I need some opinions on changing my recipe for 24 hour salad.

[hedgehog]

This is a family tradition - not really a salad but a mixture of cooked custard, whipped cream, canned fruit cocktail and marshmallows. The problem is my vegetarians won't eat marshmallows made with gelatin and the vegetarian marshmallows are pretty bad. I was thinking of trying this salad with dried mixed fruit ( apple bits, apricots, strawberry ) replacing both the canned fruit and the marshmallows. Good idea? bad idea?

[grasswire]

1. that's a tough one

My former MIL's recipe calls for canned queen anne cherries, canned pineapple, and canned mandarin oranges and baby marshmallows. Then a custard is made with lemon juice, cream, butter, etc. Sort of like a curd. Then all is folded together with whipped heavy cream and sliced almonds.

It is the refrigerating of the whipped cream, curd and marshmallows that makes the lightness of the dish. (It's really more a dessert than a salad.)

I don't know how you could get that same kind of lightness without the marshmallow-curd-cream.

What about fresh fruits, yogurt lightened with whipped cream and the custard, and sweetened with honey? Vegetarians eat dairy.

You just won't be getting the marshmallows.

[hedgehog]

2. We're talking about the same thing. My grandmother used to make it.

I might just end up popping marshmallows in it and making something else for the vegetarians. Any suggestions?

[grasswire]

3. I am always loving a true waldorf salad at holiday time

Apples, diced celery, walnuts, dried cranberries or cherries or raisins (or chopped dates!) dressed with mayo, lemon juice and a dash of sugar. I use two or three different apples to get a nice color mix. A golden delicious, a red apple, a granny smith.

That crunchy tart nutty taste is really good with meats and starchy dishes.

[katkat]

4. good veggie marshmallows

http://www.sweetandsara.com/

[hedgehog]

7. Book marked for next year!

:hi:

[hippywife]

5. I would make two smaller salads.

There will be the traditional one and the one that the veggies WILL eat (who hopefully do eat dairy because not all veggies do but you probably know your veggies like that. LOL)

It's just easier than trying to do a work around. :hi:

[hedgehog]

6. My veggies have an Irish mother (me!) - milk and eggs and potatoes

are the staff of life!

[Warpy]

8. If the vegetarians will eat dairy

the solution is a mixed fresh fruit salad with strawberry yogurt as the "dressing."

Trust me, you won't miss those marshmallows.

[hedgehog]

9. I went with the dried fruit - then forgot to serve the salad!

It hit the table with dessert ( plum pudding with Irish Mist & hard sauce) and was a great hit. The fruit I had was very nice- almost soft and juicy!