Mar 25, 2013

A Bee in My Easter Bonnet {and Pink Fruit Salad}

Got some work-related funk and aggravation going on right now.  Bad mojo, podjo.
So I'll just keep it zipped and show you this fruit salad my mother-in-law makes for Easter


and some pictures from around my town.

Like a sunset over a crawfish field

Getting better already.

A Butterfly Iris from my yard

My dwarf azalea--a beacon on the front walk

And some pictures from a stroll around the neighborhood






Now back to this fruit salad.  I call it Pink Fruit Salad.  Betcha can't figure out why.

My mother-in-law told me the original recipe calls for maraschino cherry juice mixed with condensed milk, but she found that too sweet and thick.  She uses evaporated milk and some sugar to taste.


I skip the sugar.
'Cause you know me.  All healthy and crap.

My favorite part is the pink "juice."  Because it makes for a fruit salad that's different.  And, if you submerge your fruit in it

the apples and bananas will stay fine for a few hours.  No browning.  The fruit, especially the bananas, also start to soak up the flavor of the pink juice.

Just be warned.
More than a few hours and the bananas go from soaking up the juice to disintegrating in it.  Especially if the leftovers sit forgotten in the fridge for 2 days.
Yep.  Especially then.

My mother-in-law always makes this salad with banana, apple, mandarin orange segments, grapes, pineapple chunks, and maraschino cherries.  Use whatever rocks your socks.



The amount of liquid will be enough to cover 4 1/2-4 3/4 cups of fruit.  Given the right bowl (think tall rather than shallow and wide).

How to segment an orange


Printer Friendly

Pink Fruit Salad
2 oranges, peeled and segmented (about 1 c)
1 banana, sliced (about ¾ c)
2 handful grapes, halved
heaping ¼ c pineapple tidbits, drained
1 medium-large apple, cored and chunked (about 1 ½ cups)
heaping ¼ c maraschino cherries
1 c evaporated milk
6-8 TBSP maraschino cherry juice
sugar to taste, optional

The amount of fruit should total roughly 4 ½ to 4 ¾ cups.  Place all of the prepared fruit in a bowl that will snugly hold the fruit.  Toss gently with your hands.  Mix the evaporated milk, cherry juice, and sugar (if using) in a separate bowl.  Pour over the fruit.   Press down on the fruit to submerge in the juice.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes up to about 3 hours before serving.  Serve in bowls with some of the liquid.



linking with:

Jam Hands
 photo SimpleSupperTuesday_zps93ff0e49.jpg
 Hearth and Soul blog hop at Premeditated Leftovers Feeding Big
Love Bakes Good Cakes
nap-time creations
Back for Seconds
White Lights on Wednesdays
Recipe Box Miz Helen’s Country Cottage Photobucket
Freedom Fridays

15 comments:

  1. love the flower beauty and the fact that the sun apparently shines somewhere :) it's snowing here just now and makes it feel like Spring is a distant dream.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely looking fruit salad. Love the pink juice and love maraschino cherries, so we would absolutely enjoy this!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm sorry you're having a bad day. I did love the photos of your home/town/flowers. Isn't 'home' nice? No matter where it is.
    The fruit salad looks very festive. I wish I could say I was all healthy and crap. LOL
    I hope your day tomorrow is better.

    ReplyDelete
  4. that looks like something I would LOVE! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays! you are a faithful linker! love it! Really appreciate you stopping by my blog! I'm trying to keep in better touch with my linkers/readers... If you already follow me, please let me know I will find your blog on Bloglovin (I'm transferring my follows there)if you don't follow in any way, would you consider following via GFC or other method?
    www.nap-timecreations.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Everybody in the South has a fruit salad recipe in their family that they love. Your Butterfly Iris is STUNNING! I'll have to keep my eyes open for those bulbs.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That Pink Salad does look lovely. Hope that rotten Mojo has left the premises. x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Psst..linking you back to the features in my post tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sounds like my day! Don't worry, it's probably just the full moon tomorrow. :) Love that fruit salad! My Nanny used to make a similar one except with the condensed milk! Super sweet, but GOOD! lol

    Gorgeous pics!

    ReplyDelete
  9. First off, sorry about the work related funk! No fun!

    Second off, I am envious that you have so many beautiful flowers already!

    Third off, this salad reminds me of something my father made! Thanks for sharing and reminding me of my Dad!

    Thank you for linking up to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link party! I can't wait to see what you bring next week!

    Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Think this might be on the menu this weekend! Like the cherry juice being mixed in :-) Thank you for sharing at ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS !

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Michelle,
    I love you Mother In Law's Salad, with or without the extra sweetness, I will love it either way. Your flowers are just beautiful and very peaceful! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fruit salad is always a crowd pleaser and makes any holiday table complete, in my opinion. Yummy and I like that you didn't opt for the sugar, can't imagine it would need it anyway. Thanks for sharing on Hearth & Soul Hop. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love marachino cherries. What a great addition to fruit salad. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your comments.