March 23, 2011

flower power


Pretty, pretty flowers. The greenhouse is full of them. They are good for the soul.


I am making a determined effort to appreciate the fact that I have these gorgeous beauties at my beck and call.


(Even gorgeous beauties that are covered in aphids. It would seem this batch of lady bugs are pooping out on us. Perhaps it's time to call in some reinforcements.)


I'm making a determined effort not to succumb to the late winter (even though it's technically spring) dreary and depressed doldrums.

Easier said than done, right?


Today is our first sunny day in weeks and weeks and boy, does it do a winterized heart good to finally see some blue skies.


On a totally different, non-flowery note, we recently re-discovered a jello recipe we haven't had since the 80's. It's quite scary to think that the last time I had this I was probably wearing acid wash jeans and sporting very big Aussie Sprunch sprayed bangs.

Dear 80's,
Why?
Love,
Teresa

It's a recipe for raspberry jello with a pretzel crust. It is one of the wackiest combinations out there, but there is something truly delightful about the saltiness of the pretzels, the tartness of the raspberries and the creamy sweetness of the cream cheese layer. I promise, strange as it is, it's worth a try.


This is also one of the messier food photos I've ever taken. It would be much more appetizing if I'd taken the time to primp the subject even a little bit, but alas, it was not to be.

Raspberry Pretzel Jello. It may not be pretty, but it sure is good.

64 comments:

  1. Thank you for the flowers and jello dessert. It helped. The sun is finally shining today. Whew.
    - Joy

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  2. My mom makes that every year for Christmas!!

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  3. Being good is what is most important. I do not recall this recipe, but shall forward it to my best friend. Earlier in the day we were chatting on the phone, and she was munching pretzels. Love the flowers. Love the lady bugs too! When my youngest (now 32) was in first grade, I was the assistant coach of her t-ball team. I named us The Ladybugs. Loved gardening even then!
    Brenda

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  4. Oh how I love the red speckled flower. It's so nice to see a bit of spring on this rainy cold day. Thanks.

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  5. That Jello dessert is at our family gatherings for every holiday! We make it strawberry though.

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  6. Glad to see you are feeling better.

    All of those flowers are in your greenhouse... OH MY YOU are so lucky even with bugs and all. You make me want to jump in my car and dash to the nursery.

    Oh man, that is one recipe I will have to try. I cant seem to stick with the no sweets when I see recipes like this and easy too.

    Hope you have a good day.

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  7. Teresa-
    Can't wait to see all of your gorgeous flower pictures throughout the spring & summer! And that raspberry/pretzel/cream cheese thing looks YUMMY! Definitely going to have to try it out!! Thank you for stopping by my family blog & leaving such a sweet comment about my boys!! Hope you are having a great week!!

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  8. Oh Teresa, I *love* that dessert...but I make mine with Strawberries. I'm going to have to try out the Raspberry, if only just so I can feel wild and crazy for a night. ;o)

    And your flowers make me swoon. Truly beautiful beyond words.

    Happy Spring, friend...its here! I swear! But I wouldn't know it by looking outside today either.

    Mary

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  9. Oh the days of Aussie Sprunch bangs, thank goodness that's over! Your flowers are beautiful, I'm living Spring through your post as we're only just getting green grass here now. Thanks for spreading the beauty.

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  10. THIS is one of the "salads" that still is served regularly at our family get togethers! I've had it with strawberry but it's way better with raspberries (in my opinion). We've made one slight tweak to the recipe over the years... one year my sil made it and she was in a hurry and the "jello layer" mixed with the "cream cheese layer"... ever since we make it this way. Since I am not a jello lover I never tried it until the mess up happened. Can't beat the sweet combined with the salt in this one!

    As usual, your flowers are fab. I would spend all my time in the greenhouse if I were you ;)

    ~Chris

    PS I somehow missed the "big bangs" era of the 80's... I think I had the same hair style from 1979 to 1993 which is embarrassing enough! We were looking an old picture of my brother's wedding from the 80's and everyone had those big fluffy bangs. Too funny and they must have been difficult to grow out!

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  11. Oh I love your flower pictures! I really am ready for spring. Today is beautiful here and I got outside, but it's still too early to do much yet. I will keep coming back to look at your flowers to get my fix. :)

    Have a great day.
    Pam

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  12. When I come to visit you, will you feed me a diet based entirely around cream cheese in various forms?

    And will you Sprunch your bangs, for old time's sake?

    And will you teach me how to not kill flowers?

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  13. Your flowers are so pretty. We had sun today until about 30 minutes ago when the clouds came back and rain is due. Maybe I'll go make some jello :>)
    Annette

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  14. We make the pretzel jello at our house and it is a favorite! Thanks for sharing the flowers. It is very doldrummy in my neck of the woods too :)

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  15. I am dying to get my fingers in some dirt- this winterized heart needs some flower power badly. I love that recipe too- salty and sweet divinity!

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  16. Ooooo Yes, that Jello recipe is one of my faves!!! Loe your flowers! It'd be great to read a post about your greenhouse. For instance: When did you plant those flowers? Do you heat it in the winter or does the sun keep it warm enough? I could go on and on with the questions...

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  17. That should say *love* your flowers...

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  18. Oh my! I'm so jealous of all your gorgeous flowers in your greenhouse! I was just pulling my Christmas decorations of my front porch today (sad but true) and it is such a tough time for me to make my porch pretty. Too cold to put any real living things out there....what's a girl to do? Thanks for the flower inspiration!

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  19. Love that pretzel recipe. I've always used strawberries, but the raspberries sound delicious too. There is something about that sweet/salty combination that is soooooo good! Enjoyed your photos of the flowers, too!

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  20. I just discovered jello pretzel salad a couple of years ago and I wouldn't have believed it before trying it...yummy. My flowers are blooming but we've had an uncharacteristic cold snap brrrr... Your flowers are beautiful. What is the aphid loving one called?

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  21. Everything looks so springy. Seriously jealous here in Indiana - the rumor is it may SNOW tonight!

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  22. Your flowers are beautiful--I can't wait to walk through the nursery and greenhouse in my town... a few more weeks to go!
    Mary

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  23. Will definitely have to try the raspberry kind! My family has been known to serve the strawberry kind as a "side" and call it Pretzel Salad. We are sooo healthy! Always enjoy looking at you beautiful pictures, btw! :)

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  24. I love how every picture has some sort of version of pink in it, even the dessert one! Very lovely flowers!

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  25. Just love the flowers....I am planting some of those type now! The weather we are having is why we live in Arizona, soon it will be too hot to do anything! I love this desert, my MIL used to make it with strawberry jello and berries...it is yummy that way also! :) Sandy

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  26. Oh I am a sucker for geraniums! The salmon-colored one with the paint-splattered petals is wonderful. Takes me back to the 80's...remember those paint-splatter t-shirts? Well, you may be too young to remember...but they were fun! Back to the point, which is; I'm ready to plant geraniums!

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  27. I have that tablecloth and love it !! any flowers in green houses here are tiny at this point. I should know as I'm helping my friend with hers and we're replanting tiny plants into 6 packs. Nothing is blooming yet. Our season starts so much later than yours. plants cannot go outside here until very late in May or the first of June.

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  28. That jello recipe is similar to something my MIL makes. And yesterday I heard on the radio that Big 80's hair is making a come back. YUCK.

    kim

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  29. Love your photos!
    And that jello recipe is so different..Ill bet that combination is yummy..Ill have to try it..I love anything raspberry!
    Have a great day!

    Deborah xo

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  30. Isn't it great to battle the winter blues by hanging out in the greenhouse? As the days get a bit longer, the plants respond, and so does my mood. Some days I just want to go out there and sit and soak in all the greenness.

    I messed the big hair 80's ... I had short spikey hair most of the decade. Think Joan Jett or Pat Benatar.

    I will have to give your Jello recipe a test run. I sounds like the perfect seemingly-odd contribution to bring to a pot-luck gathering.

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  31. I'm another one of your readers to say "my mom made this" and it was great. A friend attempted to make it a few years ago and the crust was soggy, soggy, soggy. I dotn think she made it ahead, but it didnt have the crispy saltiness it was supposed to.

    Your flowers are incredible. I kill everything.

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  32. Welcome back! I hope this means you're feeling better!
    Thanks for sharing those flower pictures! The days have been dreary & gray here in Idaho too so I needed that bright color!
    And if you haven't had that jello since the 80's it probably means you haven't been to a good church potluck in awhile! :)

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  33. I am so very envious of your greenhouse! Gorgeous!!! And that crazy jello recipe - its a Christmas and Thanksgiving tradition in my family (my Aunt always makes it) - so tasty.

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  34. Looks so yummy! I'm going to make it this weekend!

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  35. Oh Dear Friend,
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful flower photos. The first time I ever stopped by your blog, THAT was what sucked me in. =) I am a sucker for beautiful flowers -- and you take the best photos!

    Here in Ohio, it is back to the 30's for several days w/ the possibility of snow showers next week. Not what I would choose, but I am thankful to be tsunami/earthquake free, ya know?

    Still - I can't wait until those daffodils and tulips open up.

    I was having a sad morning and this definitely cheered me up. Thinking of you! ~Sally

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  36. Teresa, I love the combination of sweet and salty! And I love your greenhouse, bugs and all!! Julie

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  37. We've always made the strawberry/pretzel dish, but I need to try it with raspberry! We love raspberries!

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  38. first off....love, love, L.O.V.E. your flowers. it has been pouring here for weeks now and i would give anything for a giant bouquet of fresh spring flowers in my house. second, that is one of my favorite jello recipes. my crazy old aunt makes it all the time. delish!

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  39. We have that recipe at EVERY family gathering! SOOOO good!

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  40. Absolutely gorgeous flowers and yummy looking jello! Thanks! Blessings!

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  41. Thanks for sharing the flower photos... Love them! Love your greenhouse! Enjoy the sun, and your Jello salad - it is a common salad in Iowa! :) ( ... not sure what that means about Iowans !)

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  42. Of course it has cream cheese! And why primp it before you devour it!! Love the flowers. Now that it officially spring, it got cold again in Pa. Even got a coating of snow this morning. Hope it didn't scare my spring blooms away!

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  43. My aunt made that recipe a while back and I LOVED it!! I've been waiting to make it again...I think I should just do it!! now I'm craving it! haha

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  44. those flowers are gorgeous!! that speckled geranium is so fun & different!
    That jello sounds interesting- sweet & salty is always yummy!

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  45. Indeed they are good for the soul! those coral speckled geraniums are perfect! Thanks for sharing them with this Spring starved soul :)Believe it or not I grew up in the 80's and I do not remember ever eating that kind of jello/pretzel dessert. Wonder where I was hiding because I've seen the recipe in familiar cookbooks. Looks yummy!

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  46. You did pull out a blast from the past! Classic! This dessert was always present at church potlucks when I was growing up. She never fails, is always tasty.

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  47. I so wish I could have sent you some of our beautiful warm weather last week - the tulips have bloomed in all their glorious splendor. Yesterday morning we had a big thunder storm with hail - my son stood over the tulips with his dad's huge umbrella, trying to protect them. Now that's a boy after our own heart! So glad you have flowers in the greenhouse to tide you over until spring reaches your part of the world.

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  48. Those flowers. Sigh. I wish I had your green thumb. But not this aphids. You can keep those. For some reason this house seems to be infested with lady bugs though so I could probably help a sistah out.

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  49. This is too funny! I just found a recipe for strawberry jello "salad" with a pretzel crust yesterday! The writer insisted that it was delicious and worth a try.
    And I wish I had your lovely greenhouse and green thumb. But I know I'll be even more jealous when you start showing us photos of your gorgeous garden soon!

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  50. i laughed out loud when i read about the aussie scrunch...i had forgotten all about the aussie products i used to use ! i love your blog and your pictures inspire me so....

    www.missmaggierae.blogspot.com

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  51. The flowers are beautiful!
    As for the dessert, my family use to have almost the same thing all the time! I've been craving for awhile actually...

    Love the pictures; thanks for sharing!
    Allyson
    http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com

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  52. Ok, your flowers are AMAZING!!! Do you grow them all from seeds over the winter? Wow they made me smile. That dessert looks faboo!! I want a big piece right now with a cup of coffee. How are the wedding plans coming?? Can’t wait to hear all about them :)
    I know what you mean about the dreary winter--I can’t take another day without sunshine but alas, that isn’t my decision is it? Darn :(

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  53. It has been ages since I have had that dessert. It is so good.

    The flowers so pretty. Thank you for sharing.

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  54. Fabulous photos....and the aphads do it best for me!! Gorgeous!! Unless it's the pretzel jello...that looks pretty good too!!

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  55. Beautiful flowers and photos! Hoping to see spring soon, altho it's a chilly 20 degrees this morning. And so remembering that jello recipe - it should be around here somewhere...
    xo Cathy

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  56. I can't stop laughing about the sprunch spray...
    (Love those flowers!!!)

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  57. Thank you! This is so bizarre, but years ago I was reading People Magazine or something equally deep and brilliant ;) and came across a recipe from Hilary Duff of all people for a recipe almost identical to this, except she used strawberries. Having deep guilt, I talked myself out of stealing or ripping the page out of the magazine and have been searching for it since!

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  58. Do you mean to say that is your greenhouse? Lovely flowers, either way. I have been visiting my local nursery regularly, dreaming of the real spring, the one with the sun and no cold winds. Thanks for sharing some pretty flowers with us!

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  59. Lovely flowers. I can almost smell them.
    Will there be another photo how-to post soon?

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  60. Yum! my mouth is watering! A holiday favorite at our house but alas, we often can't decide to eat it as a salad, typical southern way, dressed up jello for a salad or for desert. When ever we eat it I can tell you this...it gets gone!!!

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  61. We always make it with strawberries in my house. Raspberries sound fabulous - I'll have to switch to that next time! And yes, blue skies, how I need them.

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  62. I love this recipe and the photo. I make it with strawberries or raspberries, whatever I have. Blue skies to created a sunny disposition.

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  63. Hi . I live in Toronto, Canada. Your photos are so beautiful. Love the colours. The flowers look so healthy and vibrant. I want to ask you permistion to use some of your flower photos. I make photo greeting cards. Some photos are mine.
    Some from other people. I will credit your name on the note/greeting card. Thank you so much. Idalina

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