Recipe

My friend Brenda’s Ambrosia

Creamy fruit salad with mandarin oranges and marshmallows in a white bowl on a kitchen countertop.

This is a very easy recipe for Ambrosia, a dessert which frequented my Grandmother’s table after Sunday dinner for years when I was growing up. Every Sunday, my 6 Aunts and Uncles, their spouses and children (I was the oldest cousin of 19) would gather at my Grandmother’s in Philadelphia. My Grandmother was overall not a very good cook but many people contributed to our weekly meal (and she was better at desserts than main dishes. I can’t blame her for not loving cooking—she had 7 children including my mother)! I later obtained this recipe from my friend Brenda, and it takes me on a trip down memory lane each time I prepare and enjoy it. A little serving goes a long way.

  • 20 oz. fruit cocktail, or canned pineapples
  • 11 oz. mandarin oranges
  • 6 oz. vanilla pudding
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup cool whip
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • bowl
  • spatula
  • Whip pudding with all fruit syrups and blend together
  • Add fruit, coconut, and marshmallows
  • Fold in sour cream and cool whip
  • Chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight
  • Serves 8-10 people


    comfort food fruit

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