Jack could eat fruit all day long, especially berries. He is enamored with different colors and shapes, so to set them off, we love to make him these sweet, jiggly salads. We serve them at playdates with his friends Lex, Brady, and Colin (they’re triplets, y’all) and make a game of digging up the fruit in the Jell-O (yup, with their hands—it’s messy!).

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8 kids

　　Two 6-ounce packages strawberry Jell-O

　　1/2 cup hulled, sliced strawberries

　　1/2 cup blueberries

　　1/2 cup halved green grapes

　　1/2 cup thickly sliced bananas

　　

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the powder dissolves completely, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of cold water. Pour the mixture into a 3-quart Jell-O mold and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and bananas. Return the mold to the refrigerator and continue to chill until very firm, about 3 hours. Unmold and serve cold in bowls.

　　[The Deen Bros. Take It Easy](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/0345513266) by Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Copyright © 2009 Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Jamie and Bobby Deen grew up in Georgia—first in Albany and then in Savannah—and, like many Southerners, they have always considered cooking and food a big part of their lives. When their mother, Paula Deen, started a sandwich delivery business in 1989, the boys took charge of deliveries. As the business grew into The Lady restaurant, they continued to help. Then, in 1996, the trio opened The Lady & Sons Restaurant to resounding success. They haven't looked back since. They regularly appear on ABC's Good Morning America and had their own Food Network show, Road Tasted.Melissa Clark has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, and Real Simple and has collaborated on twenty-one books.