Summer is ending and I can already feel an ache in my wallet. With 3 growing children there is a constant need for school supplies, larger clothes and food. Lots of food. I think some sort of switch was turned on in my oldest son because now he is always hungry and asking about snacks, when dinner will be... I am starting to understand all the jokes about teenage boys being bottomless pits. I am scared because he isn't even a tween yet! I know I will need to start spending more time couponing in order to stretch our meal budget far enough.
While the majority of our food budget goes to staples like meat, milk and fresh produce I still like to sneak in a fun treat for dessert. I made sure to check the Walmart website and print off some coupons before heading into the store. What I noticed was a great selection of Kraft products, items we use everyday and even a few that would go together to make a fabulous dessert treat. And hey, those coupons really added up.
So while we were shopping at our local Walmart my husband and son noticed the Mascot JIGGLERS Mold Kit for the University of Oregon. Oh, yeah... I had a coupon for that but was still thrilled my store was carrying my alma mater.
It almost made us want to break out into the fight song, right in the middle of the store. We love our Ducks!
Handy right on the box was a tip for getting the perfect Oregon Green. So, I grabbed a few more boxes of JELL-O to add to my cart. Besides the grocery staples, I put those printable coupons to good use. Some were for single items and others were for buying products in combination. I was more than happy to buy the chocolate bars, which went with the marshmallows and graham crackers, but will be stashing the chocolate away for my own personal use. I call that the "Mommy Tax".
I had in my mind to create a JELL-O and cream cheese bar with the JIGGLERS "O" on top. Did you ever have them as a kid? My husband hadn't tried them before, but they were a staple at most potlucks and church gatherings I remember as a child. It would take a few Kraft brand products to create, but 3 of them I found with coupon deals.
My daughter helped get the JIGGLERS ready. See, doesn't that green look perfect? That took 2 small boxes of blue JELL-O and one of yellow.
We sprayed our molds with non-stick spray and then spooned in our Oregon Green JELL-O.
As those were chilling in the oven, I went about creating a classic graham cracker crust with Honey Maid Graham Crackers. I usually crush my crackers with my French rolling pen. It is very fast and much less clean up in a ziptop bag than if I had used the food processor.
After I mixed the crumbs with melted butter and sugar, it baked and was set aside to cool. Then it was time to start on the cream cheese layer.
Philadelphia cream cheese, Cool Whip, vanilla and sugar make an amazingly creamy layer. Just whip it all together and then spread evenly over the crust.
I chilled my base slightly before making up my lemon JELL-O. Then made sure the JELL-O was cooled slightly before pouring it over the top. I refrigerated it for 3 hours, cut, topped with an "O" and served to an exciting crowd.
These made my Duck fans happy, but you could substitute colors to fit your favorite college team. Just use one color for the Mascot Mold and another for the top layer of your bars. Of course, I don't mind if you decide to come over to the Duck-side.
Duck Spirit Squares
You Will Need:
- 2 JELL-O Mascot Molds (2 per package)*
- 2 boxes berry blue flavored JELL-O
- 3 boxes lemon flavored JELL-O
- 2 c. crushed Honey Maid Graham Crackers*
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 c. butter, melted
- 2 (8oz. each) packages of Philedelphia Cream Cheese*, at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1 c. Cool Whip Whipped Topping
Start with the JIGGLERS "O". Whisk together 2 berry blue boxes of flavored JELL-O with 1 box of lemon. Whisk in 2 cups of hot water and stir till dissolved. Spray the molds with non-stick spray. Pour into Mascot Molds and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Create the bar crust by mixing crushed graham crackers, 1/4 c. sugar and 2/3 cup melted butter in a bowl. Transfer to a 9"x13" baking dish and press firmly and evenly into the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool before topping.
In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese till fluff. Beat in the remaining sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Fold in the cup of Cool Whip. Spread this evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until the top layer is ready to pour.
Create the top layer of the bars with 2 packages of lemon flavored JELL-O and 1 1/3 c. boiling water. Whisk to dissolve all the gelatin. Allow this to cool slightly so it will not melt the cream cheese, pour on top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours in a level spot in your refrigerator.
To serve, cut bars and top with a JIGGLERS "O". Enjoy!
Yes, a tight budget doesn't mean we can't squeeze in a little extra fun. This Duck Spirit Square dessert was the perfect way to look forward to Fall, returning to school, and the upcoming Duck Football Season.
And since I know we can all use a little extra money in our pockets this time of year, be sure to check out all the great Kraft product coupons available right now at your local Walmart. And check out more Kraft recipe ideas on their site.
What will you whip up with Kraft for your family?
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