Jeremy's Mom's Strawberry Jelly Ring

Emila Brittain made this for our team party for the East Toronto Dodgers all-star baseball team many years ago; I asked for the recipe and she faxed it to me on May 31, 1996. For a long time, I lost the fax -- but I finally found it! I thought it best to get this here at Zaar for two reasons: the fax has already started to fade badly, and I don't want to lose this delicious recipe again. Emila served it as a salad, but it could also be a dessert. Please note that the time to prepare doesn't include the chilling time.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry gelatin (the large box of Jell-o)
• 2  cups boiling water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups cold water
• 1  pint fresh strawberries, halved and sliced
• 8  ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Dissolve the contents of the large package of Strawberry Jell-o (you could use 2 packages of the normal size of jell-o if your store doesn't carry the big package) in two cups of boiling water. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 cups cold water and mix well.
2. Remove 2 1/2 cups of mixture and chill (keep the rest at room temp as you don't want it to chill and start to set).
3. When chilled mixture has partially set, add a pint of fresh strawberries, halved and sliced. Pour into a 6-cup mold (Emila used the classic tupperware ring mold).
4. Chill until set but not firm.
5. Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese, gradually adding reserved jello mixture plus 1 tsp vanilla. Spoon over strawberries in mold.
6. Chill at least 3 hours before serving.
7. Unmold to serve and place on a round serving platter.