Special Luncheon

I planned a special luncheon meeting yesterday for the sisters at church. The food was delicious and the program very enjoyable.

Menu
Grilled Chicken Salad
Seasoned Roasted Potatoes
Fruit Platter
Mini Croissants and Garlic Bread Sticks
Punch
Cake

I prepared the chicken tenders the night before. Simply marinade tenders in Lawry's marinade for 1 hour. I made three different flavors, Hawaiian, Mesquite, Herb and Garlic. I chose to broil the tenders instead of grill. Broil for a total of 14 minutes, turning twice. They came out beautiful. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To plate these salads start with about 1-1/2 cups of lettuce on each plate. Next place the four add-ons separately on four different sides of plate. Sprinkle with cheese. Slice two chicken tenders and lay on top. Finally sprinkle crunch item over everything. Serve dressing on the side.


Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Salad
Lettuce    Butterhead
Add        Red/Green Pepper Strips
        Sweet Onion Rings
        Pineapple Rings
        Dried Banana Chips
Cheese    Mozzarella
Crunch    Macadamia Nuts
Dressing    Hawaiian

Hawaiian Dressing
    1/2 cup Lawry's Hawaiian Marinade
    2 Tablespoon oil
    2 Tablespoon honey
Combine marinade, oil, and honey, mix well.
Makes about 3/4 cup


Grilled Mesquite Chicken Salad
Lettuce    Mix with Carrots and Cabbage
Add        Cherry Tomatoes
        Red/Green Pepper Strips
        Sweet Onion Rings
        Corn
Cheese    Colby Jack
Crunch    Red, White, and Blue Tortilla Strips
Dressing    Ranch


Grilled Herb and Garlic Chicken Salad
Lettuce    Mix with Carrots and Cabbage
Add        Cherry Tomatoes
        Sweet Onion Rings
        Cucumber Slices
        Peas   
Cheese    Medium Cheddar
Crunch    Herb Seasoned Croutons
Dressing    Creamy Herb

Creamy Herb Dressing - very delicious, fresh taste, and light texture.
        2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
        2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
        2 tablespoon mayonnaise
        1/2 cup sour cream
        2 tablespoon milk
Stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, dill, and chives in a small bowl.
makes about 1 cup.


I made an equal number of each salad, but the Hawaiian Salad was by far everyone's favorite. It was gone before any had even taken an Herb and Garlic Salad. It must have been the dressing. Everyone loved the Hawaiian Dressing and wanted the recipe. Lesson learned.... make more Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Salad!


Springtime Punch
        2 cups sugar
        2-1/2 cups water
        1 cup lemon juice
        1 cup orange juice
        6 ounce can pineapple juice concentrate
        2 liters ginger ale
In a saucepan, boil sugar and water lightly until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in juices. Refrigerate.
To serve, pour juice mixture into punch bowl, stir in ginger ale. Float lemon and orange slices.



I hope you try these salads for your next lunch or special luncheon. I received many compliments on them.

Day Old Bread - Okay Really, Three Day Old Bread

What do you do with bread that did not turn out good enough?

Make bread crumbs, of course!

A few days ago I tried a new recipe for sandwich buns. I was quite disappointed. The bread was still edible but not what I was looking for. Now three days later there are still some left. If these buns were really good, they would have been gone by now.

This evening I made Garlic Scalloped Potatoes for dinner. I do love bread crumbs on top. So I cubed one old sandwich bun and whirled it in my food processor. Out came the most beautiful looking crumbs. I tossed some fresh chives from my garden in my newly created bread crumbs, poured on some melted butter and had perfect bread crumbs. My potatoes came out delicious with these homemade bread crumbs on top.

While dinner was baking I processed the rest of the day old bread into crumbs and put it in the freezer. Now my mind is wandering.... What can I make with my wonderful bread crumbs?

Cole Slaw

Since I had fish the other day, I have been craving a simple fish sandwich. So that is my dinner tonight, fish sandwich with cole slaw.

I do so enjoy making my own bread and cooking from scratch as much as possible. I tried with a new recipe for sandwich buns this afternoon. They turned out good, but not good enough. So the quest continues for a nice bun recipe. I will keep trying.

Melody Cole Slaw
   
½ cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons buttermilk powder
½ Tablespoon lemon juice
½ Tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water

1 bag cole slaw mix
                          
Whisk all ingredients except slaw mix together in large bowl.
Stir in slaw mix.
For best flavor refrigerate several hours or over night.

Tartar Sauce

Yes, Tartar Sauce. Something as simple and basic as tartar sauce.

I am not much of a meat eater. But I do love fish, almost any kind of fish. I like my fish fried, as any southern woman would. And I like it with tartar sauce. I have always made my own tarter sauce. What you can buy in the grocery store is so tasteless.

Melody Tartar Sauce

1/4 cup Miracle Whip
1 Tablespoon Sweet Relish
1 Tablespoon  Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

Mix everything together in a small bowl. Chill. Yum!

Yes, my Yankee roots cause me to prefer Miracle Whip over other brands. I really want to master making my own mayonnaise, but so far, all attempts have been complete oily failures.
If you have a tried and true, dependable technique that works every time I would love to know.

Macaroni Salad Yum!

It is a day for making my favorites. I just love creamy non-lettuce salads - macaroni salad, potato salad, and cole slaw.

Melody Macaroni Salad

2 cups dry spiral pasta
2/3 cup salad dressing
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon pickle juice
1 Tablespoon sweet relish
2 boiled eggs

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.
Mix together salad dressing, milk, sugar, and relish. Add pasta, stir well. Fold in chopped egg.
Enjoy!

Recipe Favorites - Creamed Peas

Planting my peas last week got me craving one of my favorite side dishes. Creamed Peas.

This is such a simple and delicious recipe I think I could eat it everyday. At the end of April I will be having this often. Too bad I eat up all my peas right away and never have enough to freeze or can.

Today I am making my creamed peas with commercially canned peas.

Melody Creamed Peas

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 15ounce can peas

Melt butter in small sauce pan. Stir in flour. Cook flour and butter about one minute over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Add milk, sugar, and salt. Cook about 3-4 minutes until thick and creamy, stirring constantly.
Add peas and heat through, stirring often.
Yum!
This is my lunch today with some homemade bread.
.
Simple food, simple living. I am one happy girl.

Yea! Turnips From My Garden

What am I going to do with them?
Saute them of course!

This is a delicious recipe. It is very easy and a wonderful side dish at dinner.
But who wants to wait until dinner to eat these yummy turnips. Not me, I had this for lunch with some homemade bread. Yum.

The turnips come out so sweet and tender. Try this with other root vegetables like, carrot, rutabaga, and radish.



Turnip Saute
Makes 2-3 servings

4 small turnips, julienne
1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 Tablespoons margarine, or oil

In large nonstick skillet add turnips, onions, peppers, and margarine.
Slowly saute over medium/medium low heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The vegetables should not be browning at this time, only becoming tender. Cooking them slowly like this brings out the sweetness in the turnip and onion.

Add garlic. Saute about another 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Vegetables should now brown slightly.
Sprinkle with parsley. Saute 1 more minute.



Note:
The minced garlic is so small that it cooks very quickly. If you add the garlic at the beginning, it may burn.


I usually cook my smaller turnips and save the larger ones for fresh eating.
Turnips can also be shredded and added to a lettuce salad or mixed with cabbage in coleslaw.
Any way you want to serve them. I love turnips!

S'mores are good ANYTIME!

This afternoon was wonderful. I was able to attend a Baptism. We had some light refreshments afterward. I brought lemon squares (box mix) and s'more squares. Everyone kept asking me for the recipe. So here it is. Sorry I have no picture.

Golden Graham S'mores

Ingredients:

3/4 cup light corn syrup
3 Tablespoons margarine
12 ounces coating chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
9 cups Golden Grahams cereal (one 12 ounce box)
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Preparation Instructions:

Butter bottom and sides of 9x13x2 rectangular pan.

Heat corn syrup, butter, and chocolate in 3-quart saucepan, stirring constantly until all chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Place cereal in large mixing bowl. Pour chocolate over cereal. Stir until most of cereal is coated with chocolate. Fold in marshmallows. Mix well.
(Do not mix cereal and marshmallows together first, because most of the marshmallows will melt when you pour on the chocolate.)

Press mixture evenly in pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Cut into small squares. Store at room temperature.
Texture is best the same day it is made.

Enjoy S'mores Anytime!