frozen salad (creamy & fruity)

How To Make frozen salad (creamy & fruity)

• Step 1
  A few notes about the ingredients: 1) The ratios are not precise. Use more or less of whatever you like. 2) The pre-sweetened sliced strawberries in the 10-oz. can are hard to find in some grocery chains. I've seen them in a 16-oz. tub. 3) Pineapple - to drain or not to drain? If using crushed - don't. If using tidbits, don't for a small can; drain off half the liquid if using a large can. 3) If using fresh fresh strawberries, about a pound sliced and macerated in a quarter cup of sugar will give you 16-oz. (2 cups). 4) If using fresh pineapple, chop it finely and measure out 1 to 2 cups. It's hard to manage larger pieces once they have been frozen. 5) Bananas that are overripe will give an undesirable brown blotchiness to the salad. Lightly spotted bananas are best.
• Step 2
  Sweeteners: - Sugar-free cool whip is OK - Sugar substitute is OK - If you don't use any added sweetener, the cream cheese will make it "tangy" Cream Cheese - Reduced fat is fine in this recipe.
• Step 3
  With an electric mixer in a very large bowl, blend the sugar and softened cream cheese until they are smooth. Stir in the strawberries, followed by the pineapple. Add the bananas and incorporate. Fold in the whipped topping and nuts (if using).
• Step 4
  The mixture yields between 2-3 quarts. It needs to be frozen prior to serving - at least 4 hours. You can freeze it in a decorative mold, or in greased muffin cups, or a large pan (for bars) or in popsicle molds. I usually throw it into a large air-tight tub, and then thaw it for 30-60 minutes, and scoop it like ice cream into a bowl. Then I sit with it and watch "A Christmas Story" and feel very nostalgic.
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