Celebrating Homecoming: Wi's Rainbow Jello

It is Homecoming week for the good old Blue & Gold!  For the first time in years, homecoming will be held during basketball season.  When I worked for the vikings, there was a decision made at a faculty meeting that homecoming would always be held during football season.  Things change so I guess the school is going back to an alternating homecoming season schedule.  As a traditionalist, I'm disappointed the homecoming game won't be a football game.  As a Hilo High supporter, I'm thrilled; Hilo High tends to do much better in basketball than in football.

I'm dedicating this week's post to Hilo High School (Lance's alma mater) in honor of homecoming.  Although I'm not an alumnus, Hilo High gave me a paycheck for nearly a decade, and I met lots of great people while I was there.  Some of the people in my life who mean a lot to me are also Vikings.

This recipe for rainbow jello was given to me by my friend Wi (also not a Hilo High alum).  I've always admired all the jello dishes shared by Wi because the layers are always very even.  Most of the rainbow jello recipes I've seen have colored layers separated by white cream layers.  This was the first recipe I came across where every layer was a soft pastel color.  When Wi made it, each layer was a different color.  I normally make it that way, but because its homecoming, I decided to go with Viking colors, blue and gold, of course! 

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Wendi's Rainbow Jello

     5 boxes jello

     1 can condensed milk

     7 pkgs Knox unflavored gelatin

     1/4 c water

     7 c boiling water

Step 1:  Begin by stirring together 1 box of jello and 1 pkg of Knox.  Add 1 c boiling water.  Stir until dissolved.  Set aside to cool. (bottom layer)

Step 2:  Repeat with another box of jello.  

Step 3:  Sprinkle 2 pkgs of Knox over 1/4 c water to soften.  Add 1 c boiling water.  Add condensed milk along with another cup of boiling water.  Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Set aside. 

Step 4:  Repeat Step 1 with another box of jello. 

Step 5:  Add 2/3 milk mixture to the jello mixture from Step 1.  Stir gently and pour into a 9 x 13" pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (bottom layer)

Step 6:  Repeat Step 1 with another box of jello.

Step 7:  Repeat Step 5 using jello mixture from Step 2, being careful to pour jello gently over previous layer.

Step 8:  Repeat Step 1 with last box of jello. (top layer)

Step 9:  Repeat Step 5 using jello mixture from Step 4, being careful to pour jello gently over previous layer.

Step 10:  Repeat Step 5 using jello mixture from Step 6, being careful to pour jello gently over previous layer.

Step 11:  Repeat Step 5 using jello mixture from Step 8 (top layer), being careful to pour jello gently over previous layer.  Chill at least 2 hours longer before cutting into blocks.

Thanks to The Help's sister, we were able to get to the west side to rub elbows with the old guys who can hit the long ball.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous.  I'm glad I dosed up on the spf 70 sunscreen and brought my hat.

 






















When we got there, we went straight to the 10th hole, where Fred Couples and John Cook were finishing the hole.  Instead of parking ourselves at a hole, we decided to stay with the Couples-Cook pairing.  We were duly rewarded at the 18th hole when Cookie sank his approach for an eagle.  I have a new favorite old guy player!

Needless to say, I received my first Fitbit 10,000 steps badge!

May 6, 2013:  D1 asked me to make rainbow jello for a function, and she asked that I use different colored Jello.  Its a totally different effect from the school colors rainbow jello seen above.

 

Mini Rainbow Cupcakes with Tie Dye Buttercream Frosting

Happy day of Christmas Eve!!!  I think I've been a good kat this year, so I'm hoping Santa brings me something good.  If Santa decides to pay us a visit, he may get lucky and get some of these:  mini rainbow cupcakes with tie dye buttercream frosting.

The mini cupcake journey is taking me on an interesting ride.  I first blogged about these when I made some for Halloween.  The Halloween ones were made with Betty Crocker's golden vanilla cake mix and frosted with Kick Ass Frosting, a cooked cream frosting.

This time, I used Betty Crocker yellow cake mix, and did the tie dye technique with buttercream frosting.  I found that the cupcakes I made in the 2 oz portion cups needed to bake for 19 minutes (golden vanilla baked in 15 minutes and devil's food baked in 19 minutes), and I was able to make 33 cupcakes with 1 box of the Betty Crocker yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker golden vanilla and devil's food cake mix made about 40 each).  

cross-section

At the urging of D1, we made a version of rainbow cupcakes, a much blogged-about creation at a whole bunch of different websites.  These cupcakes were intended to reflect the colors of Christmas, red, green, and gold, but the red turned out less than red.  Upon the advice of a coworker, I ordered a different type of food coloring, so I'm eagerly anticipating its arrival to see if it will yield a more "red" color.  Of course, along with the Christmas gift I ordered for D2, it will arrive AFTER Christmas.  Stay tuned. . .

This was my first attempt at tie dye frosting.  I followed the tutorial here.  Thank you, Mel!  I should have used the 1M tip instead of the open star tip, but I was so caught up in doing the tie dye frosting that I could not be bothered with changing the tip (The Help did the frosting of the cupcakes for me, so all the frosted cupcakes seen in this post are his handiwork).  He used to work at a "European" restaurant in Aina Haina, so he does have some kitchen experience.

This week's recipe is my go to recipe for buttercream frosting.  It is an adaptation from the version in the Cake Mix Doctor cookbook (one of my favorite cookbooks).  I've made it often, but given my climate, I've found that I have consistently needed to add a bit more powdered sugar to get the right consistency for piping in a pastry bag. At some point, I tried to go with less liquid, but it was easier to start with the additional powdered sugar.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Buttercream Frosting

(adapted from the Cake Mix Doctor)

     1/2 c butter, softened

     3 3/4 c + 2 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted

     3 tbsp milk

     2 tsp vanilla

Beat butter on low speed for 30 seconds.  Add remaining ingredients.  Beat on low speed for a minute.  Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.  Makes 3 1/2 c frosting.  

If you are still with me, I'm also going to share a few helpful tidbits here:

*A box of Betty Crocker yellow cake mix will divide nicely into three 1 1/4 cup portions.  This is helpful if you are making cupcakes for people who want a "rainbow" effect.  

*If making 1-color mini cupcakes (not rainbow), use 2 full #60 dishers to fill each cup

 *Rainbow mini cupcakes are a pain in the ass, but its much easier/neater if the divided batter is placed in plastic ziploc bags and squeezed into each baking cup.  The Help and D1 both insist that using a disher is downright ridiculous.

*The frosting recipe will make enough to frost anywhere from 36-50 mini cupcakes.  Using a smaller tip will allow you to frost 50

*The frosting recipe will make enough to frost anywhere from 36-50 mini cupcakes.  Using a smaller tip will allow you to frost 50 cupcakes, whereas using a 1M tip will frost about 36 cupcakes. 

*The 1M tip produces the frosting pattern seen in the picture on the left.

Since the last post, where I commented about the tragic events in Newtown, Hawaii has experienced its own tragedy.  Our beloved senior senator, Daniel Inouye passed away in Washington, D.C. He was a iconic figure in both Hawaii and Washington political scenes.  Our entire nation will miss him dearly.  Now to watch and see who disrespects the honorable senator's wish for his legacy.