When it came time to plan the menu for my grandma’s 90th birthday, I went a little overboard. I prepped elaborate dishes that reminded us of her: vanilla cake, chocolate cake, and an old-school pineapple upside-down cake at her request. I even attempted a multilayer caramel cake that she is legendary for making, and though my attempt fell short of our memories’ standards, the show must go on—and go on, it did!
My mom prepared pimento cheese, ham-and-cheese sliders, and plenty of cut, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables. Inspired by my Aunt Faye’s orange Jell-O salad, I asked my mom if there was anything she remembered my grandma, Mom C, making for her growing up that I wouldn’t know about already.
My mom lit up almost instantly, telling me about how Mom C would lovingly—and sometimes begrudgingly—make a layered blueberry salad for her, the top layer of which was always topped with sweet whipped cream cheese and sour cream—never Cool Whip. I was so curious to try it myself—we made a trip to the store for last-minute ingredients (all we were missing was a can of blueberry pie filling) and whipped it up in a flash.
Mom C’s Blueberry Jell-O Salad
My mom remembers my grandmother, Mom C, whipping up blueberry Jell-O salad for her on more than one occasion—but only for her. “For me, the cold, smooth, sweet-tart treat was just about perfect!” she said.
I was intrigued. Mom C is a fantastic baker and cook, known for her scratch-made yeast rolls, pies of all stripes, and the aforementioned caramel layer cake. I remember Mom C making ambrosia fruit salad, of course, but she almost never made gelatin salad—at least not in my memory. Of course she had the know-how to do so, so why did I not remember it?
It occurred to me that perhaps she left Jell-O salads to others as my mom grew older—they always seemed to end up at the potluck, holiday dinner, or function anyway! For my mom, it turns out it was as much about the occasion as it was the taste anyway. “I love fresh blueberries—probably my favorite fruit,” she told me. “But this takes me back to big dinners with grandparents, aunt and uncles, and cousins.” It was a treat to get a chance to tap into a tradition of the past—and to think about what it meant to both of them. Plus, it tastes pretty great.
How To Make It
As most Jell-O salads go, the steps are simple. The Jell-O layer is easily mixed together in one bowl before pouring into a 9×13. Then a cream cheese and sour cream layer is beaten with sugar for a creamy finish.
- Mix Jell-O. Stir together raspberry-flavor gelatin and hot water. Add blueberry pie filling and drained crushed pineapple. (You’ll notice that the mixture will range from a bright red color to a dark red. Don’t worry—it will turn dark blue as the mixture sets and cools.)
- Pour into 9×13 and chill. Pour the mixture into a clean 9×13 baking dish and place in the refrigerator uncovered. Allow plenty of time for the Jell-O layer to set, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Make cream cheese topping. When ready to serve, beat softened cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat on low speed until just combined. Spread the mixture over top the Jell-O layer.
- Decorate and enjoy. Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans—or your topping of choice—overtop. Serve cold.
The best part is that it can be covered and chilled until ready to serve. Note that it slices into neat layers after chilling overnight!
Get the recipe: Blueberry Jello Salad
