Yes, we have a special birthday to celebrate in our house. Mommy turned the big 4-0 Saturday! Actually we do birthday months in our family, so I've been celebrating for about 4 weeks now! Plus my mom's birthday is just 8 days before mine, so it's basically been 2 weeks of cake, great food, shopping, balloons, presents, and of course lots of love!
I am a firm believer that you don't have to have cake on your birthday if you prefer something else. It's your special day and you can choose the sweet treat you get! Alex and I have both been known to ask mom to make us pumpkin pie on our birthdays. One of my favorites (and what I've gotten the past couple years) is mom's peach custard pie. One year Alex asked for root beer floats. We've done cupcakes, cookies, cookie cakes...whatever the birthday boy/girl requests.
I love fluff salads so much, it was only appropriate to share this with you around my big day. It is super simple for any night of the week but I thought it would be a terrific addition to an Easter menu too. Our holiday tables always include one or two of these "salads" and this new banana split variety is over the top!
Some fluff salads can definitely be served as a side dish, and that is why my Grammy always made them at the holidays. They were basically a creamy fruit salad, and then you could still eat dessert too. However this one tastes so much like a banana split you will definitely want to save it for the end of your big meal.
It's got the bananas, the pineapple, the chocolate, the whipped cream, the cherries and the nuts. Every single ingredient in the ice cream shop classic, in every single spoonful!
I used walnuts but roasted peanuts or pecans would be delicious too! I get a lot of reader comments about wanting to use real whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. First off, you can do whatever you want, I will never know. But in my experience, salads like this don't set up as well with the real stuff. Just MY opinion, not holy grail or anything!
I thought I would be more bothered by turning 40, but I'm truly not. It's only a number, and like I told someone when they were teasing me about turning 30, each decade comes with blessings! In my 20's I graduated college, got married and become a mom. And then in my 30's I found a career I could do from home while raising my son, become a mommy for the 2nd time when I never thought I would. I was 35 when our miracle baby came to us! So I am excited to see what wonderful things are in store for this next chapter! And you know it will definitely have some delicious food along the way!
Banana Split Fluff
1 (3 oz.) box instant banana cream pudding
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip
1 (16 oz.) jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved- save a couple whole for garnish
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, reserve a few for garnish
1 c. mini marshmallows
2 bananas, sliced
Chocolate Syrup
In a large bowl, combine dry pudding mix and undrained pineapple. Mix well. Fold in Cool Whip, walnuts, marshmallows and cherries. Chill for 2 hours. Fold in bananas. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with extra walnuts and cherries.
Shared at Weekend Potluck
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