Blue Cheese and Pear Mousse

Okay, at first glance this may not seem too exciting, but let me give you a little context. Moo would often make a quick salad for dinner consisting of cold, canned pear halves covered with a little blue cheese dressing and a little crumbled blue cheese sprinkled on top. It's a terrific combination. Also Moo was an active cook during the hayday of gelatin mold salads. My sister, brother and I grew up on those things. And while I was never a big fan of the molded salad in general, I do have some favorites. This is one. Personaly I think the gelatin mold is about due to make a great reappearance on the cooking scene...everything old is new again. This one is worth trying...a real palate pleaser. Enjoy!

Lightly oil and chill a 5 cup ring or mold
1 envelope gelatin
1 1 lb. can of pears
6 oz. Blue cheese, room temperature
3 oz. Cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of salt
Reserved gelatin
½ cup sugar
1 cup cream, whipped

Soften the gelatin for 5 minutes in the liquid from the pears. Then dissolve it over simmering water. Set aside for the moment. Drain pears, pat dry, dice and set aside.
In a bowl, beat blue and cream cheese, salt, and gelatin. Whip until light. Gradually add the sugar so you can control sweetness to your taste. Continue beating until the sugar is dissolved. Chill until it just begins to set. Whip cream, then fold into cheese mixture. Mix thoroughly. Arrange diced pears in the bottom of the chilled mold. Then transfer the cheese mixture to mold, covering pears. Chill thoroughly.

Moo's Cucumber Ring Supreme

I've never been a big fan of Jell-o salads with lots of ingredients, but Moo was. I think it's fair to say that she never met a molded salad she didn't like. And she loved pretty molds (rings, fish, turtle, castles) to set them up in. This one is best displayed in a ring, and I have to say that even I like this one. It's refreshing and pretty to look at. If you want a simple molded salad, this is a palate pleaser for you.

1 pkg. lime Jell-o
2 T sugar
2 T fresh lemon or lime juice
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (you can cut with some sour cream if you wish)
6 medium peeled cucumbers
1 cup mayonnaise
3 T fresh chives, chopped
3 T fresh dill, chopped

Prepare Jell-o according to package instructions. Pour a small portion of Jell-o into ring mold and let it set up slightly. Keep the rest of the Jell-o warm (unset). Halve cucumbers, remove seeds and grate or finely shred. Measure out 2 cups of drained cucumber. Set aside. Mix rest of Jell-o, sugar, lemon or lime juice, softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, chives, dill and beat gently with rotary beater until smooth. Add cucumber to the creamy mixture. Pour into the ring mold on top of the slightly set Jell-o. Chill until firm.