Milk Salad

My mother created this recipe over 40 years ago. It is her "signature" dish. It appears on her table in one form or another for every major and some minor holidays. Any fruit will work -- blueberries, strawberries, peaches, bananas, etc. Just don't try raw pineapple or kiwi -- they interact with the gelatin and it won't set up. For some reason, men in particular love this salad. My son will only eat it with the mandarin oranges.

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
dash salt
1 1/4 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
fruit (we always use mandarin oranges 2 - 11 oz. cans thoroughly drained. You can do strawberries, blueberries or bananas as well.)

Measure water in pyrex measuring cup and place measuring cup in sauce of water on stove. Sprinkle gelatin over water in measuring cup and stir with fork. Heat saucepan on medium heat and stir gelatin until melted and clear. Blend together cream cheese, sugar, salt and extract. Once smooth, add milk and dissolved gelatin alternately while beating with mixer. Chill this mixture until slightly thickened (3-5 min) and fold in thawed Cool Whip and fruit. Spoon into 1 3/4 qt mold or 9x9 pyrex dish. Chill until firm. (This is half of what Mother usually makes, so double it if you want it to look like hers and feed a crowd!)

Happy Eating!