Serve up some refreshing summer dishes like Greek Chicken Salad

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From our friends in Punta Gorda, specifically Melinda Stokes Allanson of First Presbyterian Church in A Taste of Heaven, we have Greek Chicken Salad. It looks like a wonderfully refreshing cold dish to serve on a hot July day.

For an afternoon or evening meal, try Bonnie Werley’s chicken wings which she shares in Treasures and Pleasures cookbook from First Presbyterian Church of Apopka. She cooks them in the oven at 375 degrees, but you could surely adapt them to the grill if you like.

Stuffed Tomatoes with Tuna from Feeding the Flock of New Vision Community Church looks to be simple and delicious. Laura Elkins shared this recipe. Thank you, Ma’am.

Gazpacho Salad Mold from Savannah Style will be a great cold dish fit for the king, be he royalty or the beloved king of your own little castle, during these balmy days of summer. It will take a little preplanning but will be well worth the trouble.

Fresh Garden Relish from the Progressive Farmer’s SOUTHERN Cookbook is superb over turnip greens. I can see this addition of fresh chopped vegetables used with many different vegetable dishes.

For dessert, reader and dear friend Joyce Lampp shares her Sour Cream Pound Cake that cannot be beat! It is a great favorite whenever she brings one in to our office.

MELINDA STOKES ALLANSON’S GREEK CHICKEN SALAD

Recipe from First Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda’s

A Taste of Heaven

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (about three breasts)

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped

1-1/4 cups Feta cheese, crumbled

2/3 cup (or 1 can) black olives, sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 cloves garlic (or to taste)

Lettuce

Combine chicken, cucumber, Feta, olives and parsley. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt, oregano and crushed garlic. Use much less garlic if salad will stand more than a couple of hours before serving. Add to chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and chill. Serve over lettuce. Also very good over toasted French rolls.

BONNIE WERLEY’S

TERIYAKI CHICKEN WINGS

Recipe from 1990 Presbyterian Women First Presbyterian Church of Apopka,

Treasures and Pleasures cookbook

1/3 cup lemon juice concentrate

1/4 cup catsup

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 pounds chicken wing drumettes or chicken wings cut at joints with wing tips removed

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Mix well. Place chicken in shallow baking dish or ZipLok bag. Pour marinade over. Seal and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange chicken on rack in shallow baking pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally until golden brown. Can be served as hors d’oeuvres.

LAURA ELKINS’ EASY-MAKE STUFFED TOMATOES (with Tuna)

Recipe from New Vision

Community Church

Feeding The Flock

Fresh tomatoes, however many you need

1 can tuna fish (regular, not albacore)

1-1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Dijon mustard

Minced garlic

Diced celery

Chopped cilantro

Pine nuts

Mozzarella cheese (for garnish)

Sprigs of cilantro

Exact measurements are not important for this recipe.

Core out tomato tops with a knife. Scoop out the ‘juice’ with a spoon (serrated is best). Carefully slice a sliver off the bottom from each one to create a flat bottom. Turn tomatoes upside down to drain.

Open and drain tuna; scoop into bowl. Stir in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard to taste. Add in garlic, celery, chopped cilantro and pine nuts according to desired amounts.

With a teaspoon, fill each tomato to top with combined ingredients.

Cut mozzarella into thin squares. Garnish top of each tomato with piece of mozzarella and a sprig of cilantro for an added touch of color.

For a creamier version, substitute mayonnaise or Miracle Whip for the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

GAZPACHO SALAD MOLD

Recipe from Savannah Style,

a Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc.

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

18 ounces canned tomato juice

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Tabasco, to taste

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced (1-1/4 cups)

1 large cucumber, pared and diced (1-1/2 cups)

1 medium green pepper, diced (3/4 cup)

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped chives

3 large ripe avocados

Lemon juice

1/2 cup bottled oil and vinegar dressing

Watercross, for garnish

In medium saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup tomato juice to soften. Place over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tomato juice, vinegar, salt and a few drops of Tabasco. Set in a bowl of ice, stirring occasionally, until mixture is consistency of unbeaten egg white, about 15 minutes.

Fold in tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, onion and chives until well blended. Pour into 1-1/2 quart mold that has been rinsed in cold water. Refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours.

To unmold, run a small spatula around edge of mold. Just before serving, peel and slice avocado. Brush with lemon juice. Arrange around salad and pour dressing over it. Garnish with watercress.

FRESH GARDEN RELISH

ON TURNIP GREENS

Recipe from The Progressive

Farmer’s SOUTHERN Cookbook

3 tomatoes, diced

1 cup chopped celery

1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced, and finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 medium-sized green pepper, chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons French dressing

2 tablespoons vinegar

Mix and chill.

Birmingham serves superb food, many old as well as new recipes. Our favorite there (and we never saw it served elsewhere) is just plain turnip greens topped off by a fresh garden relish. These quantities are for six portions.

JOYCE LAMPP’S

SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

Recipe from Reader of The Apopka Chief and The Planter newspapers

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 8-ounce cup sour cream

3 cups plain flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Sift flour, salt and soda together. Add 1 cup of the sifted flour mixture at a time to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, alternating with 1/3 of sour cream. Beat until well mixed. Then add vanilla, mixing in.

Spray tube pan with cooking spray. Cut and line the bottom of tube pan with waxed paper. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool on cooling rack before removing from pan.