Must-make Recipes

Here are four recipes I have recently made...the tortilla cakes and chicken salad are old faves, but the sangria and lemonade pies are new recipes that I can't wait to make again. Enjoy!

1) Sangria Blanca

• 1 bottle of dry white wine, chilled (Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay both worked well)
• ½ c Cointreau or Triple Sec (we use Triple Sec and it’s less expensive)
• ¼ c sugar
• ice
• 10 oz bottle club soda, chilled
• 1 unpeeled orange, sliced
• 1 unpeeled lemon, sliced
• 2 unpeeled limes, sliced
• 4 fresh pineapple wedges
• 1 unpeeled green (Granny Smith) apple, wedged
Combine wine, Triple Sec, and sugar until well blended in a clear glass pitcher. When ready to serve, stir in the ice and club soda. Add pieces of fruit to pitcher (serve some additional pieces in a separate bowl for individuals to add to their own glasses).
Makes 1 quart (double for entertaining).
Be creative with the fruit; I didn't have any pineapple on hand and it still tasted great!


2) Chicken Salad
I know there are a million different ways to make chicken salad. I have found this one is a true crowd-pleaser and pairs well with either Olive Oil and Pepper Triscuits or Crescent Rolls.

Serves 10
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6)
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dill weed (I start with 1/2 T dill weed and then slowly add more to taste)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup red grape halves
½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Combine the chicken with enough water to cover in a stockpot and cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand until cool. Process in a food processor until ground.

Combine the ground chicken, mayonnaise, dill weed, onion powder, garlic salt, celery seeds, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Stir in grapes and pecans. Chill, covered, until serving time!

3) Mini Frozen Lemonade Pies


-12 mini graham cracker crusts

-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, chilled

-12 oz container of Cool Whip

-6 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate (do NOT thaw)


In a medium bowl, fold together condensed milk and Cool Whip. Add frozen lemonade and continue to fold until well mixed but not soupy. Pour into pie crust and freeze several hours or overnight. Garnish with berries for patriotic feel, or a lime wedge for preppy pink and green!
(Note: Your lemonade pies will not be this pink if you follow the recipe...I used pink lemonade concentrate and then folded in pink food coloring gel.)
From Confessions of a Cookbook Queen blog

4) Corn and Black Bean Tortilla Cakes

I recently made these for LRC and they were a huge hit! Very summery and fresh!

(makes 3 “cakes”, serves 6 total, 10 for appetizers)

Ingredients:

1 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans, patted dry
1 cup fresh corn (from about 2 ears)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
twelve 6- to 7-inch flour tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1. Preheat oven to 450. In a bowl, toss together beans, corn, and onion. In another bowl, toss together cheeses.

2. Put 3 tortillas in one layer on a large heavy baking sheet. Sprinkle each tortilla with about 1/3 cup bean mixture and about 1/3 cup cheese mixture and top with a second tortilla.

3. Make 2 more layers on each tortilla in same manner with remaining bean mixture, cheeses, and tortillas, gently pressing each layer down and ending with a fourth tortilla on top of each cake. (Tortilla cakes may be prepared up to this point 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap.)

4. In a small bowl, stir together oil and cayenne and lightly brush mixture over top of each cake. Bake cakes in middle of oven until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cut cakes into wedges and serve immediately with fresh diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.
From Gourmet Magazine, May 1995