7 Layered Jello

It's a tradition.

Ingredients:

4 jellos (4 different flavors/colors)
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 packages unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 pint sour cream
2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix 1 packages of jello with 1 cup boiling water, stir until dissolved.  Then stir in 1/2 cup cold or ice water.  Pour this into the bottom of a 13x9 inch casserole dish.  (the final jello will fill an entire 13x9 inch pan)
2.  For the white layers:
      Bring 2 cups of milk to boil.
      Dissolve the 1 cup of sugar into the hot milk.
      Dissolve 2 packages of gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water and let sit for a couple of minutes.
      To the gelatin mixture whisk in the sour cram and vanilla.
      In a large boil combine the sour cream mixture with the hot milk/sugar.
      Leave this white mixture covered on the counter.
3.  After 1st jello layer is set, poor 1 1/2 cups of the white mixture over the jello and refrigerate.
4.  Repeat layers of jello and white ending with a jello. 

Each layer should take 30-60 minutes to set.  But you want to work as fast as you can, because the white mixture will start to set as it sits out on the counter and cools.

Green Rice

This is a recipe I have used regularly over the past few years.  It is an easy and healthy rice dish with Mexican flavors. It is full of spinach, but you can't taste it.  The kids eat this one up. The recipe is from Rachel Ray.  The only change I usually make, is to use brown rice instead of  white (and increase the cooking time for that).

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
• 3/4 pound baby spinach
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon.
 2. Toss the jalapeños into the pan and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add in the rice and cook about a minute (you're toasting it, so it's ready when it starts to smell nutty). 4.Add in 2 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a bubble. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer the rice until tender, about 20 minutes.

5.Make the "green" part of the rice by pureeing together the baby spinach, cilantro and remaining stock (about 1/2 cup) in a food processor. Dump the mixture into a dish and reserve it until the rice is finished cooking. When the rice has finished cooking, stir in the green sauce and transfer the rice to a serving bowl or platter