Sour Cream Cherry Fruit Salad

Make sure that you check all of the cherries so the pits are removed. Combine reserved juice from canned fruit and measure. Add water, if necessary, to make 2 cups. In small bowl, soften unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup of this fruit juice for 1-2 minutes. Heat in microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until gelatin dissolves, stirring once during cooking. Set aside.

Bring remaining 1-1/2 cups juice to boil in medium saucepan. In large bowl, dissolve cherry Jell-O in this boiling fruit juice. Set aside to cool slightly.

In another large bowl, beat cream cheese until very soft and fluffy. Add sour cream and beat well until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the dissolved cherry Jell-O gradually and beat until smooth. Slowly add remaining dissolved cherry Jell-O mixture and dissolved unflavored gelatin mixture. You have to do this slowly and beat constantly so the mixtures blend; otherwise you'll have little bits of cream cheese in the finished salad.

Stir until blended. Add drained cherries, pineapple, celery, and almonds. Pour into 2 quart mold that has been rinsed with cold water and not dried, cover, and chill overnight until well set. Unmold and serve.

-12 servings