Kids Helping in the Kitchen

 I was breezing down the information highway looking for an easy dessert for the girls to make while I cook dinner tomorrow. I had only a few requirements. No heat. Something with fruit. Something that would keep them occupied for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then I saw Cookie Salad. Doubtful that it contained fruit, I looked anyway. Then my curiosity peaked again. Fudge striped cookies and fruit cocktail. Who came up with this?



A trip to Wikipedia to learn the origin:

Cookie salad is a dessert salad from the U.S. state of Minnesota made with buttermilk, vanilla pudding, Cool Whip, mandarin oranges, and fudge stripe shortbread cookies. It is popular with children and for potlucks. Berries can also be added.

They even sell it in the grocery. See below picture.


Huh, who knew? I added buttermilk to my shopping list. Here is the recipe that I used.

Cookie Salad

Ingredients:  

6 oz instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups buttermilk

9 oz prepared whipped topping

16 oz fruit cocktail, drained well

11 oz miniature oranges, drained well

2 cups pineapple, drained well

12 oz package of fudge striped cookies

3 oz walnuts, optional (not included in our house due to allergies.)

8 oz maraschino cherries, drained

In a large bowl, combine the instant pudding mix with the buttermilk. Mix well. Add in the whipped topping. Fold in the drained fruit cocktail, miniature oranges and pineapple. Add the walnuts if desired. Break the fudge striped cookies into small bits. Fold into the salad. Cover and refrigerate. Chill the salad at least 1 hour before serving. Top each serving with a maraschino cherry.

M was in charge of making the pudding. She can read directions and a measuring cup.
I opened and drained the cans of fruit for B.
B mixed all the fruits together while pudding was being made.
 mixed the pudding and the whipped topping and folded in B’s fruit.
B smashed cookies into bits while M folded. (Thinking that those cookies should not be crumbs but it IS their dessert.)
M folded the cookies into the rest and we chilled for after dinner to eat while playing UNO.