From: "nospam@lycos.com" 

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Hi, Lynn!

Sorry that I evidently never got around to sending this to ya when asked me for it quite some time ago!

I actually just made it a few weeks ago (at Brian's request) for Thanksgiving. Brian invited Jim and me to come to his place this year to share a bit of his "Butterball-n-fixings" since our kids won't be coming home until later this month. And, it had probably been more than five yrs. since we last drove down to Brian's for a visit of any sort. 

We had a nice time... Brian and I took a stroll around his yard when we first got there, so he could show me "new additions" to his gardening and landscaping projects. We watched the bloody, stupid LIONS game for a little while until the Turkey was done cooking.

I really must say, that it really was a nice change of pace for me,-- not having to wake up early to start getting everything going for every ding-dong side dish and yum-yum, then go chop-chop with the celery-n-onions for stuffing in butt-anOTHER half-frozen turkey carcass. 

The only drawback, is/was the very long (and tiring) drive to get to where Brian lives. It takes us a little over two hours (each way)... and that is WHEN the roads are clear and dry. I actually think that I can make the drive to my girlfriend, Vicki's house in less time than it takes me to drive to Brian's.

Anyhow,... here is the basics for the Green (Jell-o) Wreath our mom used to make every year at Christmas, Lynn....

Ingredients:

1 lg.(8 oz) sq. pkg. of regular cream cheese (store brand is fine) *Hint: warm to room temp in advance to soften!

1 lg. box + 1 sm. box/(or 3 sm. boxes) of LIME flavored Jell-o (any brand)

1 lg.(20 oz) can of CRUSHED, sweetened pineapple --(any brand is okay, but get the kind that is "packed in sweetened syrup"-- not in "own juice".. Dole's has a sky blue-colored label.

1 sm. (8 oz) container of "Cool Whip" topping (again, any kind of whipped topping will work... even Meijer's brand "Redi-Whip squirt kind in a can, if that's what's on sale.

10-12 (RED)maraschino cherries (set on absorbent napkin to "drip dry") *You can adjust the amount of these to your preference, or omit completely. A few of the cherries are left "whole" (or sliced in half) for decorating TOP portion of the Jello ring. The rest are quartered and mixed in with the main ingredients. 

English Walnut pieces (~ 4 oz) or about a "closed fistful." *{;) Again, you can add as many as you like, or omit, but do not substitute another type of nutmeat...as this is a "main taste" ingredient for this dessert recipe!
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Directions:
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Part 1)

Place a strainer/(sieve) over a med.-size sauce pan & drain the juice from the can of pineapple by pressing fruit with the back of large spoon. 

Transfer drained fruit pulp to a lg. mixing bowl with softened cream cheese and blend well with a fork. Then, ADD to bowl 1 lg. box (or 2 small bxs.) of lime jello and set aside.
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Part 2--

Transfer the pineapple juice from sauce pan into a liquid measuring cup. To the juice ADD enough tap water for the (juice + water) mixture to equal 2 (full) cups as you pour it back into the pan. Heat liquid over med-hi heat to boiling point, then s-l-o-w-l-y ADD this HOT liquid to contents in bowl-- while whisking vigorously to dissolve the Jello powder, plus melt and "liquify" the cream cheese mixture. **Note: Adding the liquid too fast will result in a lumpy, curdled appearance to the finished product. It won't adversely affect the overall taste, but a more homogeneous, fully-blended cheese-n-gelatin mixture is your goal-- ideally.
(Not to worry, tho, as a few white specks is to be expected...) Once blended, set bowl in fridge to cool slightly before adding cherry bits, walnut pieces,... and gently folding in "dollops" of the whipped topping.
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Step 4

In a small bowl: Add 1 cup of boiling water to 1 sm. pkg. of lime Jello. Once dissolved, stir in 3/4 cup ice water and pour into ("bottom" inch of) a non-stick decorative gelatin mold or fluted Bundt pan. Carefully place whole (or halved) cherries into the "clear" Jello ring (like the berries on a "wreath") taking care to leave spaces between them. Allow this shallow "trim" to "set up" and harden in the fridge (or freezer)-- *Takes about 15-20 minutes...

In the meantime, Get large bowl from fridge and mix in the cherry bits and walnuts,... and FOLD in blobs of Cool Whip (about 6 or 7 ounces worth... whatever!) --LOL

Important note: Be sure that the (lg.bowl contents) pineapple/cream cheese/Jello mixture is no longer warm before folding in topping!

When the plain Jello decorative "ring" is "set"-- you can pour in the LG. BOWL contents and allow to harden over-night (--or for a minimum of 3 hours)
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Final Step! (Could we have a drum roll, please?)

To remove from mold: Plug sink and fill part way with TEPID water (meaning: just-barely warm!)
Holding mold firmly between both hands, lower mold into "water bath" for 30 seconds, then invert onto a serving plate. Your Jello wreath should slide out with pretty "topper" intact. Just apply a quick, short-n-deliberate, downward shake from the elbows! (You can repeat the water bath, if needed, but if the dessert won't easily come out,... the problem is more than like due to a problem with the interior surface of the pan used, because I've never had any trouble using a variety of bake ware and molds.)

GOOD LUCK! And, please, do let me know how you like it!

~Michie *<{:D>~|