Mom did not offer too terribly much of the color green in food on the supper table unless it was a Green Bean Casserole of which there exists more Southern varieties than Crayola Crayon's largest box that boasts 120. The most popular being about as homemade as the Ghiradelli box brownie mix recipe, featured earlier. E.g.: "Take two cans of green beans, add a can of Campbell's Condensed Mushroom Soup. Oh! and the secret bling ingredient? Top with French's French Fried Onions." From where?, another can.
I've endured attempted variations of unsalad, salads (dare I call it, fruit?) at social potlucks of the old fashioned variety under the pseudonym, "Ambrosia.. something of-a-ruther." Although I've never once happened upon one in a natural food deli, or vegetarian gathering among friends. Which is one reason, among one other, I rarely make it here in California. But don't let this deter you. With the advent of the legalization of pot, exceptions will be made. That, and you never know when you'll need a good recipe for a potluck. None I've tried have come close to being as good as Mom's. Which begs the question, "Genetic or social conditioning?" ..but I digress. Up to the day she died she had one waiting for me in the fridge when I got off the plane-- if I'd put in my request the day before.
The entire family LOVES it! However we have found that it's not as in-law friendly as we'd like. That said, after claiming it the most never-to-eat artificial and unnatural concoction known to cuisine, one California in-law representative, Mr. G, had a change of heart and decided it was delicious. I can't offer better testament than this.
WARNING: For you au naturales (or wanna be's) of the chef persuasion, DO NOT under any circumstances substitute natural for artificial --canned or otherwise-- in any of the ingredients listed below. In this particular recipe, natural has very little to do with taste. You won't like it, then you'll blame me.
Frosted Fruit Salad
Stuff To Pull Out of the Cupboards After You Get Up Off The Couch and Walk Over to the Kitchen:
Jello Ingredients -
- 2 small pkgs. jello (3 oz each) one lemon and one orange
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup concentrated orange juice (Frozen. That's right, don't even think to squeeze fresh and freeze it. Buy it frozen at the market, then measure it out.)
- canned crushed pineapple - 20 oz regular size can
- 3 bananas-sliced
- 1 and 1/2 cups of cold water
- one bag of miniature marshmallows
Topping Ingredients -
- 2 TBL plain white flour (Do not even think to use whole wheat!!)
- 1/2 cup sugar (Do not substitute with honey, agave, stevia, etc.)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of pineapple juice (drained from the can)
- 2 pkgs Dream Whip Topping Mix (This being the one other reason I don't make it where I live. Where do you shop to buy this? Good luck. Again, don't think to substitute real whipping cream, you will walk away highly dissatisfied, and not tasting the difference, think it's a so-so recipe.)
- finely chopped pecans, enough to cover the top of a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pyrex dish.
Assemble
Jello:
Mix hot water and powdered jellos until dissolved.
Then add 1 and 1/2 cups cold water.
Drain crushed pineapple and save the liquid.
Mix in the drained crushed pineapple, 1/4 cup frozen concentrated orange juice, and 3 whole bananas--sliced, in with the jello. Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pyrex dish. Top with a layer of mini marshmallows and refrigerate. Chill 2-3 hours.
Topping:
Whip up two packages of Dream Whip, non-dairy whipping cream. Follow directions on box. (Yes, this is a boxed whipping cream powder!!!) After whipped, set bowl in fridge to chill while you make the rest of the topping.
Over medium heat, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 2 TBL flour, and 2 eggs and cook until it's a thickened paste. Take off heat. Stir in 1 cup pineapple juice from the can of strained crushed pineapples. Cool completely (I put it in the freezer for a few minutes, but, careful if you do!) When cooled, slowly, with spatula, fold in cold whipped up Dream Whip from the fridge into the mixture. You do not want this mixture too thin, so you might not need to use it all. The amount will vary to house temperature and altitude. Spread this mixture over chilled jello. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans.
Refrigerate a little piece more, about an hour, until the topping sets.
Bling: The bling here is in following the directions explicitly, and sprinkling finely chopped pecans on top.
Suggestions: If, after using all canned and boxed ingredients, this recipe still does not turn out right, channel my mom.
Mmmmm...Now that's good eatin'!
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