20,000 Leagues Under the Twee: Here's Lookin' at You, Squid

I ordered this Nordic Ware octopus cake mold from Zulily years ago not because I like to bake but because it was cute.  What I didn't realize was that I could use it to make my beloved JELL-O, which the husband helpfully pointed out.  So when it came time to decide what to bring to my parents' Fourth of July BBQ, I thought, why not?  If nothing else, then at least the kids would get a kick out of it.

I decided to keep the mold intact until it was dessert time at the BBQ.  The plan was to unmold Mr. Octopus in the privacy of the kitchen, then bring him out once I knew that he wasn't missing a tentacle or, worse, just an amorphous heap of blue goo.  But that pipe dream went out the window when everyone gathered around, my five-year-old nephew and three-year-old niece front and center and eagerly waiting.  The husband made a valiant effort to shake the octopus from his cage, but that stubborn mollusk stayed put.  Time for a hot water bath!  While the husband sneaked off to the sink, I said, oh, he'll be coming out very soon!, fingers crossed that there'd be no mishaps followed by the inevitable crying.  But when the husband returned and flipped the mold, I heard the unmistakable glop signaling that all was well.   

"It's a sea monster!" exclaimed my niece.  "No, it's an octopus!" insisted my nephew.  Whatever it was, it made its wobbly way to the dessert table, where I garnished it with Swedish Fish.

Most of us sampled some topped with Reddi-Whip, along with my mom's flag cake and blueberry pie.    Even my mom herself, who hates anything artificial, gamely tried a spoonful or two.  Of course, she thought it tasted like bubble bath or little girls' perfume.  She wasn't entirely wrong.  

When it was time to schlep the leftovers into a bowl, I couldn't help but notice that the eyes were still eerily intact, haunting anyone who dared come back for seconds.

Cartoonish yet all-knowing, those pool blue peepers bring new meaning to seafood.

Something New and Sparkly: Sugar High and Two Kinds of Pie

 Fabulous Felt Candy Barrette

Top: Kohl's

Skirt: Material Girl, Macy's

Shoes: Barefeet Shoes

Bag: Delia's

 Fabulous Felt Chocolates in a Heart Barrette

Top: Kohl's

Skirt: SugarPop Clothing, Etsy

Shoes: Dolce by Mojo Moxy, Kohl's

Bag: Glamour Damaged, Etsy

Belt: Wet Seal

Fabulous Felt Gumball Machine Barrette

Top: Marshalls

Skirt: Boscov's

Shoes: Barefeet Shoes

Bag: Marshalls

Scarf: Marshalls

Key Lime Pie 

Cool 'n Easy Strawberry Pie

Did you ever notice how many novelty items and fashion accessories are modeled after desserts?  Probably, as it's kind of a no brainer.  Still, I was never so aware of the treat trend until I started selling on Etsy.  There cheerful colors, playful shapes, and the promise of something delicious all add up to a buffet of irresistibly scrumptious style.  So, to keep the sugar fest going, I decided to top off my barrette pics with these two JELL-O pies I made this weekend.  They're so bright and plasticy that they look as if they should be part of a little girl's tea party set or maybe even dangling from a necklace.  I'm pretty sure I blogged about the key lime pie recipe before, but that was years ago, and goodness knows there's no easy way to find back posts on this blog, so here it is again along with the one for the strawberry pie:

Key Lime Pie (from I Could Go for Something JELL-O)    

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups boiling water

1 large pkg lime JELL-O

2 teaspoons grated lime peel

1/4 cup lime juice

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:

Stir boiling water into JELL-O in large bowl for at least 2 minutes or until completely dissolved.  Stir in lime peel and juice.  Stir in ice cream until melted and smooth.  Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is very thick and will mound.  Spoon into crust.  Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Garnish as desired.

Cool 'n Easy Strawberry Pie (also from I Could Go for Something JELL-O)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup boiling water

1 small pkg strawberry JELL-O

1/2 cup cold red juice or water

Ice cubes

1 8-oz tub Cool Whip

1 prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:

Stir boiling water into JELL-O in large bowl for at least 2 minutes or until completely dissolved.  Mix juice or water and ice to make 1 cup.  Add to JELL-O, stirring until slightly thickened.  Remove any remaining ice.  Stir in whipped topping until smooth.  Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick and will mound.  Spoon into crust.  Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Just before serving, garnish with fruit and additional whipped topped if desired. 

If there's anything I've learned about making JELL-O recipes over the years, it's to always go for the garnish.  Because without the aid of artfully squirted Reddi-Whip and well-placed fruit, everything pretty much looks like the same unappetizing mystery mess.  Here's to avoiding the mystery.