Easy Mixed Fruit Salad is a light and cool accompaniment to chicken, ham, or burgers on the grill on a hot summer night. Pretty enough for company, but easy enough for family dinners too.
Ingredients
1 (16 oz) can pear halves, in own juice, drained and chopped
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks or tidbits, drained
1 (16 oz) can peaches, in own juice, drained
½ cup maraschino cherries, drained, cut in half
2 apples, cored and diced (and peeled, if desired)
2 bananas, sliced
1 (10 oz) package frozen strawberries
1 large package instant vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
Drain the peaches, pineapple, and pears into a large bowl, reserving the juice.
Slice the cherries in half.
Place the fruit into another large bowl.
Mix the pudding with about ¾ - 1 cup of juice depending on how thick or thin you like the sauce. (Remember that the remaining juice on the fruit will also loosen the sauce.)
Mix well.
Pour over the fruit and stir until well mixed.
Place in the refrigerator and chill for several hours prior to serving.
Shortly before serving, chop the apple and slice the banana and immediately add to the sauce. Add the sliced frozen strawberries.
Stir to combine.
Place back in the refrigerator until serving time.
Notes
Add the fresh fruit shortly before serving so that it doesn't turn brown. The strawberries can be too mushy after they thaw so add them right at the end. This recipe makes a lot. If you don't think that it will all be eaten, then just add part of the fresh fruit to part of the salad, and keep the remaining fruit for the remainder of the salad. If unavailable, the fresh fruit can be omitted and another can of canned fruit can be added instead. A can of fruit cocktail can be used in place of other canned fruit, if desired.
Sugar free instant pudding can also be used, reducing the calories.
Recipe by at http://www.amerryoldwoman.com/easy-mixed-fruit-salad-with-vanilla-pudding/