Clara's Winter Fruit Salad

A sweet and cozy fruit salad recipe!

The perfect dish for the Winter months--when the availability of fresh produce is limited

This recipe reminds me of a cozy church potluck from the 1950s. One bite evokes the image of a cozy and slightly musty church basement, sunlight from a nearby window highlighting sparkles of meandering dust. There's a quilting bee--a circle of little old ladies catching up on life, enjoying this sweet treat together. The easy flow of warm conversations casting away Winter's chill.

I would love to be able to say this recipe has lovingly been passed down from generation to generation by my sweet old Granny Clara which I now pass along to you. But, in actuality it's from, well...my calendar. :) So, although I have no idea who Clara is, I'm thankful for her sweet little fruit salad recipe that's graced my kitchen wall for the month of February:

Now, onto the recipe!

You will need:

1 2.5 lb. can pineapple chunks (drain and reserve juice)
1 14oz. can mandarin oranges (drain and reserve juice)
1 can fruit cocktail -OR- 1 cup seedless grapes
1 sm. package NON-instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 C reserved juice from fruits listed above
1 C sliced strawberries
4 bananas, sliced
3 T fresh lemon juice

Set aside 1 1/2 cups reserved juices in medium sized bowl

Cook pudding according to directions on package using reserved fruit juices in place of milk.
Let cool.

It cracks me up that you can see the reflection of me taking the picture in the teapot.
(And yes, I am easily amused! )


In large bowl combine all of the fruits minus the strawberries and bananas.

Stir cooled pudding into fruit mixture and refrigerate overnight. Coat banana slices in lemon juice to prevent from browning before combining with other fruits. Add sliced strawberries and bananas one hour before serving. Enjoy!

Oh, and thanks Clara, whoever you are! ;)

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