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