~ Southern Chicken Salad ~

Ingredients:
2 to 2 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large eggs
3 to 4 ribs celery (2 cups diced)
1 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise -or- Miracle Whip (your preference)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Directions:  Place chicken in a 4½-quart Dutch oven and add just enough cold tap water to cover it. Place eggs in a 2-quart or larger saucepan and add enough cold tap water just to cover them. Cover both pots and bring to a boil over high heat.  When eggs come to a boil, uncover the pot and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.  When chicken boils, immediately remove from the heat and let pot stand, covered, 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Immediately remove chicken from pot. Reserve broth for another use.  While chicken and eggs stand, rinse and dry celery. Cut into ¼-inch dice.  Shredded the chicken breats either fine or cubes, however you prefer.  Pour the meat into a 3-quart or larger bowl.  Peel the eggs and dice them into the chicken.  Now add the celery, mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip), salt and pepper. Stir very well until all chicken is coated with the mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip). Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.  Great for a hot summer day!  ~ Chef ~

~ Vinegar Pie ~

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter (not margarine) melted and cooled

2 T. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 T. pure vanilla

2 T. white vinegar

3 large eggs

Directions:  Place the flour and sugar into a large bowl.  Slowly add the melted butter until the flour and sugar are mixed well.  Now add the vanilla and vinegar.  In a seperate bowl crack your eggs making sure there are no shells.  Add these one at a time until everything is completely mixed together.  Pour the mixture into a unbaked 9-inch pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes.  You tell when it is done as the center no longer shakes.  This recipe is alot like a true Southern Chess Pie only it uses flour instead of cornmeal.  Enjoy!  ~ Chef ~

~ How Is Your Garden Growing? ~

We've got a dozen or so tomatoes about the size of tennis balls.  Cucumbers are getting tall enough to run and the squash are blooming with a few about the size of your thumb.  So it shouldn't be long before we have fresh veggies out of the garden.  Hope your garden is growing too.  Let me hear from you.  ~ Chef ~

~ Chef ~

~oOo~ Memorial Day Weekend ~oOo~

Take time to pause and remember the

TRUE meaning of the DAY.

~ Chef ~

~*~ Southwestern Corn Pudding ~*~

Ingredients:

(STEP 1)
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 cup firmly packed Extra-Sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
~~~~~
(STEP 2)

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed and drained
2 cups firmly packed Pepper Jack cheese
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup canned enchilada sauce
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 8-inch square baking pan. (USING STEP 1 INGREDIENTS ONLY) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in cheddar cheese. In a second medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and butter. Add buttermilk mixture to cornmeal mixture; stir just until blended. Pour batter into buttered pan. Bake until cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Approximately 22 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a baking rack.

Now butter a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cut cooled cornbread into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. (USING STEP 2 INGREDIENTS) In a large, dry pan over Medium-High heat, stir corn until dry. This will take about 3 minutes. Now add the corn, pepper jack cheese, bell pepper and green onions to bowl with cornbread. In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, enchilada sauce, eggs and salt. Add buttermilk mixture to cornbread mixture. Pour mixture into buttered pan. Cover pan and refrigerate at least 1 hour up to 1 day. Then heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, until it is golden brown and a little crisp. This will take about 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.  Not a quicky dish but worth the time to prepare.  ~ Chef ~

~ Southern Creamy Pasta Salad ~

Ingredients:

8 ounce Macaroni (your choice of shape)
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
2 thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:  Cook pasta in rolling well-salted boiling water just under the time on package or al dente. Drain into a colander, rinse briefly with cold water and allow to drain.  In a medium bowl, combine the celery, red and green bell peppers, onion, pickle relish, vinegar, seasoning salt and black pepper. Mix well.  Fold in the mayonnaise and the sour cream blending thoroughly. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Fold in the pasta, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.  Fold in the cheddar cheese before serving. 

Great summer dish! 

~ Chef ~