "flag sized" pieces so I kept them about 1/2 inch apart.

See the flag? Its upside down but it is there! Cut out, flip over, serve on dish and walah!!!

You are eating our US flag...

YUM.

You better believe there is another DIY for the 4th coming next week.. maybe even 2...

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