Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce ~ a vintage family recipe from the 30's

Our dear family friend, Dick, makes a wonderful vintage gelatin 'apple sauce salad'.  I've always called it by my own name for it ~ Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce.  It's a recipe that he got from his Aunt Maud and dates back to the 1930's.  Way back when, Cherry Jello and Cinnamon Red Hots were new taste sensations that were all the rage, as were Jello/gelatin 'salads'.  So, it's not surprising that she combined them into this unusual combo.  We enjoy it so much, that I always ask Dick to bring a bowlful of it to our holiday dinners.  When he was a child, Dick says he remembers it being served on a bed of lettuce, as the 'salad course' of a special dinner.  I just serve it right along with everything else.  To me it's more of a fun and tasty spin on traditional applesauce, rather than a 'salad'.  Different times, different definitions of what a 'salad' is. 

Yesterday, I posted a picture on the blog's Facebook page showing what we had for our Christmas dinner and mentioned the Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce.  (it was on last years Christmas dinner plate, too)  Thanks to Crystal (a reader of the blog) for asking for the recipe and giving me the inspiration for today's blog post.   Here you go, Crystal, hope you like it!

Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce

makes 4~6 servings 

(Roy likes it with 1/4 cup CRH & I like it a little spicier, so sometimes I use 1/3 cup CRH)

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling hot water
• 1/4 cup Cinnamon Red Hots candies (add more for an even spicier, cinnamon-y taste)
• 1 small box Cherry Jello (or your favorite red flavor)
• 1 pint unsweetened applesauce (16 oz)

Directions 

Add 1/4 cup Cinnamon Red Hots to one cup of boiling hot water, stir to dissolve.  ((gently heat up the water/CRH in a saucepan if the Cinnamon Red Hots don't dissolve completely with just stirring))

Add one package Cherry Jello to the hot water/Cinnamon Red Hots liquid, stir 2 minutes or until Jello is completely dissolved.   Add the pint of applesauce to the Jello mixture, stir well.  Refrigerate for a few hours until it firms up.   ((It will be thicker than regular applesauce, but not as firm as Jello))  Enjoy!