Orzo Fruit Salad

Orzo Fruit Salad

1 box of Orzo pasta
2 cans of mandarin oranges
1 large can of pineapple tidbits...if you can't find tidbits, buy the rings and cut them into tidbits
2 C. cut strawberries
2 C. raspberries
2 C. blueberries
Not all of the fresh fruit is always in season, so substitute with any berries
4 limes
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (I buy reduced fat)
1 - 3oz. pkg. instand coconut cream pudding
1 jar of marshmallow creme
1 C. sour cream (I use light)

Cook orzo pasta to directions on box.  Rinse with cool water and drain completely.  Drain mandarin oranges and pineapple and add to cooked and drained pasta.  Add strawberries and blueberries.  In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, condensed milk, and marshmallow cream.  I find it easier to use a wire whisk and combine the sour cream and condensed milk first, then the pudding and then the marshmallow creme.  Grate the rind of three limes and the juice of 1 lime of the zested limes into the cream (save your best looking lime for garnish slices).  Add mixture to the pasta and fruit.  Fold in raspberries last to avoid bleeding color.  The trick to making the salad not "soupy" is to make sure the pasta and fruit are really drained.  I garnish with the remaining lime slices, alternating with a strawberry and raspberries piled in the middle.

Orange Ice

This recipe is from Sweets to the Sweet by Susan Branch.  You can find her adorable books and more at www.susanbranch.com.

3 C. fresh orange juice

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. lemon juice

grated rind of 2 oranges

Bring orange juice to a boil.  Stir in sugar till dissolved.  Cool.  Add lemon juice and rind.  Freeze in handcranked or electric ice cream maker.  You can also freeze it in a metal bowl, stirring every so often.  Ices are best when served slightly mushy - not frozen stiff.

Kiwi Ice

This recipe is from Sweets to the Sweet by Susan Branch.  To purchase her adorable books, please visit www.susanbranch.com.

4 kiwi fruit (reserve a perfect slice for each serving) Serves 4.

4 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice

1/4 Tbsp. grated rind

1 C. water

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. light corn syrup

Puree fruit, juice and rind in blender.  cook water, sugar and corn syrup until sugar dissolves.  Mix it all together and our into a shallow pan.  Put it in the freezer for 1 1/2 hours.  Take it out and beat it till light and fluffy.  Then back to the freezer for at least 2 hours more.  Garnish with slices of fresh fruit.  Another garnish idea would be fresh mint sprigs or pineapple slices.

Easy Fruit Desserts

These recipes are taken from Sweets to the Sweet by Susan Branch.  To buy this book, please visit www.susanbranch.com.  

 

Sliced Peaches & Cream: Briefly dip whole ripe peaches into boiling water, peel with a sharp knife & cut into slices.  Sprinkle with sugar and chill at least one hour.  Serve with or without a wee soupcon of heavy cream.

Cantaloupe & Ice Cream:  Cut a cantaloupe in half, scrape out seeds & fill cavity with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  

Lemon Ice:  Hollow out whole lemons and fill them with Lemon Ice and freeze them.  To Serve:  Pile them in a pyramid and tuck in mint sprigs.  Recipe:  3 1/2 C. water 1 1/4 C. sugar  3/4 C. fresh lemon juice  2 Tbsp. lemon zest.  Boil water, stir in sugar until dissolved, add lemon juice & zest & freeze in a bowl.  Remove from freezer, beat till fluffy, fill lemons and refreeze till ready to serve.

Watermelon Surprise:  Remove visible seeds from a slice of watermelon, spread with sour cream & sprinkle over brown sugar.  

Red, White, and Blueberry Sundaes:  Strawberry ice cream drizzled with blueberry sauce topped with whipped cream & a big fresh strawberry.

Blueberry Sauce:  Delicious over ice cream.  12oz. fresh or frozen wild blueberries, 1/3 C. water, 1/3 C. sugar, & 1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind.  Place all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan & bring to a boil.  Simmer gently for 10  minutes.  Serve hot or cold.  

Fruit Fondue with Orange Chocolate Sauce:  Skewer fresh strawberries, pineapple, bananas, pears, apples, and pieces of angel food cake & dip them into this heated chocolate sauce:  12oz. semi-sweet chocolate, 2/3 C. heavy cream & 2 Tbsp. orange liqueur.  Heat chocolate and cream, stirring over low heat till chocolate melts.  Stir in liqueur.  Keep warm over very low heat.  

Baked Bananas with Ice Cream:  Put one rip banana per person on a cookie sheet (in it's skin).  Bake at 350 degrees until it turns completely black, about 20 minutes.  Slit open and mush up, same as you would with a baked potato.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Almost Fruit - for the kids:  Hollow out halfed oranges and fill with Jell-O.  Serve with a dot of whipped cream.  This makes 10 halves:  make a 6oz. pkg. of Jell-O according to instructions except use only 1 1/2 C. boiling water.

Frozen Fruit Cocktail - grandma's

My grandmother makes this for every Thanksgiving and Christmas. We eat it before our meal...and it's always delicious and refreshing.

Juice 4 oranges and 3 lemons
Add 1 tall can crushed pineapple in syrup
mix in 2 C. sugar
Dice 3lbs (10) peaches
Cut up 1/3 cantaloupe (dice)
maraschino cherries - choose amount
Freeze in pint bottles (about 7)
When serving add sprite, or cherry 7-up and sliced bananas