Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

[mlt150]

Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad
“Frog Eye Salad”

Box of acini de pepe
2 20 oz cans of chunk pineapple, well drained (save juice)
1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple, well drained (save juice)
2 15 oz. cans of mandarin oranges, drained
Mini-marshmallows
Coconut
Cool whip (it calls for 8 oz.----could use more)

Sauce:
1 C. sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 T. flour
2 eggs, beaten well
1 ¾ C pineapple juice

Mix flour, sugar, and salt together well in a medium saucepan. Add juice and eggs. Stir well and then cook until thick, stirring constantly.

Pasta:
Boil 3 qts. Water with 1 T. of oil and 2 tsp. salt. Add acini de pepe. Cook 10-12 minutes cooking only until el dente. Drain, rinse and drain again. Cool, add sauce. Then add mandarin oranges and pineapple. Refrigerate overnight.

Add 1C+ mini marshmallows, 1C+ coconut, and an 8 oz container of whipped topping

[RFREE]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

Your recipes are sewwwww good. I was in the kitchen yesterday and found a Paula Dean Book,you know the blank pages book you write your favorite Paula Dean recipes in? I swear I thought about marking out her name and Putting "mlt15o Favorite Recipes" in its place. My DD said "WHAT?" I said "Never mind"

[TheNovice]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

I am going to make this recipe. I have a daughter that loves pasta and this is perfect for her. I also made you steamed barveque ribs, I added liquid smoke to water just delicious.

[Melanee]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

I've been making this for years. There are a few tricks -- where you have add juice and eggs -- ADD EGGS first, mix in thoroughly, then add in the juice. You can also do 1 1/2 of the sauce part to add in more of a sauciness to it. I add in sometimes multicolor/flavor marshmallows to adjust the flavor. I also buy mandarin oranges in juice -- and use that juice in addition to the pineapple. I've even bought the concentrated orange/pineapple juice from the frozen section and will use that straight up as part of the juice -- adds a lot of flavor and allows one to cut back on the sugar because of the orange juice sweetness.
(can you tell I do this really often? 5 kids -- I have to double it at least and it is inhaled so quickly.)

[SuzyQue]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

Sounds delicious! Must look for this pasta....not in my current pantry! On the list to get and try!

[Dragonfly]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

I was going to ask what type of coconut, ie dessicated, shaved, flaked etc but then realised I didn't recognise the pasta, I don't think we have it here in Australia, I've never seen it.

[Blondie]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

Your recipes are sewwwww good. I was in the kitchen yesterday and found a Paula Dean Book,you know the blank pages book you write your favorite Paula Dean recipes in? I swear I thought about marking out her name and Putting "mlt15o Favorite Recipes" in its place. My DD said "WHAT?" I said "Never mind"

I sew agree, Rhonda! Her recipes are true keepers!

[mlt150]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

I was going to ask what type of coconut, ie dessicated, shaved, flaked etc but then realised I didn't recognise the pasta, I don't think we have it here in Australia, I've never seen it.

Use flaked coconut and the smallest pasta you can find and I think it will work for you. Dianne

[Dragonfly]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

Thanks Dianne, when I get rid of the bug that is currently making wish I was dead I will check out the supermarket, the recipe sounds too nice not to try.

[Melanee]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

I've used any tiny pasta -- it is quite very tiny -- in our Hispanic area one can get gears that are tiny and stars, alphabet shaped pasta,.... I've had to use all of them depending on where I live because it can be hard to get one's hands on it. (I skip the coconut because my kids don't like the texture. I do add in extra mandarin oranges. YUM)

[QueenAngie]

Re: Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad

"Frog Eye Salad" at our house. Just made it for 4th of July and it was delicious!

I have an short cut from my sister Becky. Instead of cooking the sauce, use instant vanilla pudding and I use milk as well as the juice from the drained fruits in the instant vanilla pudding. Yummy!