Festive Pineapple Rings

I am so excited to have another one of my Grandma’s delicious recipes to share. My grandma makes this for every holiday occasion. It’s a favorite amongst the cousins, and, to be honest, it’s the only way I’ve ever enjoyed Jello growing up. I never liked Jello unless it was attached to a pineapple ring — I was THAT kid. Haha!

As I got older and learned more about the ingredients in Jello, I liked it even less. Although I didn’t want to eat any Jello, I always had at least one of my Grandma Winnie’s amazing Pineapple Rings. After I got the urge to start making my own gummy bears back in the Summer (which I still make pretty often), I had the bright idea of recreating my Grandma Winnie’s dish using the same recipe as my gummy bears. I’m not trying to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT - this was a pretty genius idea, if I say so myself!

During Thanksgiving, Grandma chooses Jello flavors/colors like orange, red and yellow. At Christmas, it’s red and green because she’s a genius!

My Grandma found this recipe about 100 years ago… okay, so more like almost 60 years ago! Either way, it’s way older than me! I remember that whenever she would make it, she would reserve the pineapple juice in a glass for my Grandpa John. He LOVED pineapple juice and pineapple in general. This recipe was a great find back then for our family, and now I hope it’s a good find for you.

It’s almost Thanksgiving, so I have my “Thanksgiving Festive Pineapple Rings” to share with you, and plan on making some Christmas ones, too!

If you have seen my gummy bear blogs or even seen me make gummy bears on my Instagram story, then you know that it’s very easy, but a little time consuming. This is just that… minus the time consuming because you don’t have to fill up all the little teeny tiny gummy bear molds. This is a quick, fast recipe that you can make the night before or — let’s face it — 10 days before and stick it in your freezer until Thanksgiving... I totally did just that!

Here are the recipes for my Green Blue Red and Yellow gummy bears.

I used a Mango TuMe Water for the Yellow Pineapple Rings

I used a Bai Clementine for the Orange Pineapple Rings

It's optional, but I love using some natural food coloring from Color Kitchen Foods. They have 5 different colors and they are all made from natural things like beets, turmeric, and spirulina — it has no taste. There are no artificial dyes, they are plant based, vegan, gluten free and nonGMO.

__________

INGREDIENTS

Orange:

1 can Pineapple Rings

1 1/4 cup Mango TuMe Water

1 1/2 TB Rigoni Di Asiago Dolcedi Sweetener

3 TB Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin

2 squeezes Sweet Leaf Stevia’s Mango Peach Water Drops*

1 packet of Yellow Color Kitchen Foods Food Coloring

Yellow:

1 can Pineapple Rings

1 1/4 cup Bai Costa Rica Clementine

1 1/2 TB Rigoni Di Asiago Dolcedi Sweetener

3 TB Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin

2-10 drops Sweet Leaf Stevia’s Liquid Drops*

1 packet of Orange Color Kitchen Foods Coloring

*Before you add any stevia drops, taste and add the desired amount. These amounts have worked great for us. It depends on the drink or liquid that you use.

Directions:

Open your can of pineapple rings on one side* and strain the juice out. Reserve pineapple juice and set aside as you will not need it for this recipe. Drink it or use for a smoothie.

*It helps if you have a can opener that can go at the can from the side to remove the lid along with the raised ledge of the can.

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, mix all ingredients except for pineapple rings and beef gelatin. Add beef gelatin one tablespoon at a time and stir until combined before continuing. Once all 3 tablespoons have been mixed in, turn off the heat.

Allow to cool for 5-7 minutes. Pour mixture into the can of pineapple rings until liquid covers the top pineapple ring. Use the remainder of the liquid to make a few gummy bears if you have any liquid left.

CAUTION - The can will be very hot. Make sure you let the can sit on the counter for 20 minutes or until it’s cool to the touch before continuing.

Carefully put the can into the fridge and allow to chill for at least 5 hours OR overnight.

Remove the can from the fridge and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Carefully open the can from the other side and, using a mason jar lid, push the rings out the other side. Be careful. Squeeze the can a little to help you jiggle that sucker out.

On a cutting board, using a sharp knife, carefully slice each ring from the side.

Arrange the pineapple rings on a beautiful platter alternating colors and serve cold. Keep it in the fridge. In warm temperatures the “jello” can melt.

I hope you enjoy this family favorite recipe!