Food Friday: Oranges and Jello

From the collection of Gena Philibert-Ortega

Today's recipes come from a community cookbook that is different than most. It's basically a compilation of recipes with little thought as to standardized categories like appetizers, entrees, or desserts. And there are few recipes attributed to anyone.

Today's cookbook comes from Recipes (March 1988) from the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Redlands (California) 2nd Ward. This cookbook was not sold for fundraising. It is simply a bunch of recipes that women contributed and then they were photocopied, 2-hole punched, secured with metal rings and distributed to the women of the church. According to the preface these are recipes that were some of the best from their Homemaking night cooking classes thus explaining the lack of order.

From the collection of Gena Philibert-Ortega

What's interesting is that one of the sections is entitled Oranges. This may seem odd unless you look at the history of Redlands. Redlands, in an earlier time, was a large producer of oranges. Many cities in Southern California were known for their citrus crops.  While today Redlands has lost some of that uniqueness there are still a few larg citrus growers and families who sell oranges for $1 a bag.

From the collection of Gena Philibert-Ortega

From the collection of Gena Philibert-Ortega

Because this cookbook is produced by Mormon women I thought I would include a stereotypical Mormon dish, a jello recipe.

From the collection of Gena Philibert-Ortega