Acini De Pepe Salad aka Frog-Eye Salad

I was first introduced to "Frog Eye Salad"by my husband's family. Thinking it was like the typical Utah Fruit/Jello/Surprise Ingredient Salad, I was a bit wary. It wasn't until a few years ago that I even enjoyed eating fruit, let alone fruit mixed with other things but this salad is yummy. I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't include any odd ingredients such as jello, miracle whip, bacon bits, etc. In fact none of the ingredients are odd or exotic and the combination of flavors is one that reminds me of summer BBQs. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, who found it years ago in a neighborhood cookbook. I was a little surprised that the recipe calls for eggs because I never would have guessed, but they are cooked and I couldn't even tell they were in there after I was made aware of their presence. I made this salad this weekend for my brother's graduation / sister's goodbye party. I was craving it a few weeks ago but I waited until now to make it because I didn't want to have to eat the whole thing myself.

Acini De Pepe Salad aka Frog-Eye Salad

Ingredients 

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup pineapple juice (drained from cans of pineapple) 

1 tablespoon flour

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cans pineapple tidbits

2 cans Mandarin oranges, rinsed and drained

1 pint of whipping cream

1/4 tsp salt 

12 ounces Acini de Pepe (found on the pasta aisle)

Optional Ingredients

-1/2 bag of mini marshmallows

-strawberries (if you use them, press them with a paper towel so the color doesn't bleed into the pasta)

-grapes, sliced in half

Note: This recipe should made the night before so that the first steps have time to sit overnight.

1. Glaze: Mix sugar, pineapple juice, flour, egg yolks, and lemon juice in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until thick. Stir constantly.
2. Cook Acini de Pepe in salted boiling water according to the directions on the box. Drain and cool thoroughly.
3. Once the pasta is cool, mix with the glaze and refrigerate overnight.
4. Mix whipped cream according to package. I don't add any sugar to mine because I don't think it needs it.
5. Add drained fruit and whipped cream to the pasta mixture right before serving.