Two Great Salad Recipes

My birthday party was a huge success and I thank everyone who came!! When I figure out how to do it, I will post some pictures so you can remember how much fun we had. Some have asked for the salad recipes so here they are:

FROG EYE SALAD (my standby for every occasion, mostly because a few in my family love it)

1 1/3 cups (8 oz) Acini de Pepe (a tiny pasta)uncooked
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/4 cup juice)
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
2 cans (11 oz. each) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups cool whip
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I definitely leave this out because Brad won't let any coconut in the house!)

Cook pasta 11 minutes in water as directed on the package. Rinse with cold water and drain well. In large bowl, beat reserved pineapple juice, milk, sugar and pudding for 2 minutes. Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients; cover. Refrigerate at least 5 hours. Makes 12 servings.


TORTELLINI SALAD
(Brittany Robinson Cotter gave me this recipe)

Cheese filled Tortellini (which is found in the refrigerated section)
Cherry or grape tomatoes cut in halves or fourths
Fresh broccoli cut in small pieces
Litehouse Ranch Dressing (Litehouse is a brand found by the fresh salads. Don't use the "light" Ranch)

Put the tortellini, tomatoes and broccoli in a bowl in proportions that look right to you. Then add the Ranch without overdoing it. You might want to add toasted pine nuts which are really good. We would have had them at the party but they got over-toasted!


I am going to try to be more diligent in adding to this blog. I have hundreds of things I want to say and I need to get them out of my head because they are really buzzing around in there.