Recipe: Frog's Eye Salad

I am re-vamping my recipe book. It "was" a 3-ring notebook, falling apart at the binding, bulging from too many papers and recipes, crying to be pruned and more effectively used.

SO....I will begin to scan and/or otherwise transform them to my digital world. The goal is to be totally digitized for all paperwork and photos in the next two years. The process began so long ago, it's so time-intensive, but it CAN be done, and all in due time.

For the first: Frog's Eye Salad

I came across this recipe quite by accident years ago, and made it for an office party--it was a hit! The "frog's eye" comes from the cute little pasta balls, acini pepe style. I love trying different pasta recipes, and this one looked interesting. Over time, I can no longer eat anything with pineapples or pineapple juice, so I have to modify this recipe for myself. It's almost like an ambrosia salad, but not layered in a bowl. Enjoy!

FROG'S EYE SALAD

1 1/3 C (8 oz) Ronzoni Acini Pepe-uncooked
2 cans (11 oz ea) mandarin orange segments-undrained
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks-in juice-undrained (Reserve 1/4 C)
1 3/4 C milk
3 1/2 C (8 oz) frozen non-dairy whipped topping-defrosted (reserve 1 1/2 C topping)
1/4 C sugar
1 (3 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding & pie filling
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple-divided
3 C miniature marshmallows
1/2 C flaked coconut
1/2 C maraschino cherries-cut in fourths-use to garnish top of salad (I usually add a lot more cherries into the actual salad. they give it color and are a favorite for many)

Cook pasta according to pkg directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well. Drain juice from pineapple chunks, reserving 1/4 cup juice.

In large bowl, add reserved juice, milk, sugar & pudding mix; beat with whisk or electric mixer until well blended, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add pasta to pudding mixture; stir gently. Let stand 10 minutes.

Add crushed pineapple & chunks, oranges, 2 C whipped topping, marshmallows & coconut; mix gently & thoroughly. Cover; refrigerate until cold. Top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with cherries.

Makes 12 servings
(About 1 cup each)