Halo-halo

Halo-halo is one Filipino favorite recipe year round...it is so refreshing, especially during summer months here. Below is an example of a recipe, but you may put your own favorite fruits in season. Halo-halo is basically a mix of fruits, with sugar and milk into it to add flavor and creaminess. Others would put ice cream and leche flan ( another Filipino favorite dessert made of eggs and milk)to add flavor to it.

1 gallon vanilla ice cream
2 bananas, sliced and quartered
1 honeydew melon, balled
1 cantaloupe, balled
1 papaya, balled
1 young coconut, shredded (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup tapioca
1 package strawberry Jell-O gelatin dessert
8 cups crushed ice
1. Cook tapioca until pearls become translucent (add tapioca to boiling water, lower heat to medium, watch for 15 minutes or more, stirring occasionally).
2. Rinse tapioca in cool water (careful, it's sticky) and set aside.
3. Prepare Jell-O using half of the water called for and refrigerate until stiff.
4. Put the fruit (except bananas) and coconut into drink cooler (for party) or large bowl (to serve with a meal).
5. Cut Jell-O into 1/2" squares.
6. Add bananas, tapioca, and Jell-O to fruit mixture.
7. Prepare ice cream by emptying container into a large bowl and smoothing into paste (i. e. use potato masher, hands, etc.) Scoop ice cream into fruit mixture.
8. Cover fruit mixture with crushed ice.
9. If using cooler, cover with lid.
10. Wait 30 minutes and stir to combine all ingredients (including ice) well.
11. Serve with ladle in paper cups with spoons.
12. (lasts 5 hours in cooler--stir before each serving).
13. Leftovers can be refrigerated for the next day.