Best Buds: Orange Jello

When we moved into our new house, we left a lot behind. Like our bed that was probably 10 years old, and our couch which was in such bad shape we couldn't even get any organizations to accept it as a donation. 

We've replaced the big things, but we're still waiting on the couch we ordered.  And I've been holding off on having people over, because I hate forcing people to sit outside, since there's no place for them to sit inside.  But the days and weeks are dragging on, and honestly, one of the best things about having a house is being able to entertain.  So despite the lack of seating, we had L&O&family over a couple weeks ago.

The nice things about friends is that they don't care too much about the lack of a place to rest their bottoms.  And Thatbaby and Little LO had so much fun running amok in the backyard.

They took turns riding the bikes and motorized wheels, but then Little LO realized there was room for him on the back and they could ride together!

We didn't take advantage of our orange tree the night they were there, but it's perfect for one of the classic kid's desserts - J-E-L-L-O.  Honestly, it takes just as much time to make it from scratch as it does to make the store-bought version, but the taste is worlds apart.  There is so much more flavor when you make it from freshly squeezed juice.  It's brighter, and the sweetness isn't as cloying.  Once you try this, you will have no desire to ever grab that little white box again!

Orange Jello (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

2 envelopes gelatin

1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water and let soften.
2. Add 1 3/4 cup boiling water, stirring to dissolve.
3. Add the orange juice, sugar, and lemon juice.
4. Pour into a 1-qt mold and chill until firm.