Banana Split Salad

I use the term 'salad' really lightly here, but there are a few fruits in here, so it almost counts.  But, it's summer, which means jello desserts in my book!  I found this recipe via insidebrucrewlife and I had to give it a go.  It was delicious!  

Ingredients:  3/4 oz box of instant banana pudding, 20 oz can of crushed pineapple (don't drain), 8 oz Cool Whip (thawed), 1 c. mini marshmallows, 1/2 c. walnuts (finely chopped), 1/3 c. mini chocolate chips, 2 ripe bananas (sliced), 20 oz of maraschino cherries (drained and halved)

Instructions:  Stir together the pudding mix and pineapple until dissolved and thickened.  Fold in your Cool Whip.  Gently add marshmallows, nuts, chocolate chips, bananas, and cherries.  Place it fridge for one hour.  Add bananas right before serving (I tossed mine in lemon juice and put them in when I made the salad and they didn't brown).  

Fruit Salad

It's time for fruit.  I discovered this fruit salad last summer and it really was delicious.  I like it because it's one that you can make beforehand, but it doesn't require creams and mayo and all the things that take away the benefits of eating fruit.  OK, yes, there is some brown sugar, but....in the grand scheme of life, this one leans more towards healthy than not in my mind.  I didn't have blueberries to toss in when I made this (because the  crop at the store had seen better days), but really, any combination of fruit works, it's the sauce that makes the salad!
So, warm weather, and fruit...I'm ready for you!

Fruit Salad

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Ingredients: 2/3 c. orange juice, 1/3 c. lemon juice, 1/3 c. (packed) brown sugar, 1 t. vanilla,   1/2 t. orange zest, 1/2 t. lemon zest, 2 c. cubed pineapple, 3 peeled and  sliced bananas, 3 kiwis peeled and sliced, 2 c. strawberries (remove stems and slice), 1 c. seedless grapes, 1 orange (peeled) and sliced, 2 c. blueberries

Instructions:  

1.  Bring orange juice, lemon juice, orange and lemon zest, and brown sugar to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes (should be thickening up).  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  

2.  Toss all the fruits and the cooled sauce together in a bowl.  Cover and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours.  

Tropical Fruit Salad

I recently did a little Hawaiian themed dinner for my Mom's retirement.  I tried out a new fruit salad recipe I got from a friend.  It was a really easy one b/c you just use canned fruits, which was a nice change in the middle of winter.  I wanted something quick and easy.  If you don't like coconut, skip that part, but the rest was really tasty.  It was a little in between a fruit salad and jello salad, but tasty all the same.  So, if you (and by *you, I mean, future me) need a quick salad with affordable ingredients, I recommend this one!

Fruit Salad

Ingredients:  8 oz whipped topping, 2 1/2 c. shredded coconut, 8 oz fruit cocktail (drained), 8 oz pineapple chunks (drained), 11 oz can mandarin oranges (drained), 10 oz maraschino cherries (drained), 3 c. mini marshmallows, 1 t. ground nutmeg, 1 t. ground cinnamon
Instructions:  Mix all ingredients.  Refrigerated 45 min (or overnight).

Fruit Dip

I love to make this fruit dip to go along with...well...fruit....or a spoon-a spoon and this dip works too.  It's easy, and a fun summer appetizer/dessert/meal all by yourself as long as nobody knows. If any of those three options are what you are looking for....

Fruit Dip

Mix 32 oz vanilla yogurt, 8 oz cool whip, 3.4 oz box of dry vanilla pudding.  Chill and save for up to 5 days. Serve with strawberries, grapes, or any of your favorite summer fruits.

Strawberry Fruit Dip

I needed a dip for a party a few months back and came across this recipe at cookingclassy.  It doesn't get a lot easier than 2 ingredients you throw together and it makes a fun side dish (or main dish) to a fruit tray.

Strawberry Fruit Dip

Mix together 8 oz strawberry cream cheese (at room temp),  and 7 oz marshmallow fluff.  

Serve with strawberries, pretzels, apple slices, blueberries, or squared pineapples.  

Watermelon On-A-Stick

 I've put fruit on a stick, and even used cookie cutters, but there is a point in my life where there are so many details to put together when hosting more than my dogs for dinner, and I loved this idea for serving watermelon on a stick.  I saw it in a picture via blog babble and thought....this, I can do without having to schedule an appointment with a therapist....or a padded room.  These were also perfect for 3  year old fingers who were present at this particular dinner. To get the stick into the skin, I used the point of a knife to create a little slit, and then pushed the stick in. 

 Salt, and bite.....if your that kind of watermelon eater, and salt is definitely part of my required seasonings for watermelon....

Fruit Dip

Life came crashing in this spring.  It's been busy, and fun, and busy.  I needed a QUICK dip to bring to an event amidst a ton of other events.  This is a super easy dip, that is really tasty....all things considered.  So if you are busy having fun.....and need a dip.  I can recommend this one.  It goes a long way too, and it's about as simple as you can get and still call it homemade. 

Fruit Dip

Ingredients:  One can of marshmallow fluff, one bar of cream cheese, fruit of your choice (apples, oranges, bananas). 

 Instructions:  Soften Cream cheese, mix with marshmallow fluff and refrigerate.  One other tip.  I cut up about five apples to go with this dip, and I've shared this tip the gals at work taught me in previous post, but.....you can add sprite to a bowl and run your fruit through the sprite before storing it in tupperware overnight.  It keeps the fruit from browning, and it doesn't leave the weird taste that lemon water sometimes leaves on fruit. 

Peanut Butter Yogurt Fruit Dip

I saw this recipe floating around pinterest a few months ago, so I had to try it out.  It's relatively good for you in moderation...kind of...., and it really was delicious. And....VERY easy, which is what tipped the scales in it's favor!  But who's worried about scales right now? 

Peanut Butter and Yogurt Fruit Dip

1/2 c. strawberry yogurt, 1/2 c. peanut butter, 1/4 c. powdered sugar.  Mix, and serve with bananas and strawberries.

Mother's Day: Brunch Flower Fruit Kabobs

This would be cute for a Mother's Day Brunch:

I saw the idea for flower shaped from kabobs on the blog Be Different...Act Normal.  After melon balling some centers, and using a cookie cutter to make the flower shape...

On the site there is only one flower, with a skewer popping out the top.  I discovered the cookie cutter I have right now is a little too small.  I'm going to get a larger flower and do this again, but after about ten, I finally just did this with the rest of my fruit...