Frog Eye Salad

TRADITION! TRADITION!  My mother-in-law serves this salad at most of our family dinners.  It's a tradition we hope never ends.  The recipe use to be on the box of Ronzoni, Acini Di Pepe.  (Now there is a recipe for Spinach Soup on the box, does that make any sense?)  Acini Di Pepe is a tiny round pasta, you can find it with the other pastas at your store.  The name, Frog Eye Salad makes it fun to serve to kid's.   

1 1/3 cups Ronzoni, Acini De Pepe, uncooked
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits or chunks, undrained
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 egg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups non-dairy whipped topping
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup coconut
2 11 oz cans Mandarin oranges, drained

In medium saucepan, stir together sugar, flour and salt.  Drain pineapple reserving 1 cup of juice.  Whisk juice and egg into sugar mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stir frequently until mixture comes to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in lemon juice.  Let mixture cool.  Meanwhile, cook Acini Di Pepe according to package directions, drain.  (I follow the directions for 1/2 a box using 1 teaspoon salt, boiling till tender.)  Rinse with cold water to cool, drain well.  In a large bowl (preferably with a lid), stir together pineapple juice mixture and Acini Di Pepe.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Add pineapple, whipped topping, marshmallows, and coconut.  Mix thoroughly.  Gently fold in oranges.  Cover, refridgerate until cold.  Makes about 12 cups.
I hope this salad becomes a tradition for your family.

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