Ambrosia

Aloha! A dessert from Kraft Marshmallows that started around the time Hawaii became a state...became a staple of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Feast for our family. 1 cup Maraschino cherrys 1 cup Mandrin oranges slices 1 cup pineapple chunks 1 cup seedless grapes halved(green ones)* 1 cup coconut 1 cup small marshmallows(we like the miniature colored ones best) 16 oz. sour cream Drain fruit and add to coconut and sour cream in a large bowl turn gently until mixed and chill before serving. use as a relish with meal or later as dessert. We call it "gunk" as in "Please pass that fruity GUNK." *We added seedless grapes to the orginal recipe..

As a young person my grandmother who came from Iowa, would make some thing like this. and I used to find an excuse to go see when she would make this. She lived on the other side of town.

My grandmother made a similar dessert, but it was a thick, very rich, cooked custard; when cooled, canned "fruit cocktail", coconut and chopped nuts were added. Whipped egg whites were folded in, as well as lavashed on top, then the meringue top was "browned to set". This was always, and only, served after midnight mass, along with other rich French Canadian favorites.