Rosa Marina Salad

Another dessert made with something processed. I know, I know, I am slippin'. Well, it's that good! If you want you can use real whipped cream instead of cool whip. It tastes like the creamiest ambrosia salad you ever had.

I have three pint jars of the maraschino cherries I canned last summer.  We don't really eat a ton of maraschino cherries so they last around here. The ones I can are about half the sweetness of the ones you find in the store.  It was perfect for this salad. I used fresh pineapple which also made the salad taste more fresh.

There are two ways to do this salad if you look at all the recipes out there.  One is with egg and one is without.  I highly recommend you make it with egg as it makes it more creamy and sets it up a little better.  Having said that, the one above is not made with egg because I completely spaced it. Still very creamy.

I think however because you know how I feel about processed food, that I will have to come up with a way to make this salad without using cool whip.  Maybe a custard base.  Or maybe real whipped cream with a little gelatin to set it up better.

If you are looking for a quick easy salad- now, Rosa Marina- she is your gal!

Rosa Marina Salad

Keep in mind that all measurements are subject to your preference.  The fruit too- as long as you have juice to thicken up for sauce- your good to go with whatever you choose.  The cherries, however, is why this salad is called Rosa. I did not add the food coloring which is pretty characteristic of this salad.

2 cups fresh pineapple or a can of pineapple, juices reserved
2 cans of mandarin oranges, juices reserved
1 pint or 1 jar of maraschino cherries, juices reserved
1/2 pound orzo (you can use ancini de pepe as well)
1- 8 ounce tub of cool whip
3 heaping tablespoon of all purpose flour
pinch of salt (completely optional)

The day before you want to use this salad, make the pasta.  Drain the liquid from the fruits (keep the fruit in the strainer).  Set aside 2 cups of juice (color it with red if you would like the classic red color of this salad).  In a sauce pan whisk together the flour with about a half of a cup of the juice.  Slowly whisk in the remainder of the juice (this will help to avoid clumps).   Heat the juice until it comes to a boil and thickens. Pour the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta. Refrigerate overnight. Leave the fruit to drain overnight as well.

The next day stir in the cool whip and the drained fruit. Done. Delicious.