Months ago, one of you asked me to post the recipe for my MIL's infamous Lemon Shrimp Jello during a discussion about Mormons and Jello. MIL makes this about once a year for some family dinner or reunion - no one ever eats it besides me and I only eat it because my own mother drilled good manners and consideration for others in so deeply during my childhood, I can choke down almost a quarter cup of shrimp in jello so MIL doesn't have her feelings hurt. Actually, I detest celery so that is worse for me than the shrimp. You'd think she'd notice that there is ever, only that one quarter cup missing from her "salad" since no one ever even bothers to serve themselves some and then hide it in a napkin. But she doesn't notice and is undeterred by having to take almost all of it home. My TBM nieces and nephews all call it Lemon Sh*t Jello, due to a Freudian slip made by a family member years ago:

Lemon Shrimp Jello

1 pkg lemon jello
1 1/2 c water
2 T vinegar
1/2 t salt

Mix together and let thicken. Then mix in

1 can of shrimp
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
2 T pimiento
1 t onion juice

Serves 6



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2012 02:27AM by CA girl.

First, who ruins a perfectly good shrimp by putting it into a can?

Second, who ruins a perfectly good shrimp by putting it into jello?

And then adding MIRacle whip??? My dogs delight in snacking out of the litterbox when i get behind on cleaning them, but i'm not entirely certain they would partake of such a vile, wretched witch's brew. I'm not sure i would let them; i can only imagine the gastrix delights hours afterward. Gag me with a pitchfork.

Two negatives make a positive?

This reminds me of one of my favorite hilarious clips from the show Friends:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avE0ozYmTDA

Your MIL is stoned.

+1000

who made outlandish dishes?

this may actually top that fiction.

but yeah, the Miracle Whip has to be the kicker.

YES! I loved her and just adored that show.

Leticia Cropley. I thought of her too.

Susan

I must be a freak, as I would try it!

English food used to be so bad, this would be the highlight of the table. I used to love the cornflakey,noodle-y, cheesey, mayonnaisy pot luck dishes that the Americans in the ward/stake used to bring. Even the jellies were devoured. And when one sister brought taco shells and a big pot of loose meat, it was almost a spiritual experience.

It destroyed the usual English fare of meat/fish paste sandwiches. Things only started changing in the late 80s, when the women became competitive, and being cheap was frowned on.

I hate shrimp and lemon jello both. I will not eat anything that looks like an insect plus I accidentally ate a bite of shrimp once at a casino buffet, thinking it was chicken. Boy, was that a surprise.
I got served lemon jello when I was in the hospital 5 years ago. I swear it tasted like lemon Pledge. I found eating hard enough without tasting furniture polish.

Susan

Okay, I just read that recipe out loud to my office mate. We cannot wrap our brains around a couple ideas presented here:

1. I despise Jello in the first place, but lemon jello? Seems like that would only be useful for making lemon meringue pie or vodka jello shots.

2. My co-worker said, "What's the thinking there? 'Hey! You know what this vile lemon pledge jello needs? Canned shrimp and Miracle Whip! Yeah! That'll make it really awesome!'"

As a Floridian who has access to still swimming shrimp just off the boat, the idea of using canned shrimp just... ew.
:: shudder:: Bleargh.

I kinda want to make it for the next work potluck just for laughs to see if anyone tries to be polite and eat it, but I don't want to waste good shrimp.

Shrimp in a can aren't 'good shrimp'!

I know, I don't even know where to find canned shrimp. If I were to attempt making this monstrosity, I would have to use the good fresh shrimp that are so abundant in my neck of the woods. I'm not wasting good shrimp on this! :>)

Does this mean you won't be bringing it to Mexico Beach?

My theory is that your MIL secretly hates her family and this is her passive-aggressive means of expression.

Or, as a previous poster posited, she's stoned.

I think someone gave the recipe to her as a prank while gushing that it was, "simply divine, everyone loves it!!"

My garbage disposal would love that.



My dog wouldn't even sniff that, let alone eat it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2012 02:15PM by Mia.

I was raised to have good manners as well, but wow...you are super-human! Part of me *desperately* wants to believe you made that recipe up. :-(

I have a similar recipe in one of my retro "Women's Circle" cookbook.

Mormons and Midwesterners have some strange food combos.

I would try it, but then I am adventurous when it comes to food.If the salt and vinegar tone down the sweetness of the jello, it could be okay.

Recipes like this is why mid westerners think they hate sea food.

Like a bowl full of jell-o? :-)

Cut up Snickers bars, red Delicious apples and Cool Whip. Add canned tuna fish or ground beef to it and it would be a great Mormony one-dish meal.

TBMs (most of them) lack common sense about food and eat disgusting food. IMO most of the LDS that cooked decent food were usually not-as-TBM types, or converts, or those with an ethnic background.

I am so taking this to my next work potluck. They won't ask me to bring anything again, ever.