As each ingredient was mixed in, the same thought popped into my head: I'm ruining Lime Jell-O, I'm ruining this lovely grapefruit, I'm ruining this avocado.
To back up, this has been one of the dreaded recipes from the collection. I put it into the salad category based on recipe title alone. Growing up, Jell-O was always a sweet dessert. It wasn't until adulthood that I experienced Jell-O as a side dish. My husband's Paternal Grandma would always serve gelatin (plain) with shredded carrots and shredded pineapple suspended. His Maternal Grandma was also a whiz with Jell-O, using a metal mold that somehow she was able to get the gelatinous creation out of unharmed. Hers were sweet much like my Mom's. My Mom had a variety of Tupperware Jell-O molds. She'll make you any flavor, with any canned fruit, and even add in Cool Whip to give it a mousse effect.
Alas, this is not my Mother's Jell-O. This is something altogether much different. It's absolutely not a salad. And it's certainly not dessert. I'm inclined to call it an ingredient ruiner. And the taste is anything but what I expected. When Andy came home from work, I had a plate of this delicacy waiting for him. One bite is all it took for him to form a strong opinion.
"This is a widow maker", and "This is the stuff divorces are made of" are just two of the quotes from my lovely Husband. We had a good laugh over the fact that there's plenty more in the fridge.
Summer break means my kids are home many more hours each day than the previous nine months. They have been summoned to help with gathering ingredients, stirring, and taste testing. This recipe was no different. My son was in charge of stirring the Jell-O while my daughter peeled the inner rind off the grapefruit wedges (I didn't want it to taste bitter... what did I know). Once the horseradish went in, my son said it smelled like Passover in the kitchen, proof that scent is a powerful memory trigger.
Although the instructions don't make mention, we let the Jell-O "Salad" set in the fridge for about 5 hours before giving it a try. Be sure to check out Caught Red Threaded on Facebook to see funny videos of my kids taste testing this recipe. When I tasted this food, if it can be called that... it's made with food ingredients... my first thought was that it reminded me of Mexican Food. The lime, avocado, onion... you're likely to agree. But I'd rather have a Mexican Taco, filled with grilled onions, and lime fresh squeezed over the top than have to eat this green jiggly mess again.
If savory gelatin is your thing, then this is the recipe for you. However, if you're like me and you grew up eating Jell-O as dessert with almost every family dinner, then you should pass on this recipe. It isn't fancy, it isn't a flavor you'd expect, and it's generally a waste of perfectly good food that has so many other better applications. I say make this at your own risk, make this as a joke menu item, or possibly as a dish served in a haunted house. There's never a wrong time for a good laugh, and if you can't laugh about Grapefruit and Avocado Salad, what can you laugh about?!?
If you're in Central Wisconsin and are interested in being a part of a group taste testing, email me your name and best way to contact you. If you like this recipe, you're going to love the other foods produced by Caught Red Threaded. To find out more, visit Caught Red Threaded. Be sure to leave a comment in the thread below to let me know how this turned out when you made it (and photos are always welcome!), and follow Caught Red Threaded on Facebook and Instagram for exclusive offers and ideas.
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