Okay so you are probably thinking a whole bunch of different things after reading the title of today’s post and you might think the picture of the recipe below seems unusual, but trust me, if you like mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows, and a mystery ingredient, you will enjoy this recipe!
I really don’t know the story behind this recipe other then my Mom always makes it for Thanksgiving dinner. I am sure she does this after seeing her Mom make it for so many years. In case you are wondering we have a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, mashed potatoes (more then you could ever imagine), gravy, cranberry sauce, spinach casserole (another of my favorites), lima beans, corn, dinner rolls, green bean casserole, and the list goes on…and if you are thinking this is an interesting combination with a turkey dinner, you are right, but it works and makes for a delicious combination!
All the years I have enjoyed this recipe I have never thought to make it myself until last week. As you all know the summer heat has been extreme this year, most likely no different then years past, we just can’t seem to remember years past and like to talk about how the current summer heat is much worse then what we have experienced in summers past, but we all know that’s not the case. Summer in the South is hot and humid. Period. The End. The scorching temperatures have made me reluctant to do any kind of baking or cooking for that matter because nothing seems worse then heating up the house by turning the oven and multiple burners on the stove. So this lady has been on strike, but not for much longer (I hope).
Anyways, back to last week! I was attempting to plan a dinner menu to make for one of my girlfriends I was having over when I was racking my brain for refreshing dinner ideas. That’s when this recipe came to mind. I knew off the top of my head what all the ingredients were except for one, sour cream. Odd, right? But I will say it again; just trust me on this one because it really is delicious. I called my Mom to ask her about the ingredient I was missing, sour cream, and also for the exact recipe. She starts by saying, “well I really don’t use a recipe, I just eye ball it.” Good thing she kept talking because I was this close to saying, “I really don’t like when people say they don’t have a recipe for something that they’ve made.” Call me crazy, but I like recipes that list all the ingredients and step by step instructions. I am no Martha Stewart and I don’t like to experiment with food. I want to follow a set of directions and know the finished product will be just as delicious as I remembered it. Is that so wrong?
I am proud to say I survived the “eye ball it mandarin orange salad recipe” and it was just as delicious as when my Mom makes it. That is what I call success because my Mom truly is a Martha Stewart!
If you a wondering what pairs well with this “salad” according to my Mom chicken, pork, or turkey is best. I made pork tenderloin and string beans to go along with this recipe and both my girlfriend, who never had the mandarin orange salad before and I really enjoyed dinner!
I really don’t know the story behind this recipe other then my Mom always makes it for Thanksgiving dinner. I am sure she does this after seeing her Mom make it for so many years. In case you are wondering we have a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, mashed potatoes (more then you could ever imagine), gravy, cranberry sauce, spinach casserole (another of my favorites), lima beans, corn, dinner rolls, green bean casserole, and the list goes on…and if you are thinking this is an interesting combination with a turkey dinner, you are right, but it works and makes for a delicious combination!
All the years I have enjoyed this recipe I have never thought to make it myself until last week. As you all know the summer heat has been extreme this year, most likely no different then years past, we just can’t seem to remember years past and like to talk about how the current summer heat is much worse then what we have experienced in summers past, but we all know that’s not the case. Summer in the South is hot and humid. Period. The End. The scorching temperatures have made me reluctant to do any kind of baking or cooking for that matter because nothing seems worse then heating up the house by turning the oven and multiple burners on the stove. So this lady has been on strike, but not for much longer (I hope).
Anyways, back to last week! I was attempting to plan a dinner menu to make for one of my girlfriends I was having over when I was racking my brain for refreshing dinner ideas. That’s when this recipe came to mind. I knew off the top of my head what all the ingredients were except for one, sour cream. Odd, right? But I will say it again; just trust me on this one because it really is delicious. I called my Mom to ask her about the ingredient I was missing, sour cream, and also for the exact recipe. She starts by saying, “well I really don’t use a recipe, I just eye ball it.” Good thing she kept talking because I was this close to saying, “I really don’t like when people say they don’t have a recipe for something that they’ve made.” Call me crazy, but I like recipes that list all the ingredients and step by step instructions. I am no Martha Stewart and I don’t like to experiment with food. I want to follow a set of directions and know the finished product will be just as delicious as I remembered it. Is that so wrong?
I am proud to say I survived the “eye ball it mandarin orange salad recipe” and it was just as delicious as when my Mom makes it. That is what I call success because my Mom truly is a Martha Stewart!
If you a wondering what pairs well with this “salad” according to my Mom chicken, pork, or turkey is best. I made pork tenderloin and string beans to go along with this recipe and both my girlfriend, who never had the mandarin orange salad before and I really enjoyed dinner!
Mandarin Orange Salad Recipe
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:1 ½ cup mandarin orange segments (chilled)
1 ½ cup marshmallows
¾ to 1 cup shredded coconut
? tablespoons of sour cream (just eye ball it!)
Directions:
Combine the first three ingredients in a mixing bowl. Gradually add a tablespoon of sour cream at a time until you reach your desired taste and consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I am not a big fan of any type of salad being saturated in any type of dressing or ingredient so I tend to go skinny on the sour cream in this recipe.
ENJOY!
P.S.- This recipe makes a good snack!
My family makes something similar but we call it Frog Eyes. Cook up a box of the tiny ball pasta. Add your same ingredients but instead of the sour cream, add a tub of cool whip. It's a summer staple up here. Which is funny because on their own I don;t really like many of the ingredients. I guess it really is one of those things you love because you have been eating it at family events for as long as you can remember.
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