Our Mother’s Day lunch includes an entree called “Raspberry Chicken Salad” that is always popular at women’s parties. Not only is it delicious, but it is very pretty. We paired the chicken salad with a spring mix salad tossed in a raspberry vinaigrette.
A nut bread tea sandwich finishes this lovely plate. The sandwich is simply made with a boxed nut bread mix and a spread of cream cheese with apricot preserves. Very easy and very delicious!
RASPBERRY CHICKEN SALAD SQUARES
Chicken salad:
4 chicken breasts boiled, cooled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups real mayonnaise
Mix all ingredients and press down in a 9×13 glass pan
Raspberry topping:
1 cup fresh raspberries + 1 cup water
2 large (4.6 ounces) boxes raspberry gelatin
2 cups hot water
3 cups cold water
STEP 1
In a medium saucepan, boil raspberries in 1 cup of water until it thickens, approximately 5 minutes
STEP 2
Strain seeds and set aside to cool
STEP 3
Dissolve jello in hot water and pour into cooked raspberry mixture
STEP 4
Add cold water and refrigerate until it has slightly thickened
STEP 5
Pour over chicken salad making sure it is completely covered
STEP 6
Carefully place in the refrigerator on a flat surface
STEP 7
Refrigerate for several hours, cut into squares and gentle place on plate
RASPBERRY SALAD
Mixed greens
Fresh raspberries
Chopped pecans
Vinaigrette:
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
STEP 1
Combine the raspberries, vinegars, sugar and mustard in a blender until smooth
STEP 2
Slowly stream in the oil until combined
STEP 3
Toss the salad with the vinaigrette immediately before serving
NUT BREAD TEA SANDWICH
1 box nut bread mix
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup apricot preserves
STEP 1
Bake nut bread
STEP 2
Add apricots to softened cream cheese
STEP 3
After bread has cooled, slice and spread cream cheese mixture to make sandwiches
GARDEN HAT CAKE
We simplified our garden hat cake by using a white cake box mix. We stacked two round cakes together and trimmed them with a serrated knife until we were satisfied with the hat shape.
We then made a lavender-colored buttercream frosting. A fondant bow and sugared violets (which are edible) garnish the cake.
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
5 sticks butter
4 cups powdered sugar
8 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
10 – 12 drops of purple food color (or until desired color)
EDIBLE VIOLETS
STEP 1
Snip violets leaving enough of the stems for easy handling
STEP 1
Gently wash violets in a sieve
STEP 3
Place violets on a paper towel until dry
STEP 4
In a pan on medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved.
STEP 5
Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
STEP 6
Holding flower by the stem (tweezers can be used), dip each flower into the sugar mixture
STEP 7
Set flowers on wax paper and generously dust with Caster or fine sugar (caster sugar can be made by placing granulated sugar in a food processor, coffee grinder or spice grinder. Pulse it a few times until it is a finer consistency.)
STEP 8
Snip stems off flowers
STEP 9
Allow flowers to dry on wax paper then transfer to a plastic container for storage
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