Southern Orange Ambrosia

Do you remember when oranges and nuts were treasured treats in everyone’s Sunday School Christmas sack or in their Christmas stocking?  Oranges are still a Christmas-season fruit, and if you have any leftover, you can turn them into this delicious old-fashioned dessert – Ambrosia.  If you have a glass compote or any other pretty glass bowl, this is the time to use it.  This is very pretty on a holiday buffet table.

This is one of my favorite Southern desserts – this version is from Southern Living Our Best Recipes Volume 3 from 1978.  It’s simple and pretty.  I add maraschino cherries if I have them, just for my youngest grandson, the cherry lover.

Sectioning oranges used to be taught in “home economics” classes; remember to remove the pith and outside membrane from the orange, then slip your knife down one side of the section and up the other.  If this seems like too much trouble, peel the orange carefully and slice them about ¼” thick - remove any seeds. 
Maybe you can see that the orange peel has already been shredded on this orange - I put it in the freezer to use for Quick Breads and Fruit Cakes and Cookies.  I love getting every last bit of goodie from that orange, just like Grandma did.

                               Southern Orange Ambrosia

  6           large  Oranges

     1/2    cup  Sugar or cooking Splenda

  3           cups  Coconut -- shredded

·         Peel and section orange, removing seeds.

·         Place a layer of orange sections in a glass bowl; sprinkle with sugar to taste.

·         Layer with coconut.  Repeat layers, ending with coconut.  Chill.

6 Servings

The original recipe called for 1 coconut, shredded meat.  This should equal about 3 cups for 6 oranges.

For single servings, use 1 orange, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 cup coconut.

2010 Cost:  $6.38 or $1.07 per servig

Per Serving: 267 Calories; 13g Fat (42.7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 8mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 1/2 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.