My First Pistachio Mallow Salad
I brought this to a church picnic in 1978. My friend Betty took one bite. Her eyes got so wide. She thought it was magic. I still laugh at that.
It matters because it’s pure joy in a bowl. It’s not fancy, just sweet and fluffy. It makes people smile. That’s the best kind of cooking. Do you have a recipe that always makes people smile? Tell me about it.
Why These Old Recipes Still Work
These dishes are like a warm hug. They are simple and honest. You probably have most of the ingredients already. That’s the whole point.
They were made for sharing and for busy days. The Ambrosia Salad just needs a stir. The gelatin salad sets while you do other things. This matters. Food should help your day, not hurt it.
The Sweet and Savory Surprise
Now, that Pineapple Ham Casserole might surprise you. Pineapple with noodles and ham? Oh yes. The sweet fruit makes the salty ham taste even better. It just works.
Fun fact: This casserole is a classic “church supper” recipe. It feeds a crowd easily. Which sounds best to you right now: sweet or savory? I’m always curious what folks are craving.
A Little Story About Marshmallows
My grandson once watched me make the sweet potato casserole. He saw the marshmallows on top. He asked if it was dessert. I said it was dinner. His smile was priceless.
That’s the fun of these recipes. They mix things up. A vegetable casserole can have a toasted marshmallow hat. A salad can be a creamy, fruity dream. It’s okay for food to be fun.
Your Turn in the Kitchen
Start with just one. The Pistachio Mallow Salad is the easiest. Just fold everything together. Doesn’t that green color make you happy? The hardest part is waiting for it to chill.
If you try one, which will it be? I’d love to know. These recipes have filled many tables over the years. I hope they fill yours, too.
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| frozen whipped topping | 1 carton (16 ounces) | thawed |
| instant pistachio pudding mix | 1 package (3.4 ounces) | |
| green food coloring | 6 to 7 drops | optional |
| DOLE Pineapple Tidbits | 1 can (20 ounces) | undrained |
| miniature marshmallows | 3 cups | |
| chopped pistachios or walnuts | 1/2 cup | |
| Additional whipped topping | optional | |
| sweet potatoes | 6 medium | |
| DOLE Crushed Pineapple | 1 can (20 ounces) | drained |
| butter | 1/2 cup | cubed |
| sugar | 3/4 cup | |
| eggs | 2 | beaten |
| vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | |
| ground nutmeg | 1/2 teaspoon | |
| salt | 1/2 teaspoon | |
| large marshmallows | 15 | |
| DOLE® Mandarin Oranges | 1 can (15 ounces) | drained |
| DOLE® Pineapple Tidbits | 1 can (8 ounces) | drained |
| miniature marshmallows | 1 cup | |
| sweetened shredded coconut | 1 cup | |
| sour cream | 1 cup | |
| cherry gelatin | 1 package (6 ounces) | |
| DOLE Crushed Pineapple | 1 can (20 ounces) | undrained |
| boiling water | 1-1/2 cups | |
| whole-berry cranberry sauce | 1 can (14 ounces) | |
| seedless red grapes | 1-1/2 cups | halved |
| chopped pecans | 1/4 cup | |
| uncooked wide egg noodles | 2 cups | |
| chopped celery | 1/2 cup | |
| butter | 2 tablespoons | divided |
| cream cheese | 1 package (8 ounces) | cubed |
| whole milk | 3/4 cup | |
| cubed fully cooked ham | 2 cups | |
| DOLE Crushed Pineapple | 2 cans (8 ounces each) | drained |
| Worcestershire sauce | 2 teaspoons | |
| salt | 1/2 teaspoon | |
| pepper | Dash | |
| dry bread crumbs | 1/4 cup |
My Pistachio Cloud Salad
Hello, dear! Come sit. Let’s make my Pistachio Cloud Salad. It’s a fluffy, sweet treat. My grandkids call it “green fluff.” I still laugh at that. It’s perfect for a sunny day. It feels like eating a sweet, nutty cloud.
You just need a big bowl and a spoon. The magic is in the folding. Be gentle, like you’re tucking a baby into bed. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It’s like pistachio ice cream and summer had a party.
- Step 1: Grab your biggest mixing bowl. Plop in the whole tub of whipped topping. Sprinkle the pistachio pudding mix right on top. Add a few drops of green food coloring if you want. It makes it look like a spring meadow. Stir it all together until it’s smooth and green.
- Step 2: Now for the fun part! Open the can of pineapple. Do not drain it. The juice makes everything sweet and happy. Pour it right into the green cloud. Then add all those tiny marshmallows. Fold them in gently. (My hard-learned tip: If you stir too hard, the fluff will fall flat. Just fold!).
- Step 3: Cover the bowl. Let it take a long nap in the fridge. Two hours is good. Overnight is even better. Right before serving, you can add another dollop of whipped topping. Then, sprinkle with the chopped nuts for a little crunch.
Do you think this salad is a dessert or a side dish? Share below!
Cook Time: 2 hours (chilling)
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Salad, Side Dish
Three Twists on the Classic
This salad is like a blank canvas. You can paint it with new flavors! Here are three of my favorite twists. They are all so simple.
- Tropical Dream: Use vanilla pudding instead. Add a cup of chopped mango and banana. Skip the green coloring.
- Berry Blast: Use cheesecake flavor pudding. Fold in a cup of fresh strawberries. The pink color is so pretty.
- Cookie Crunch: Keep the pistachio pudding. Add a cup of crushed shortbread cookies instead of nuts. It’s like a cookie salad!
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving It Up Right
This salad is the star of the table. I love to serve it in my glass bowl. You can see all the colorful bits inside. For a party, use little cups or fancy glasses. It looks so special. A sprig of mint on top is a lovely touch.
What to drink? For the grown-ups, a glass of sweet iced tea with lemon is perfect. For a fun treat for everyone, try fizzy lemon-lime soda. The bubbles are so cheerful with the sweet fluff. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Vintage Salads and Casseroles Fresh
Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats tasty. Most of these salads love the fridge. Cover them tight for two to three days. The gelatin salad can last up to five.
You can freeze the Pistachio Mallow or Ambrosia Salad. I use a sealed container. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. The texture stays just right.
The casseroles reheat beautifully. Cover them with foil. Warm at 350° until bubbly. This keeps the marshmallows from burning.
I once forgot to cover my sweet potato casserole. The marshmallows got too dark! Now I always use foil. Batch cooking saves holiday stress. Make the salads a day ahead. Their flavors become friends overnight.
This matters because good food should bring joy, not last-minute worry. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Kitchen Hiccups
First, a watery salad. Always drain canned fruit well. Let it sit in a strainer. Pat it dry with a paper towel.
Second, lumpy pudding or cream cheese. Let them soften at room temperature first. Stir slowly with a whisk. I remember rushing this once. My Pistachio Mallow had tiny lumps!
Third, soggy casserole toppings. For the bread crumbs, toss them in melted butter. This makes a perfect crispy crust. It keeps the noodles underneath creamy.
Fixing small problems builds your cooking confidence. You learn how ingredients work together. It also makes the flavors just right. No one likes a soggy topping! Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Recipe Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes! Use gluten-free noodles for the ham casserole. Check pudding and gelatin labels.
Q: Can I make them ahead? A: All the salads are better made a day early. The casseroles can be assembled ahead and baked later.
Q: What are easy ingredient swaps? A: Use yogurt instead of sour cream in Ambrosia. Try pecans instead of walnuts. It’s your kitchen!
Q: How do I scale a recipe for a crowd? A: Simply double everything. Use a bigger baking dish. Add a little extra baking time.
Q: Any optional tips? A: A fun fact: a dash of cinnamon in the sweet potato casserole is my secret. It’s wonderful. Which tip will you try first?
Share Your Vintage Recipe Adventures
I hope you give these classic recipes a try. They are full of sweet, cozy memories. I would love to see your creations.
Share a photo of your table. Tell me which dish your family loved most. Your stories make my day brighter.
Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! Let’s keep these wonderful old-fashioned flavors alive together. Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.
Top Classic Recipes You Are Not Making
Description
Rediscover timeless, forgotten classics! These easy, iconic recipes deliver incredible flavor and nostalgia. Perfect for home cooks wanting to impress.
Ingredients
Recipe 1: Pistachio Mallow Salad
Recipe 2: Pineapple Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Recipe 3: Ambrosia Salad
Recipe 4: Quick Cranberry Gelatin Salad
Recipe 5: Pineapple Ham Casserole
Instructions
- Pistachio Mallow Salad: In a large bowl, combine whipped topping, pudding mix and food coloring if desired. Fold in the marshmallows and DOLE Pineapple Tidbits. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, top with additional whipped topping if desired, sprinkle with nuts.
- Pineapple Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows: Place sweet potatoes in a large kettle and cover with water; bring to a boil. Boil gently until potatoes can easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30-45 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Peel potatoes and place in a large bowl with butter and sugar; mash. Add drained DOLE Crushed Pineapple, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; stir to combine. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Top with marshmallows. Bake uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Ambrosia Salad: In a large bowl, combine the DOLE Mandarin Oranges, DOLE Pineapple Tidbits, marshmallows and coconut. Add sour cream and toss to mix. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
- Quick Cranberry Gelatin Salad: In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in water. Stir in DOLE Crushed Pineapple and cranberry sauce. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Stir in grapes and pecans. Pour into a 2-qt. serving bowl. Refrigerate until firm.
- Pineapple Ham Casserole: Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, sauté celery in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Stir in cream cheese and milk; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Add the noodles, ham, DOLE Crushed Pineapple, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Transfer to an ungreased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.
Notes
- Nutritional information is not provided for these recipes.
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