Ambrosia Salad

20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, UNdrained
cold water
4 cups boiling water
4 pkgs (3 oz) orange flavor gelatin (jell-o)
16 oz cool whip, thawed
2 cans (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
10.5 oz pkg mini marshmallows - funmallows (4 flavors)
1 cup coconut flakes (optional - my kids don't care for the texture in the salad, so i omit this item)

drain pineapple juice, reserving the juice. Add enough cold water to juice to make 2 cups of liquid. Add boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min or until completely dissolved. Stir in measured liquid.
Refrigerate 1 1/4 hours or til slightly thickened. (Set a timer so you don't forget!!)

Whisk in cool whip until well blended. Fridge 10 minutes or until mixture will mound. Stir in pineapple, oranges, marshmallows and coconut. Spoon into pan mold sprayed with pam.

Fridge 3 hours or overnight. Unmold and serve.