The 4th of July is a favorite holiday around our house, and this year we are hosting a lot of family. When I was planning the menu for our festivities, I wanted a simple but tasty treat to share. At the same time I was planning what food storage recipe I’d make for the week.
When I found this 4th of July Jello dessert from my friends Jodi and Julie over at Food storage Made easy, I decided it was the perfect solution.
I was especially intrigued by the fact that they made whipped cream with food storage! I didn’t have time to order the brand they recommended, but I found a shelf stable whipped cream at my grocery store called Dream Whip. You can also find it here on Amazon.
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I was pretty nervous about it. Even as we were making it, I told my friend Angie (who is also my photographer) that I if it didn’t taste amazing, I did not want to post it, so I made sure she took lots of pictures of the jello without the whipped cream.
But it was amazing! Knock your socks off whipped cream. So tasty! I very highly recommend it and will be adding it to my own “home store.”
The jello itself is pretty simple. It is made in three layers. The first layer is red jello (cherry or strawberry, etc). Use two small (3 oz) packages or one large (6 oz) packet and only add 1/2 of the cold water that is recommended. Pour the mixture into a 8.5 x 11 pan. Sprinkle in 1/2 – 3/4 cups of freeze dried strawberries or raspberries if you’d like. Let it set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
For the middle white layer, add two packages of unflavored gelatin to 1/2 cup cold water. Let it thicken for a minute or so, and then add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Mix well until the gelatin is all dissolved. Then add in a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk. Let it cool just a bit (for 2-4 minutes) and then pour it over the first (now set) red layer and refrigerate for at least 4 hours again. This is the tastiest layer. So yummy.
For the top blue layer, repeat the same thing you did for the bottom red layer only using blue jello instead and add 1/2 – 3/4 cup freeze dried blueberries if you’d like and refrigerate for at least 4 more hours.
Mix your whipped cream. You only need three ingredients. Dream whip, instant milk, and vanilla.
Make sure you’ve mixed and chilled the instant milk before hand. Then, add 1/2 cup cold milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla to one packet of dream whip.
Beat on high until the mixture thickens. It took about 3 minutes for me.
Spread the whipped cream over the top of the jello. If you want to, you can even add some freeze dried fruit to the top to make a flag:
- For Jello:
- 6 oz red Jello (cherry, strawberry, etc.). Prepare using half the amount of cold water indicated on package directions.
- 1/2 – 3/4 freeze dried [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/whole-strawberries-freeze-dried.html?SID=k7cpuo53anmqaak62af83dqof3″]strawberries[/url] or [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/catalogsearch/result/?order=relevance&dir=desc&q=raspberries”]raspberries[/url] (optional)
- 2 .25 oz packages of unflavored gelatin + 1/2 cup cold water + 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 6 oz blue Jello
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/freeze-dried-blueberries-1074.html”]freeze dried blueberries[/url] (optional)
- For whipped topping:
- 1 package [url href=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GSVGIBU/ref=as_at/?imprToken=qYXkWrzxvbRkIcrZORGQVQ&slotNum=1&ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GSVGIBU&linkCode=w61&tag=simplefamilypreparedness-20&linkId=AP3YRALGF2EKKQZY”]Dream Whip[/url]
- 1/2 cup cold [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/milk-powder.html”]instant milk[/url]
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- For Jello:
- Pour prepared red Jello into an 8.5 x 11 pan. Sprinkle in freeze dried [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/catalogsearch/result/?order=relevance&dir=desc&q=raspberries”]raspberries[/url] or [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/whole-strawberries-freeze-dried.html?SID=k7cpuo53anmqaak62af83dqof3″]strawberries[/url] if using. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Mix unflavored gelatin together with 1/2 cup cold water. Stir for about 1 minute (mixture will thicken). Then add boiling water. Mix until all gelatin is dissolved.
- Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Let stand for 2-4 minutes so mixture can cool, and then pour over set red Jello. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Prepare blue Jello the same was as the red Jello. Add in freeze dried blueberries, if using. Refrigerate 4 hours.
- For whipped topping:
- Prepare instant milk and refrigerate.
- Add milk, vanilla, and dream whip to a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix well for about 3 minutes so whipped topping thickens.
- Top set Jello with whipped topping. Top with additional freeze dried berries if desired.
Want More Food Storage Recipes?
If you’d like more (family approved) 100% food storage recipes, I have a recipe book that you can find here or by clicking on the image below.
Southwestern Pasta Salad