Ambrosia Salad was a childhood favorite. I just never realized it.
The salad I grew up with was referred to as fruit salad with whipped cream. Maybe amongst the adults the real title was shared but for those younger than 10 pretty much used the title already stated.
It varied from year to year. I honestly don't recall having coconut or marshmallows too often in our fruit salad. I am sure this was because of a personal choice made by my grandmother. In general, we did not each much coconut. I can only assume it was not a family favorite.
I was delighted to learn that for our Sunday Supper group we were going to explore the recipes that focused on Then and Now.
I very much remember the Then of my life and relish in the Now every day.
My own little family does not love this salad as I did whilst a youngster. It may be the nuts or the whipped cream, who knows. On rare occasions I do make this in a much smaller size and devour it over the course of a few days.
Can you blame me? Nuts, mandarin oranges, pineapples, bananas, coconut, marshmallows and bananas...ooh la la. How could I have forgotten the maraschino cherries (the best part in my opinion).
I took the liberty of using the ever coveted color scheme of the 70's--orange and avocado-- to shoot my pictures this week. I simulated a Lazy Susan by using my pizza stone. I have not, in my lifetime, ever owned a Lazy Susan (I always felt bad for Susan).
We all have different idea's of what--Retro or Then and Now-- are in our own lives. From my point of view if was the 70's and to others it could be as far back as the 40's, 50's or 60's. Only you can decide which decade you want to revisit in terms of Then and Now and Sunday Suppers.
Below you will find the list of our group along with their selections. I cannot wait to see which point in time they selected their dishes from, and to learn if they updated the recipe or kept it as is.
Recipe: Ambrosia Salad
1 can of mandarin oranges, drained and diced
1 can of pineapple chunks, drained and diced
1 jar of maraschino cherries, drained and halved
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup of mini-marshmallows
1/2-1 cup of heavy whipped cream
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
In a large bowl combine first 7 ingredients.
In a small bowl combine the last 3 and beat until cream is thick.
Combine the two bowls. Store salad covered and in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
NOTE: The size of can's I used for the mandarin oranges and pineapple were between 10-10.75 ounces. The cherries, I purchase the smallest bottle I could find.
All of the listed amounts can be adjusted or omitted on what your family likes or does not like. I actually enjoyed the marshmallow and coconut after years of not having it made this way.
Join us Around the Family Table this Sunday at 7pm Eastern Time and share your favorite Retro Food Memory with us!
Sunday Supper Retro Appetizers:
- Irish Cheddar-Whiskey Fondueby girlichef
- She Devils: Beet Pickled Deviled Eggsby Ruffles & Truffles
Sunday Supper Retro Salads:
- Coca-Cola Saladby Magnolia Days
- Salmon Salad | Retro Tuna Saladby Family Foodie
- Ambrosia Saladby Simply Gourmet
- Romaine “Wedge” Salad with Hot Maple Bacon Dressingby Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Carrot & Raisin Saladby The Roxx Box
- Sweet & Smoky Broccoli Saladby In The Kitchen with KP
Sunday Supper Retro Breads and Sandwiches:
- Italian Style Breadby The Meltaways
- Creamed Chipped Salmon Jerky on Toastby Pescetarian Journal
- Grown-Up Tuna Meltsby Home Cooking Memories
- English Muffin Pizzasby Comfy Cuisine
- Patty Melt, Hand Cut Fries, & a Shakeby Mooshu Jenne
- Grown-Up Grilled Cheese With Tomato Soupby Catholic Foodie
- Toast Topper #16: Grandma’s Mock Apricot Jamby What Smells So Good?
SundaySupper Main Dishes:
- Chicken Pot Pie Topped With Bacon Cheddar Biscuitsby Chocolate Moosey
- Tuna Noodle Casseroleby Country Girl in the Village
- Nana’s Marinated Beef Roastby Supper for a Steal
- Chorizo Scotch Eggsby The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Chicken Marylandby Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Mushroom Stroganoffby Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Dairyfree Toast Hawaiiby Galactosemia in PDX
- Porcupine Meatballsby Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Chicken Kievby The Urban Mrs.
- Salmon Quiche with Preserved Lemonby Shockingly Delicious
- Steak Dianeby Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
- Fried Chicken only in the Ovenby In the Kitchen with Audrey
- Hambak Steak a.k.a. Salisbury Steakby Kimchi Mom
- Retro-Redo: Homemade TV Dinnerby The Little Ferraro Kitchen
- Kicked Up Meatloafby Curious Cuisiniere
- Shrimp Scampi (a lighter version)by Kudos Kitchen
- Old-Fashioned Pork Chopsby My Trials in the Kitchen
- Jägerschnitzelby Sustainable Dad
- Healthier Hamburger-Corn Noodle Casseroleby The Weekend Gourmet
- Inspired by Tuna Noodle Casseroleby Cookistry
- Chicken-N-Biscuits Pot Pie Casseroleby The Messy Baker Blog
- Souper Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoesby Mama.Mommy.Mom
- Meatloaf that will make you swoon and Datz the truthby Midlife Roadtrip
- Spaghetti with Currywurst Sauceby Masala Herb
- Tator Tot Casseroleby NeighborFood
Sunday Supper Retro Sides and Veggies:
- Smokey Braised Red Cabbageby Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Classic Corn Casseroleby The Foodie Army Wife
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Balsamicby Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
- Classic Green Bean Casserole Reduxby The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Mem’s Broccoli Casseroleby Momma’s Meals
Sunday Supper Retro Desserts and co*cktails:
- Peachy Keen Tutti-Frutti Jelloby La Cocina de Leslie
- Old School Boozy Rum Cakeby Webicurean
- Individual Baked Alaskasby That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Rainbow Jelloby Cravings of a Lunatic
- Pineapple Upside Down Cakeby Noshing with the Nolands
- Pineapple Barsby Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Creamy Dairy Free Fresh Orange Julius With Coconut Milkby Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Refrigerator Strawberry Cheesecakeby There and Back Again
- Frozen Pineapple Upside-Down Cakeby Juanita’s Cocina
- Boston Cream Pieby Gotta Get Baked
- Coca-Cola Cupcakesby Daily Dish Recipes
- Jello Poke Cakeby Flour On My Face
- Devil’s Food Cakeby Maroc Mama
- Bread Pudding with Pecansby Basic and Delicious
- Victoria Sponge Cakeby The Lovely Pantry
- A Chocolate Twist on the Classic Japanese Strawberry Shortcakeby Ninja Baking
- Post War Apple Puddingby My Cute Bride
- Layered Mini Chocolate Banana Cakesby Big Bears Wife
- Raspberry Jam Cakesby Pippis in the Kitchen Again
- co*cktail: Moscow Mule by Crazyby Crazy Foodie Stunts
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