An Afternoon With The Bolton Brothers

Story by Dave Woods • dwoods@OfficialKidsMag.com • Photos by Brian Huntley

Official kids Mag sat down with Brady and Brook Bolton recently at the home of Kurt and Robin Otto in Pea Ridge and talked about Jell-O. We not only talked about the long-loved dessert, we made Jell-O and we ate it until Brady could eat no more.

OKM: Tell me a joke.

Brady: What do you call a bird with no feathers… ?

OKM: What do you call a bird with no feathers… ?

Brady:  A bald eagle!

OKM: Do you like Jell-O?

Brady:  Yea.

OKM: What do you like about Jell-O?

Brady:  That it’s Jell-O. (Laughs)

OKM: Do you have a favorite flavor?

Brady:  I don’t know?

OKM: Do you have a favorite color?

Brady:  Red.

OKM: What flavor is red?

Brady: I don’t know… maybe cherry?

OKM: Have you ever made Jell-O before?

Brady:  Yes.

OKM: Pretty recently?

Brady:  Yes.

OKM: Did you have fun making Jell-O?

Brady:  Yes.

OKM: You’re a man of few words… Yes?

Brady:  (Laughs and grins)

OKM: Is it fun to eat Jell-O?

Brady:  Hmmmm… I guess.

OKM: Why don’t you like blueberries? What did blueberries ever do to you?

Brady: That there a fruit!

OKM: You just don’t like fruit?

Brady:  I like some fruit.

OKM: What do you think about Jell-O and whip cream and fruit?

Brady: Hmmm… decent. (Laughs)

OKM: How long have you been in third grade? Two or three years?

Brooks: (Laughs) Two!

OKM: Do you like Jell-O

Brooks:  Yes

OKM: Do you get Jell-O at school?

Brooks: No.

OKM: You don’t?

Brooks:  Well, on Dr. Seuss Day, yea.

OKM: What is Dr. Seuss Day?

Brooks:  It’s his birthday!

OKM: What do you do on that day?

Brooks:  We get Jell-O and we get to party.

OKM: You get to party? What kind of parties do you have?

Brooks:  Dr. Seuss parties and we get to research about him.

OKM: What do you know about Dr. Seuss

Brooks: That he was a famous author.

OKM: He liked Jell-O. Did you know that?

Brooks: Of course he did! (Laughs) Who doesn’t like Jell-O?

OKM: Do you get to do Dr. Seuss parties?

Brady:  Yea.

OKM: What do you like about Dr. Seuss parties?

Brady:  That there is Jell-O

OKM: Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss character?

Brady:  Probably… The Grinch.

OKM: The Grinch is like Jell-O green.

Brady:  Sort of?

OKM: Are you going to tell any of your friends that you did this today?

Brady: Sure.

OKM: You going to show them the magazine with your picture in it?

Brady: Maybe.

OKM: You going to be a big super star?

Brady: Maybe.

OKM: Give autographs?

Brady: No. Well… yes.

Brooks:  It’s my turn. I’m not done.

Brady:  What is happening here?

OKM: OK…

Brooks:  I’ll give autographs and today at school I told everyone that I was going to be in a newspaper.

OKM: Actually, it’s a magazine.

Brooks:  Even better. If I don’t get copies I’ll be really mad.

OKM: Well, don’t be really mad because you’ll get lots of copies for autographs.

Brooks and Brady: Yea!!!

JELL-O RECIPIES

Deviled Jell-O^® Eggs

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray

• 1 (6 ounce) package flavored Jell-O® mix, any flavor

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for decorating

Directions:

1. Spray 2 egg-shaped gelatin molds with cooking spray. Firmly snap the molds together.

2. Pour gelatin mix in a large heatproof glass measuring cup with a spout; stir in boiling water until gelatin has dissolved.

3. Slowly pour gelatin into prepared molds.

4. Refrigerate molds until gelatin has set, about 3 hours.

5. Unsnap the molds and remove the gelatin eggs; cut each egg in half lengthwise with a sharp paring knife.

6. Mix whipped topping and instant vanilla pudding mix in a bowl until smooth. Scoop the pudding mixture into a piping bag or plastic bag with a snipped corner.

7. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling into the middle of each egg half for the “yolk.”

8. Sprinkle decorating sugar over each yolk. Chill until ready to serve.

Cook’s Note:

Molds are available from cake decorating and craft stores. Buy a few molds if you plan on making a lot.

At the Beach Jell-O^® Treat

Ingredients:

• 2 (3 ounce) packages berry-flavored gelatin (such as Jell-O® Berry Blue)

• 2 cups boiling water

• 2 cups cold water

• 1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 1/4 cup teddy bear-shaped graham snacks, or as needed

• Cocktail umbrellas

Directions:

1. Stir berry-flavored gelatin and boiling water together in a bowl until gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir in cold water until evenly mixed. Pour gelatin mixture into small cups about 3/4-full. Refrigerate until set, 2 to 3 hours.

2. Fill a plastic bag with whipped topping and cut 1 bottom corner of the bag; pipe whipped topping onto each gelatin cup. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs onto the whipped topping until fully covered, creating ‘sand’. Arrange bear-shaped graham snacks on the ‘sand.’ Place an umbrella in the sand.

Cooks note:

Three to four ounce wide mouth cups work the best for this recipe. Putting the whipped topping in a bag and piping it on the Jell-O® makes for a cleaner beach.

Topsoil Garden Jell-O^®

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 ounce) package lime-flavored gelatin mix (such as Jell-O®)

• 1 (3 ounce) package blueberry-flavored gelatin (such as Jell-O®)

• 1 (3 ounce) package cherry-flavored gelatin (such as JELL-O®)

• 3 cups boiling water

• 3 cups cold water

• Fresh flowers for garnish

Directions:

1. Dissolve lime, blueberry, and cherry gelatin mixes with boiling water in a bowl. Stir cold water into gelatin and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

2. Unmold gelatin by dipping bowl in hot water until gelatin loosens; invert bowl over a platter to release. Decorate top of gelatin with gummi worms and flowers.

JELL-O^® Aquarium

Ingredients:

• 4 (.25 ounce) packages unflavored gelatin (such as Knox ®)

• 3 tablespoons blue fruit-flavored gelatin mix (such as JELL-O®)

• 4 cups white grape juice

• 4 cups ice

• 1 cup rock candy, or as needed

• 1 8-cup fish bowl

• 1 sprig fresh mint

• 8 gummy fish candies

• Hot water

Directions:

1. Mix unflavored gelatin and fruit-flavored gelatin in a bowl.

2. Bring grape juice to a boil in a saucepan; pour over gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Immediately add ice cubes and stir until ice is melted. The mixture should be cold, slightly set, but still pourable. If needed, refrigerate mixture to chill, as any heat could melt the rock candy.

3. Spread rock candy into the bottom of the fish bowl to cover. Pour enough of the chilled gelatin mixture over the rock candy to cover by about 4 inches.

4. ‘Plant’ the mint sprig into the rock candy bottom. If the mixture is set enough, the mint won’t float. It the mint floats, remove it and put the partially filled bowl into the fridge until it’s nearly set and can support the mint. Once the mint is planted, carefully pour remaining gelatin mixture into the bowl; refrigerate until more set, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Dip a long sharp knife into hot water and use it make vertical slices in the gelatin. Use skewer or chopstick to position gummy fish into the ‘water.’ If you’re gentle, the gelatin will ‘heal’ around the insertion after the fish are positioned. If the top of the gelatin is bumpy, dip a spoon into hot water and use the back of it to smooth the surface.

6. Refrigerate until fully set, about 30 minutes.

Fourth of July Layered Gelatin

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) package cherry flavored Jell-O® mix

• 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin

• 2 cups boiling water

• 4 (.25 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin

• 1 cup boiling water

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 (6 ounce) package blue raspberry flavored Jell-O® mix

• 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin

• 2 cups boiling water

Directions:

1. Place cherry gelatin mix into a heatproof bowl, stir in 1 packet of unflavored gelatin, and mix with 2 cups of boiling water, stirring until the gelatin has dissolved and the mixture is clear, about 2 minutes. Pour into the bottom of a 9×13 rectangular glass baking dish. Place in refrigerator until completely cold and set, about 1 hour.

2. Sprinkle 4 packets of unflavored gelatin onto 1 cup of boiling water in a heatproof bowl, allow to stand for about 3 minutes, and stir until dissolved; mix in the sweetened condensed milk. Allow to cool but not thicken, about 10 minutes; gently pour into a layer on top of the cherry layer. Return to refrigerator and allow to chill completely, about 1 more hour.

3. Place blue raspberry gelatin mix and 1 packet of unflavored gelatin into a heatproof bowl, and mix with 2 cups of boiling water, stirring until the blue gelatin is clear, about 2 minutes. Allow to stand and cool but not thicken, about 10 minutes; gently pour onto the white layer. Chill in refrigerator until the dessert is firm and cold, about 1 hour. To serve, cut into squares.

 

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