Ribbon Salad

I have been making this for years and it is always a hit, especially when children are at the occasion. I have a different set of directions, that may help some people. Here they are: FIRST LAYER: Dissolve 1 package Jello in 1 cup boiling water for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add 1/2 cup cold water. (I put ice cubes in the water, stir, remove the ice and measure out the 1/2 cup) Slowly pour Jello into buttered glass dish. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Start white layer immediately. WHITE LAYER: Bring 2 cups milk to boil over low heat. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Dissolve Knox gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water; add to sugar and milk. Stir. Pour into blender or food processor. Add sour cream and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Let cool. If it should get too thick as you are making the salad, you can try re-blending. If that doesn’t work, you can warm it gently. However, I have never had a problem. I just stir it each time I need to measure some out. If you do need to re-warm, make sure it cools before you pour it onto a jello layer. After the first layer of jello has been in the refrigerator for one hour AND is firm, spoon (1 1/2 cups) of white layer (make sure it is no longer warm) slowly onto Jello layer. Let set in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Alternate layers allowing 45 minutes of chilling in the refrigerator for jello layers (after first layer) and 30 minutes for white layers. HINT: When I pour a white layer on, I immediately start a new flavor of jello,

This recipe is poorly written. Where does the vanilla go? Do NOT make the layers as the recipe suggests. Wait to prepare them until right before needed, otherwise they set while waiting their turn in their bowls. Each layer takes approximately 1 hour, so I also recommend that you make the milk mixture right before the first layer sets or it will sit out for hours beforehand, which can't be very good considering it's mainly sour cream and milk. The mold itself is really good. My kids loved it.

This is definately a keeper, it really adds color to the table. I just wanted to add, that the vanilla goes in the milk and sugar mixture. A member had commented on the instructions not being clear. i made this in 3 1/2 hours. i made all the jellos right after another, i didn't wait 30 minutes in between making jellos as suggested. I just left the jellos on the kitchen counter. They didn't set after three hours. I put the first layer in the freezer for 15 minutes, to get a jump start on it setting quicker. Then, poured in the pan. I let it set 30 minutes in fridge before pouring the white layer. 15 Minutes before i was to pour the next layer, i repeated putting the layer in the freezer for 15 minutes. I noticed the white layers took longer to set. I waited 45 minutes after pouring white layer. i repeated this ritual, till all layers were poured. This took me about 3.5 hours, it was ready to eat 4 hours.

This was a hit at a dessert banquet. I lightly sprayed my pan with cooking spray and it didn't stick at all. I followed another users suggestion to wait to make the milk until ready to use, and I wish I hadn't done that, because it needed some time to set up. Also, I didn't think it would need refrigeration after the white layer, just the jello, but I was wrong there too. The two times I didn't cool it, the white and color mixed. I waited to make each jello until I was ready to use it, then I dissolved my jello in 1c. of hot water, then added 1/2c. ice water to make it quick set, then fridge for 30-40 minutes, and that worked wonderfully. Even with mistakes, it looked great and tasted good.

I have made this for 4th of July & Memorial Day and like it a lot! The original recipe makes a lot of jello (2 packages of each, doulbe the other ingredients), so I cut it in half. My only other suggestion would be to make the "white" portion of the jello first so it has time to cool, otherwise it tends to melt the other layer of jello.

Thank you for adding this one Stephanie! Had lost mine and was frantic! Great recipe for the family events, very festive indeed! Shelly

This came out awesome! It did take a long time to make but was worth the effort. I made it red white and blue for the 4th of July. I waited close to an hour between each layer and by the time it was getting close to being done the gelatin was starting to setup in the pitchers. I just gently re-warmed for a minute or two until it was liquefied again and it worked out perfectly. I'm excited to try it again with different colors!

I made this yesterday. My toddler loved it. My husband liked it. My advice is put the flavor you least like in the bottom because it sticks in the bottom (but not too bad!). When you mix the unflavored gelatin with the water, dissolve it well cause it could form tiny little balls of gelatin. I used a mixer to mix the sour cream, milk and gelatin. If you are a jello fan, this is the recipe for you!

everybody LOVES this recipe! it is now a requirement at all family functions. i coordinate the jell-o colors with the occasion and it always makes for a beautiful and delicious centerpiece.

I used red and blue jello for this salad to make a red, white and blue salad on the Fourth of July. Everyone loved it. Tasty and festive. Thanks.

this dessert looked very cool and was easy (though time consuming) but it had a minty flavor and I'm not sure where that came from. It also had kind of a chalky texture. I did this for a 4th of July gathering so I used blue raspberry and cherry flavored Jello. I may try this again because it looked SO cool.

I made this salad last Thanksgiving and it was so good that I am making it again this year! It is delicious and looks so pretty on the table. I was surprised that although it looked like a time-consuming recipe, I made it within a couple of hours. Also, I was able to do other things while waiting for the layers to set up. I plan to make this a tradition every Thanksgiving...it's that good!

This was very good, a jello that my kids will actually eat.

My mother-in-law makes a 10 layer gelatin that only takes one hour, it's amazingly good and so easy! This one seems so much more complicated than the recipe I use.

This is by far my favorite summer dish ever! So refreshing, and my mother who doesn't even like jello, liked this dish because of the sour cream! Thank you for this recipe!

Thank You! Thank You! Have been looking for the correct recipe for this old family favorite for a lonnnnnng time! Everyone will be happy this Thanksgiving!!

This recipe was OK but not a favorite of ours. Didn't know where to use the vanilla extract but assumed it should have gone with the milk mixture. Very nice looking dessert, though.

This is a salad I made for Thanksgiving for neice and nephew. It is so pretty! My mom says she has tasted them in the past with cool whip and cream cheese. Does any on know how to make that one?

We've made this recipe for years.....it's always a hit with Grandma's turkey dinner!

A very pretty, colorful salad that will attract lots of attention. I made it today and I just tried a piece. I think most kids would like this salad. Its unique, tasty, with no exotic flavors. I will be making this for church and family functions. Thanks Stephanie!

I made this for a Family Reunion and every one said it was A HIT

Very pretty and easy salad. Looks like you have gone to a lot of trouble. Made it for a church dinner. Everyone loved this recipe including the kids. It has already been requested to be made for the next church dinner.

It looks especially pretty using lime on the bottom, then lemon, orange and cherry on top (with the sour cream mixture in between each of those layers. Be sure to prepare it in a glass 9X13 dish so all the pretty layers can be seen.

Thank you so much for the heads up on this in the recipe exchange. My mother is absolutely thrilled to have found it, and made it for the last family picnic. The raves were unbelievable. Thanks soooo much! :)

I don't know what I did wrong, but I have made this years ago and it worked out fine but I have made this recipe 2x and the white layer is runny. I followed the recipe tp a tee and it still is runny. Should I add another pkg in the mix? CONFUSED

Very pretty, and was good. I was confused about review references to vanilla, as it doesn't show up on the ingredient list. However, seemed like a good idea, so I added 1.5 tsp to the milk after boiling.

Very happy to find this one. My grandma just passed away and I am now responsible for this family holiday tradition. I alternate the red, green and white for Christmas time. Make sure to add the vanilla to the milk mixture (thtis step was left out of the directions). ENJOY

Very well received at a pot luck!