Frog Eye Salad

Family in Alaska has a slightly different flavor to it than anywhere else.  Many of us moved to Alaska, away from our families and settled here so others have adopted us as honorary members of their families. Some of us have families that have moved to warmer climates, like Arizona, California and Oregon, leaving us Fairbanksians alone in the dark and the cold (thank you boys...and dad and mom).  We adopt, are adopted and family are those around us with whom we rely on and know we can count on.  Luckily, my husband does have family here, and we have wonderful friends so we are blessed with a whole bunch of people I am proud to call my Fairbanks Family.

My favorite Fairbanks niece, Nichole, makes frog eye salad for me.  She brings it for every special occasion like Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday that is coming up soon...
I don't make it myself because I can't be trusted with a whole batch in the house alone with me.

I. Will. Eat. It. All.

So Nickie brings it, I get a serving, the left-overs and I've only eaten half the batch not the whole thing.  It is a sweet salad made with mandarin oranges, pineapple and cool whip.  The frog eyes are acini di pepe pasta, some people think it is made with tapioca, they are about the same size.    I think most people eat it as a dessert but I eat it as anything I can get away with.  It is cool, sweet, creamy and the perfect breakfast when the rest of the house is asleep and I don't have to share.

Tips:
Don't try this at home alone - you will eat the whole batch.
I couldn't get the lighting right at Thanksgiving, the picture was way too dark (give me a break, you know I live in the dark all the time.  There is no "natural light" and I'm waiting for Christmas for my husband to buy me some lighting..hint, hint.) SO, I asked Nickie to make another batch so I could photograph it.  O.K., so my lighting didn't turn out any better.  Dave came home and asked where the large cool whip tub of salad was (Nickie had told him).  I had already taken the too dark pictures and eaten the whole bunch!  It's just not safe at my house.

Frog Eye Salad
1 c. Acini de Pepe pasta
1 can (20oz.) Pineapple tidbits
1 can (15oz.) Mandarin oranges
3/4 cup sugar
dash of salt
8 oz. Cool Whip
2 tbsp flour
2 egg yolks

Cook 1 cup dry macaroni in 2 quarts of water for 9 minutes, or as directed on package.  Drain, rinse and drain, then cool.

Drain the fruit (keep the juice from the pineapple).

In a sauce pan, combine pineapple juice, sugar, flour, salt and slightly beaten eggs.  Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cool to room temperature.  Pour over macaroni, and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, add fruit and Cool Whip and mix well.   Serves about 8-10 people.

December 20, 2011   Daylight 3 hours, 41 minutes, 59 seconds   Current Temp. 18º F