Monday, Monday....

It's Turkey Week!!  I've decided to share one of my traditional recipes each day and something specific I'm grateful this past year.  I would love to see everyone's favorite recipes and thankful lists as well!

Lime Jello & Pear Mold

My mom made this every holiday dinner, there is always room for J-E-L-L-O!  I always make this on Wednesday.

1 - 8 oz package of Cream Cheese (I use the less fat kind)
1 - 15 oz (large) can of pear (I use the light kind)
1 - 8 oz (large) box of Lime Jello


Drain and save pear juice.  Chop up pears into cubes, put aside.  Prepare the Jello as stated on the package, using the pear juice as the cooler liquid in the process.  Divide the jello into 2 bowls.  Melt the cream cheese in the microwave (maybe for about 45 seconds).  Using a hand mixer, take one jello bowl and add cream cheese slowly mixing it well to remove the lumps.  Continue until all cream cheese is blended well.  Fold in 1/2 of the chopped pears into cream cheese mixture.  Prepare your mold.  Pour cream cheese mixture into mold and place in your freezer for about 20-30 minutes.  The idea is you want it to have a little bit of firmness before pouring the remaining mixture on top.  Mix chopped pear pieces with remaining jello, sit aside on the counter.  When your cream cheese part has some stiffness to it, doesn't need to be completely form, slowly and gently pour/spoon the pear mixture on top and place back in refrigerator until ready to serve. 

As I was researching images for this recipe, I'm actually surprised by the results. . . in my process, the jello is reversed, meaning the cream cheese part is the top and the clear jello part is the bottom. I guess you do want ever way you prefer, my does take time and more of a steady hand to recreate the effect. I'll be sure to take a picture of my version to show you all.

Grateful Thought:  This year has been a challenging year indeed for me.  Though as I look through life, every year has it's own set of challenges and growth.  So, this year I'm grateful for the growth I endured, even though as I cried many nights and I didn't think I was strong enough to make it through, I'm grateful for the pain and comfort of those tears to make me a stronger person.

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Now I have done A LOT of sewing this past few days and am very frustarted with 2 projects I'm working on for my local shop and feel like a failure - but I'll figure them out and try to finish them up tonight.

I DID complete a top - FOR ME!! The MAQ Mystery Quilt.  It was suppose to be done by July 10th, but it will be completed by next retreat for sure.  Hoping to ask my longarmer in WV to do it for me :)  I don't like Mystery quilts and this one is no execption - it turned out fine, but the half square triangles were murder!  I didn't even use them all in the borders like the pattern called for.  Use some 4 patches I screwed up and made wrong :)  I do like it and it's a perfect beach quilt!

I have a lot more sewing to share this week, because I did get quite a bit done just for me.  It was a great weekend mentally for sewing!