Easy Ambrosia Recipe

This easy ambrosia recipe can be served as a salad course or as a fruit dessert.  In the South it is popular on holiday menus. 

Easy Ambrosia Recipe
Serves 8 

6 navel oranges
1 cup coconut, shredded fresh, fresh frozen, or packaged sweetened
1/4 cup confectioners sugar, or to taste
1 small bottle maraschino cherries, drained well (optional)

Peel the oranges, taking care to remove all the white pith.  In a serving dish or parfait glasses, arrange orange slices and coconut in layers, sprinkling each layer with confectioners sugar.   When ready to serve, gently toss in the cherries

variations
8 Add 1 14-15.5 ounce can of pineapple spears or chunks to the oranges
8 Use sliced strawberries in place of the cherries
8 Add 1 sliced banana just before serving
8 Add 2 tablespoons grated orange rind to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.  Whip cream until soft peaks form.  Gently stir in 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar

hint
To serve ambrosia more as a fruit salad, decrease amounts of coconut and confectioners sugar and prepare a variety of fruits

The ambrosia can be refrigerated up to two days, well covered.