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Wistful Wednesday #6: The Pink Stuff

Something new for ’22.

No not poetry. Recipes that conjure up wistful memories. Sometimes from the distant past and sometimes more recent.

When I think of Sharon, I remember The Pink Stuff

That’s not the official name for this dish. I don’t even have my sister-in-law Sharon’s recipe. The Pink Stuff is what Loved-One calls it. The Pink Stuff is around for every holiday. The Pink Stuff is part of what defines this particular family’s celebration.

Loved-One thought maybe it was Mom’s recipe. I’m sure it’s Sharon’s. It doesn’t matter because The Pink Stuff belongs to the family.

I did a search for all the key ingredients and found this recipe on Daily Dish Recipes.

What you’ll need:

  • 1-3 oz pkg Cherry Jello
  • 2-20 oz cans crushed pineapple
  • 1 or 2-15 oz cans of mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1-8 oz containers of whipped cream (KoolWhip)
  • 1-10.5 oz pkg mini marshmallows

How to Prepare:

  • Put the pineapple with juice and Jello in a large bowl. Stir until thickened.
  • Fold in the whipped cream and stir well.
  • Stir in the drained oranges and marshmallows.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

How to Enjoy:

I like The Pink Stuff for dessert, but some people label it a salad. The Pink Stuff should be savored with lots of family memories.

I imagine the newlywed-Sharon whipping up The Pink Stuff

It’s such a simple recipe. And it’s so festive. Plus, everyone loves it. But the most important part about The Pink Stuff is that it is tradition. It’s not a celebration in this family without The Pink Stuff.

Some recipes just shout OUR FAMILY! What is it for you?

The Pink Stuff puts a marker in my memory of when I joined Loved-One’s family. I’ll bet almost everyone has a Jello recipe that is part of their family tradition. For me it goes all the way back to cranberry relish. For Loved-One, it’s The Pink Stuff. I’ll probably never have a Cherry-Jello-Marshmallow dessert/salad without thinking of Sharon.

Now I feel even more wistful

Do you have recipes that bring up memories? I’d love to hear about them. Please leave a link to your blog/instagram/facebook post.
Hmmm.. now my recipe has some great memories attached to it. I can feel the memories piling up.