Canned fruit is perfect for frozen dessert salads.
Frozen dessert salads are a simple and delicious way to eat extra fruit. Some are creamy like ice cream, while others are more reminiscent of Popsicles. For individual treats, you can pour any one of these recipes into lined muffin pans. Pop them out the pan once they're frozen and place in separate freezer-proof plastic bags.
Marshmallow
This frozen salad uses marshmallow creme, giving it a pleasant, unexpected flavor. In a medium sized bowl, mix together with a fork one 7.5 oz. jar of marshmallow creme and one 8 oz. package of sour cream. Add one 28 oz. drained can fruit cocktail and two sliced bananas and mix until ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour into an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours. Stir the mixture every few hours. Remove this dish from the freezer 30 minutes before serving and cut into squares.
Cranberry
This cranberry dessert salad is perfect to serve at Thanksgiving or around the holidays. Mix together 6 oz. of softened cream cheese, 2 tsp. of softened butter, 2 tsp. granulated white sugar, one 16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce, one 8 oz. drained can crushed pineapple and 1 cup of chopped nuts. In a separate bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture. Pour into a loaf pan and freeze overnight or until completely frozen. Cut into slices and serve.
Low-Calorie
You can substitute any frozen fruit for the frozen strawberries in this low-fat, low-sugar alternative. Mix together in a large bowl one 8 oz. package of light softened cream cheese, one 28 oz. drained can of crushed pineapple, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, two sliced bananas, 3/4 cup sugar-free sweetener and one 8 oz. tub of thawed, sugar-free whipped topping. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish or two separate loaf pans and freeze overnight. Remove from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving to allow it to soften up enough to cut into squares.
Citrus
This fruit salad has a refreshing citrus taste, perfect for both warm summer afternoons and the doldrums of winter. Dissolve 1/2 cup white granulated sugar into 2 cups of warm water. Add one 6 oz. thawed can orange juice concentrate and one 6 oz. thawed can frozen lemonade concentrate. Stir until well combined. Mix in one 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple and its juices, one 12 oz. bag of frozen strawberries and four sliced bananas. Pour the mixture into a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish and place in the freezer until solid. Allow the salad to defrost for at least five minutes before cutting into squares.
Tags: baking dish, crushed pineapple, frozen strawberries, into squares, minutes before