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Fourth of July Recipe: Layered Fruit Flag Salad

By Recipe and photo courtesy of Bettycrocker.com June 29, 2011

Ingredients

2 cans (8 oz each ) pineapple tidbits in juice

2 medium bananas, sliced

3 pints (6 cups) fresh strawberries

3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free lemon burst yogurt

1 1/2 cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

4 cups cubed (1/2 to 3/4 inch) cantaloupe, well drained

1 1/2 pints (3 cups) fresh blueberries

2 cups miniature marshmallows

  1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice in small bowl. Pat pineapple dry with paper towels to remove any excess liquid. Toss banana slices in pineapple liquid; drain well, discarding liquid. Reserve 18 to 20 strawberries for flag stripes; cut remaining strawberries into quarters.
  2. In medium bowl, mix yogurt, whipped topping and powdered sugar until well blended and smooth.
  3. In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, layer cantaloupe and quartered strawberries. Reserve 50 blueberries for flag stars. Layer remaining blueberries over strawberries. Top with bananas, pineapple and marshmallows. With pancake turner, press fruit lightly to even out top. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over fruit. If desired, at this point, salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 hours.
  4. If serving salad immediately, add topping; if salad is refrigerated, add topping up to 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle reserved blueberries in corner to resemble stars of flag. Cut reserved strawberries into quarters. Arrange strawberries in rows to resemble stripes of flag.

You could vary this salad to suit your taste. Why not add or substitute red or green grapes, raspberries or honeydew melon?  Chopped pecans, walnuts or pitted dates are also delicious in the salad.