Gosh in my family ambrosia was made with citrus fruits not apples.

This is my recipe for Taffy Apple Salad: Two cups of apple (diced -don't peel), one large can of pineapple tidbits or chunks (drain and save juice), 2 cups miniature marshmallows.........Mix pineapple and marshmallows and refrigerate over night. Mix pineapple juice with One TBSP of flour, one egg beaten well, 1/2 cup sugar, one and one half TBSP vinegar, cook over medium heat until thickened, stir constantly, refrigerate over night or for several hours until cool. Just before serving fold in (8oz) container of cool whip, cooked dressing and one and one half cups unsalted dry roasted peanuts. Yummy....for Christmas you can combine red and green skinned apples.

LOL My grandma used to whip up Ivory Snow soap flakes- then spread it on evergreen boughs!

Well I thought it was real cream and I licked the beaters! Ugh
Evelyn

I saw your header"Anyone know what grandma did" and all could think of was she got run over by a reindeer. sorry I guess I am ready for christmas

This sounds much like the dessert my SIL's mother made, think there were some mini marshmallows in it too that softened and became part of the dressing - she called it Heaven!

What my mother called Waldorf Salad had
Delicious apples (Ida Reds for me)
Pineapple tidbits
Dates
Walnuts
Mandarin oranges
Red grapes
The cream was whipped with a little sugar and some vanilla. Best eaten the first day.

5 cup salad is our Ambrosia. One cup each of pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, mini marshmallows, coconut and sour cream. Must be made the day before serving. I like walnuts in it, too.

And when your Waldorf or Ambrosia is gone, try the Snickers Salad!
Large container Cool Whip
large box Jello instant pudding (Our favorite is Cheesecake pudding, but Vanilla can be used)
2 diced Granny Smith apples
2 large Snickers candy bars-chopped up
Gently fold in the pudding to the Cool Whip in medium bowl. Fold in the apples and Snickers. Cover the bowl with clear wrap or Press n Seal. Refrigerate 1 hour.
It is best to only make what is going to be eaten in one day. The Cool Whip breaks down the longer it is kept.
This can be made with 8 oz cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar in place of the pudding.

I thought of Waldorf salad too until I remembered that it didn't have whipped cream in it. My mom and grandma always mixed up their own dressing for Waldorf salad with eggs and oil. Years later, while perusing cookbooks, I found a recipe for homemade mayo and that was what they must have used. I never liked it though because I don't care for mayo.

Now the ambrosia I would eat because I like all the ingredients in that.

sounds similar to waldorf salad. We had nuts in ours too.