Frog Eye Salad

Right off the bat - No of course it isn't real frog eyes in this salad. It is Acini de Pepe, a very small pasta, similar in size to tapioca pearls. They are a little bit more firm than tapioca pearls.
A lot of the recipes I saw online made a fruit juice & flour sauce over the stove top. I went a slightly different route but I thought the results were delicious. Please note that you will need to plan ahead for this as it needs to chill overnight before serving. Enjoy!
Notes: If you would prefer to use Instant vanilla pudding, you can try using the method at Simply Delish, which is to add in a full cup of reserved pineapple / mandarin orange juices. If I were to use instant vanilla pudding, I would mix it up in a separate bowl with the fruit juices to make sure that it is mixed completely, then add it as directed.

Frog Eye Salad
Makes a very large bowl

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Acini de Pepe, (Found in the pasta aisle)
• 2 small cans crushed pineapple or tidbits, drained and reserve juice 
• 1 (11 oz) can mandarin orange slices, drained
• 1 (4.6 oz) box cook & serve vanilla pudding
• 1 (8 oz) Cool Whip
• 8 oz. mini marshmallows
• Optional garnish: Maraschino cherries and Mandarin orange slices
• Optional add in: shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Cook the vanilla pudding as directed on the box. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge until chilled. (You may want to put saran wrap over the pudding, right up against it, so a pudding skin doesn't form. If it does, just scrape it off after it is chilled).
2. Cook the pasta as directed on the box. Rinse with cold water and drain.
3. Add the pasta to a very large bowl. Add the fruit, the reserved pineapple juice, and stir. Add the chilled vanilla pudding, cool whip and marshmallows. Chill and let sit overnight before serving.