My aunt's name was LaWanda but her nickname was Tootsie so my sister and I called her Aunt Tootsie. Once we went to visit and she made the BEST fruit salad ever and so of course my mother and I asked for the recipe. She wrote it down and when we saw the name of the salad we were a bit perplexed. She had titled the recipe "Doodle's Funeral Salad". We asked her about it and she explained that her friend Doodle (of course someone named Tootsie would have a friend named Doodle :) had died and while at the luncheon following her funeral, my aunt tasted this salad and loved it. She found the recipe and it became forever known as Doodle's Funeral Salad. Since I got it from my aunt, to me it's Aunt Tootsie's Doodle's Funeral Salad. No matter what the name, trust me when I say it is the BEST fruit salad ever!
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained- reserve the juice
1 can mandrian oranges, drained-reserve the juice
1 large jar maraschino cherries
1 (3 ounce) package Jello vanilla pudding, COOK AND SERVE
3-4 bananas
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries
Mix drained pineapple and mandrian orange juice to make 1 cup. Discard extra juice. Add 1 cup juice to a small saucepan with pudding mix. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook till it turns clear (this will all of a sudden happen, trust me) and thickens, stirring all the time. Remove from heat and cool. Add all fruit. Chill and serve.
TIP OF THE DAY: If you are in a hurry you can chill the cooked pudding/juice mixture in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Tomorrow's Daily Special: Strawberry Cake
