Pina Colada Salad

The newspaper clipping is old. Yellowed. I have no idea which newspaper it came from. I've kept it for a long, long time just waiting for the moment when I found it at the same time I actually needed it. Know what I mean? So I'm sharing it with everyone so that we all can enjoy it.

 

Pina Colada Salad

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
One 15 1/2-ounce can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drain and reserve syrup
water
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Two 3-ounce packages cream cheese
1 orange peeled, sectioned and chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup coconut

Soften gelatin in cold water. Let stand 5 minutes.

Add enough water to pineapple syrup to make 1 cup. Heat to boiling, add gelatin and stir. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, lemon juice and cream cheese. Blend, then chill until partially set.

Add pineapple, orange, pecans and coconut. Spoon into lightly greased (use  non-stick spray) 1-quart mold. Chill.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ambrosia Cream Cheese Mold

My all-time favor cookbook is The Southern Living Cookbook. This recipe comes from that. It is the first cookbook I reach for when I need something right now. You probably know what I’m talking about.

In this case, I needed a congealed salad to take to church for the feeding of a family in mourning. I offered to bring a casserole or dessert. I was told they had plenty of those but really needed a congealed salad or a fruit salad. I quickly considered what I had on hand and volunteered to make a congealed salad. Have I mentioned that I generally don’t eat congealed salads so I rarely make them?

This one turned out wonderfully. Even I liked it. LOL It just tastes tropical. Of course, I did change things up a bit. I can’t seem to find a 15 ½-oz. can of pineapple chunks so I used an 18 oz. can. It worked just fine. I also didn’t have a fresh lemon so I used RealLemon juice. Oh, and instead of peeling an orange (which I did have) I used a small can of orange slices. And I left out the pecans because, while I love them, sometimes it’s not good to add nuts when you’re taking something off from home and you don’t know the folks who’ll be eating it all that well.

I also didn’t use a mold. I have several Tupperware molds. And if I’d had a day or two or a week or so I would have surely found one of them. But time was a factor so I opted to use a take-off-from-home container that I wouldn’t need to get back. It’s also easier to transport. When I take food for something like this, I always try not to take something that requires someone to wash and return a bowl to me. I figure the family or, in this case, the ladies organizing things have enough on their plate without added dish washing and delivery.

I did, however, put a little bit of the salad (before it had firmed up) in a small container and set it aside for me. I figured I probably needed to at least try the salad to make sure it was okay before I took it off from home. It was. Wonderful. Really. So good! I may have to make another one, even though I really don’t eat congealed salads. LOL

Ambrosia Cream Cheese Mold

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ cup cold water
1 (15 ½-oz) can pineapple chunks, undrained
1/3 cup sugar
Juice of one lemon
2 (3 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and diced
½ cup flaked coconut
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute.

Drain pineapple, and reserve juice; add enough water to juice to make 1 cup. Place juice in a 2-quart saucepan; heat to boiling. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, lemon juice and cream cheese, using a wire whisk to blend. Chill until consistency of unbeaten egg white. Fold in pineapple chunks, orange, pecans, and coconut.

Spoon mixture into a lightly oiled 1-quart mold. Cover and chill until firm. Unmold on lettuce. Garnish with lemon slices, is desired.

Makes 6 servings.