Perfection Salad Grandmas Version Recipes

PERFECTION SALAD

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over jello in bowl.
• Stir until jello is disolved.
• Stir in vinegar, veggies, salt, and cold water.
• Pour into mold, chill until firm.
• Serve unmolded on chilled plate, topped with a generous dollop of mayonnaise (family tradition of the last 30 years or so demands that you use Best Foods mayo brand - *never* Miracle Whip).
• If preferred, use 1/2 cup celery and 1 cup grated carrot.
• You can use sugar-free jello for a diabetic/lowcarb version of Perfection Salad. Sometimes lemon jello is difficult to find - we've sometimes used lime instead.

PERFECTION SALAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to soften. Whisk in the boiling water to dissolve along with the sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Stir until the gelatin and sugar have completely dissolved. Place in the refrigerator just until the mixture begins to thicken somewhat and becomes syrupy. (from 25 to 35 minutes.)
• When the mixture has become like a thick syrup, stir in all of the vegetables and the black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. You may or may not need more salt.
• Pour into a mold or a bowl. If the salad is to be served unmolded, rinse the mold first with cold water and put the mixture into the wet mold. A square baking dish can also be used and should also be rinsed and left wet. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours until set.
• Serve either from the bowl, or unmold by dipping the mold quickly into hot water, loosening it round the rim with a sharp knife, covering it with a serving dish and then quickly in one fast motion, reversing so that the serving dish is on the bottom and the mold on the top. Give it a firm shake and then remove the mold.
• If it doesn't unmold, either dip it again in hot water or wrap the mold for a minute in a dish towel that has been dipped in hot water an quickly wrung out and try again.
• To serve in cubes, dip the baking dish quickly into hot water. Cut the cubes with a sharp knife, run the knife around the sides to loosen and then remove the cubes with a flexible spatula.

PERFECTION SALAD- GRANDMA'S VERSION

Steps:

• 1. Combine the 2 packages of lime Jell-O with 4 cups of hot water in a large bowl, stirring until dissolved. Stir in cold water. Immediately add vegetables and well drained pineapple. Pour mixture into a mold or serving dish. Refrigerate until mixture has set (about 2 or 3 hours).
• 2. Prepare the lemon Jell-O package following directions on package. Pour over the first mixture after it has set. Refrigerate the salad for several hours more or overnight. Unmold by dipping into hot water for 10 seconds.
• 3. OPTIONAL: Serve with a sauce made of 1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip thinned with 1-2 tablespoons milk, and sweetened with 1-2 tablespoons sugar. mix well until sugar is dissolved. Adjust amounts of milk and sugar to your taste. Spoon over salad as it is served.