I like to plan my weekly menu every Sunday night before I go shopping Monday, but I've been in a bit of a recipe-idea slump lately. So I enlisted my family's help. Everyone -my three oldest kids (5, 7 and 10) and my husband- thinks up one dinner idea each week and then I fill in the gaps. They have actually come up with some good ideas- fish tacos, ribs, eggs & bacon, etc. But sometimes I have to tweak the kids' ideas a bit. My 5 year old wanted soup and grilled cheese for his dinner, so I adapted that to a summer version, and we had croissant sandwiches and this delicious fruit soup. I had seen the idea on the Sister's Cafe and adapted it to suit our tastes (it called for canned peaches and orange juice concentrate, neither of which I ever buy, so I changed those). It was so fruity, cool and refreshing- I could've eaten the whole thing myself!
Fruit Soup
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. orange juice
3 Tb tapioca (be sure to use the “minute brand” quick cooking tapioca)
2 1/4 c. additional orange juice
2 cans mandarin oranges (with or without juice)
1 bag frozen mixed berries (or an equivalent amount of fresh)
2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced, just before serving
2 bananas, just before serving
Bring sugar, water, orange juice and tapioca to a boil. Continue boiling on medium high for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Some tapioca will be clear and other granules will have a white center. Take off heat. Let sit for 30 minutes. (This is when the tapioca will become more clear.) Add 2 1/4 c. orange juice. Chill for several hours or overnight. Add mandarin oranges and mixed berries. Before serving add strawberries and bananas.
