With summer here in full force I’m gung-ho for trying new vintage salad recipes.
What I’ve learned after scanning dozens (hundreds?) of 40+ years old cookbooks is that a ‘salad’ differed greatly back then to what it is known for today.
Cookbooks written prior to the 1980s often used colored gelatin, otherwise known as ‘Jello’ in the list of ingredients for salads. Today, the increased emphasis on health has largely dispelled the use of gelatin products. I rarely see this item included in today’s commercial cookbooks, though sometimes it is included in community or church cookbooks, though again not as often as in ages past.
Perhaps people believe the sugar content or artificial sweeteners in the sugar-free versions should be replaced by healthier salads, i.e. those containing various plants.
These ‘salads’ can be pulled together into yummy appetizers, entrees, or main dishes.
In this recipe’s case, I think Fruit ‘n Cream Salad belongs in the dessert category. It is light, slightly sweet due to the fruits and juices included, and luscious with a creaminess due to loads of dairy products.
That’s good news for those of us who keep bone density near the top of our health concerns.
Since this recipe contains lots of mandarin oranges, here are a few fun facts about this petite-sized fruit that packs a punch with flavor and health benefits.
Mandarins are native to Southeast Asia. They are smaller, sweeter, and less acidic than navel oranges with a thin, loose rind that make them easy to peel.
The easy-to-separate sections are convenient for packed lunches and on-the-go snacking. They can be used as a salad topper to add sweetness to leafy greens or pasta.
In the store look for mandarins that are shiny, firm ad deeply colored. The rind should be slightly loose with a bit of give when squeezed and they should have a bright, citrusy fragrance as well.
Keep them in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight for up to a week.
As for nutrition, one mandarin provides 36.1 milligrams of vitamin C, an antioxidant important to immune function. That is about half the recommended daily allowance for a woman and more than a third of that for a man.
Mandarin juice can be squeezed into cake, cookie or waffle batters before baking. Or mix zest and juice to add brightness to glazes.
You can even stir-fry mandarin sections with meat and vegetables, squeeze the juice into teriyaki sauce and drizzle onto meat before pan-cooking.
This delicious recipe was printed in a 3-ring binder cookbook called ‘Cooking Adventures.’ There is no information inside about who published it and the publication date is not listed. I can only guess it was in the 1970s.
The original recipe used orange juice, rather than maraschino cherries and its juice. The result was a white, rather opaque color.
I thought the mold would look prettier with a pink color and occasional pops of red from the Maraschino cherries so I added that with a great effect. I prefer the pink to the white.
The original recipe called for 1 cup sour cream but in an effort to make my recipes more healthy, I substituted this for one cup of plain Greek yogurt. It was great with no significant difference in taste or texture.
But, I admit to adding marshmallows as I love them and they looked so pretty peeking out from the pink.
I deleted the banana slices as they seemed to get lost inside the mixture.
Don’t delete the nuts –they add a nice crunch to an otherwise soft, smooth texture.
You can make your own version of Fruit ‘n Cream Salad. Let me know how you adapt it to make it your own and how you serve it. I liked a scoop of cottage cheese along with it. Yum!
Take care,
**
Fruit ‘n Cream Salad
1 15-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained, set aside juice
1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained, set aside juice
½ cup sugar
1 envelope gelatin
½ cup lemon juice
2 eggs, beaten in medium size bowl
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup marshmallows
1 banana, sliced (optional)
Add water to maraschino cherry juice to equal one cup (can use 1 cup orange juice).
Add water to mandarin juice to make ¾ cup.
In sauce pan combine sugar and gelatin.
Add lemon, mandarin, and maraschino cherry juices.
Heat on low and stir until gelatin is dissolved, about two minutes.
Gradually stir half of hot mixture into eggs.
Return all to pan.
Cook and stir two minutes. Remove from heat.
Add yogurt and cream cheese and beat until smooth—use whisk for nice result.
Chill until partially set (one hour).
Fold in orange sections, cherries, nuts. Add banana slices, if desired.
Turn into 5-cup ring mold or any mold with pretty design. Chill overnight—don’t cut this short!
Gently loosen the interior and exterior edges of the mold with a knife.
Placing a plate large enough to cover top of the mold and holding both pieces securely, quickly flip the mold so the salad mixture is laying against the plate. Gently tap the mold against the plate to expel the salad onto the plate.
Decorate with whipped topping, maraschino cherries, mandarin orange segments or fruit of your choice.
Yield: 8 servings
Vintage Eats of Kayleen Reusser 