Frog Eye Salad

The first time I ate this salad was 36 years ago while I lived in Florida. I attended a luncheon and this salad was served.  I went looking for its creator to find out what besides, pineapple, mandarin oranges and marshmallows, was in it.  I learned the mystery ingredient was pasta.  I also learned that it was called “Frog Eye Salad” and the recipe was on the back of a package of “Acini di Pepe” (translation=berries of pepper).  Love it.  Didn’t make it too often because even a half batch (the original recipe called for the whole box of pasta) was a really big salad.  The recipe has been cut in half on the boxes and it can be found in two versions.  I prefer the original, which this Instructable is based on.  So let’s get started.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
¼ teaspoon slat
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits (drain and reserve the juice)
1 can (8 0z.) crushed pineapple (drain and reserve the juice)
1 egg beaten (just whip it in a cup with a fork)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (I had and used lime juice)
1 1/3 cups (8oz.) Acini di Pepe uncooked
2 cans (8 oz. each) mandarin orange segments (drained
3 ½ cups frozen nondairy whipped topping thawed ( I mixed up a batch of Spiffy whip)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup flaked coconut (I omitted this part)
Maraschino cherries (used as a garnish)
Water
Salt

Supplies (not of these are shown in the picture)
Pot for boiling the pasta
Strainer
Can opener
Bowls
Sauce pan
Whisk
Rubber scraper
Plastic wrap
Big spoon

Bring at least 3 quarts of water to a boil. Salt the water with about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Slowly pour in the 1 1/3 cups of pasta.  Let boil without covering for 10 - 12 minutes.  Do not overcook. 

When the pasta is done, pour it into a strainer

and rinse it with cold water to cool it quickly. 

Put the pasta in a bowl to wait.

While the pasta is cooking, open the pineapple and drain the juice from it.  Put the pineapple aside and measure out 1 cup of the juice. 

In the sauce pan put the sugar, flour and salt. 

Pour in the pineapple juice.  Whisk the dry ingredients with the juice.  Add the beaten egg. 

Turn on the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the two teaspoons of lemon juice and stir again. 

Remove the pan from the heat and pour it over the pasta. 

Mix together well and cover with plastic wrap then store in the fridge for at least one hour (can stay as long as overnight).

Mix the pasta, mandarin oranges, pineapple, coconut, marshmallows and 2 cups of whipped topping, all together.  Chill for at least another hour. 

You can serve it all fancy with a dollop of whipped topping and maraschino cherry on top, or not.  It’s good no matter how you serve it.  Enjoy!