This recipe brings back fond memories of the many open houses my high school students with special needs had at Christmas time right before winter break. For a month they would cook different dishes to serve during a two hour period. They were proud of what they had accomplished and were always eager to show their friends and families how well they cooked. The tables were laden with many sweets but also appetizers and dips.
For that month they cooked, they also decorated the room and made the invitations before personally going around the school delivering them to their teachers and friends they had made. This open house and the play they performed right before it became the highlight of the year for their families and many people at the school. Their peers attended and applauded their efforts. The smiles of joy on my students’ faces made all the hard work worth it. They’ve always helped me to realize what was important in life–God, family and friends.
Tropical Fruit Salad
1 can of pineapple chunks
1 can of mandarin oranges
2 mangos
2 apples
2 bananas
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup of mini-marshmallows
1/2 cup of coconut
1/4 cup of cherry or raspberry yogurt
1 cup of sour cream
Open and drain the pineapple and mandarin oranges, then place them in a large bowl. Cut up the mangos, apples and bananas and put them in the bowl. Measure and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix together, then chill for several hours in the refrigerator.
