Mini "mimosas" for Your Holiday Brunch

If you're hosting a holiday party, you know that no matter how organized you are, time is always in short supply. If you're like me, when you mix hosting duties with three small children, a house to clean, and food and drinks to put together, you want simple, elegant, and classic options without spending the entire day in the kitchen. Add some sparkle to your holiday table this season by putting together simple, non-alcoholic mini "mimosas" that guests of all ages will love. Serve them as an appetizer, a beverage, or as a dessert treat. However you serve them, they're sure to be a hit among your party guests.

Getting started

For every 10 mini "mimosas", you'll need a 3 oz. package of JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin, ¼ of a cup of boiling water, 1/3 a cup of club soda, 10 small plastic cups (2-3 oz), and 3-4 strawberries. You'll also need cooking spray to grease the cups. Purchase several boxes of JELL-O to make a larger tray of these treats if you're expecting a crowd.

Putting them together

While most of the party treats I serve at holiday brunches require mom and dad's complete concentration, even your children can get involved when you're making these JELL-O treats. Let one child pour the JELL-O into a medium-sized bowl. Mom or Dad can add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Then, let a child add the cold club soda and stir.

Meanwhile, add a small slice of strawberry to each greased plastic cup. After the JELL-O is mixed, add it to each cup and refrigerate for at least one hour. If you're making large quantities, place the cups on baking sheets and stack them on top of one another in the refrigerator to save room.

Finishing touches

Once these holiday treats have set, you can slide a butter knife along the side of the cups to loosen the gelatin. Then turn each cup upside down onto a serving platter. If the Jell-O breaks apart or doesn't come out with ease, return them to the refrigerator for another 10 minutes before trying again. Garnish the platter with strawberry slices.

It took less than 10 minutes to put these mini "mimosas" together, and then only an hour to set. You can't beat their ease. My daughters loved the strawberry slices in these snacks. Adults enjoyed the bubbles created by the club soda, which gave them a little sparkle. When all was said and done, we had a delightful treat that everyone enjoyed. They're sure to be a hit at your holiday brunch, too.

Recipe

PREP 10 minutes plus refrigerating
MAKES 10 servings

1/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
1/3 cup cold club soda
2 fresh strawberries, each cut crosswise into 5 slices

- Add boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. or until completely dissolved. Stir in club soda.
- Place strawberries in 10 (2 oz.) plastic cups sprayed with cooking spray; fill with gelatin.
- Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Unmold to serve.

Content by Kelly Herdrich.