The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook (51 page)
Read The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook Online
Authors: Sherryl Woods
Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup low-fat garlic croutons
1 cup homemade or store-bought Caesar salad dressing
6 (8") flour tortillas
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
GARNISHES (OPTIONAL)
Fresh fruit
Celery slices
Thinly sliced carrots
Rinse and pat dry chicken. Lay side by side on a surface lined with paper towels.
Blend together garlic salt, rosemary and pepper. Evenly divide among the chicken breasts, and rub into the chicken.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken breasts about 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Chicken is thoroughly cooked at 165°F. (Every cook should have at least 1 instant-read thermometer.)
Remove chicken from skillet, and let cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, cut chicken into very thin strips. Combine with lettuce, croutons and salad dressing.
On a clean kitchen work surface, lay tortillas side by side. Divide the salad mixture among the tortillas. Sprinkle Parmesan over the salad. Wrap each sandwich like a burrito. Wrap in parchment paper, and refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.
TO SERVE
Leaving the parchment paper wrapping on the sandwich, cut sandwich in half diagonally. Serve with a fresh fruit garnish and a few pieces of celery and thinly sliced carrots.
Mixed Salad with Strawberry & Basil Vinaigrette
VINAIGRETTE
1 cup sliced strawberries
4 packets Splenda
1
/
3
cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
1 cup vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
SALAD
Mixture of baby lettuces and crisp lettuce (such as red leaf, romaine or Bibb)
1 red onion, very thinly sliced and separated into rings
GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
Caramelized almonds
VINAIGRETTE
In food processor or blender, combine strawberries and their juice, along with Splenda, with vinegar and basil. With machine running, add oil in a thin, steady stream. Process 1Â minute more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
SALAD
Combine ingredients, and serve with strawberry vinaigrette and caramelized almonds.
SERVES 6â8
Balsamic Vinaigrette (fat-free)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup water
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup dried minced onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
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Dissolve cornstarch in water. In a blender, combine dissolved cornstarch with remaining ingredients except bay leaf. Process until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan, and add bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cool thoroughly. Remove bay leaf. Cover, and refrigerate up to 1 month.
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MAKES 2 CUPS
Gold Nugget Chicken & Pasta Salad
SALAD
3 pounds boneless, skinless grilled chicken breasts, cut into chunks
8 ounces whole-grain rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained well
1½ cups thinly sliced celery
½ cup finely diced fresh pineapple
½ cup chopped dried papaya
½ cup chopped dried mango
½ cup golden raisins
DRESSING
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
GARNISH
1 cup roasted, salted cashew halves
In a large mixing bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Spoon dressing over salad, and stir well to blend. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 4 days before serving. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of cashew halves.
SERVES 8
In Serenity, there's nothing we love more than our holiday celebrations and community events. Whether it's the annual Fourth of July parade with its accompanying hoopla, backyard barbecues and fireworks, our fall festival or Christmas with Santa on the town green, we'll use any excuse to gather and celebrate.
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The Sweet Magnolias are no different. Not every gathering is a margarita night. We bring our whole families together for everything, from birthday parties to cookouts at the drop of a hat, just the way I'm sure you do with your friends and neighbors. If you don't, then start making time for these relaxing get-togethers.
With so many of us these days, along with our growing number of children and grandchildren, it's quite a crowd. We dole out assignments, and everyone brings along a specialty, made in quantities large enough to feed a lot of people. Some things are traditional, and we simply couldn't have a party without them.
It's gotten to be a huge joke around town that no Serenity Christmas tree-lighting ceremony would be complete without eggnog. Believe you me, that raised a few eyebrows at first, especially with newcomers to Serenity, but we serve an alcohol-free version that suits the town's holiday spirit just fine. It makes our police chief and town manager happier, too.
Right after the annual Fourth of July parade, no barbecue at my place would be complete without front porch sippin' lemonade. There's nothing better on a hot summer day, and around these parts you can just about guarantee there will be heat and humidity on the Fourth. After watching all the former members of the armed forces, elaborate floats and bands march through town, that lemonade is the perfect antidote to being parched. It also gives us just enough refreshing oomph to pay a visit to all the vendors who come to town for the occasion before we settle down with our burgers, hot dogs and potato salad.
Usually we like to stick to the traditional barbecue on the Fourth, but at least once during the summer we get together for a backyard Lowcountry seafood boil. Oh, my! All that fresh, succulent seafood just reminds us how blessed we are to live in this area. Now you'll be able to try it wherever you are.
Whenever we're getting together, just us Sweet Magnolias, for a baby or wedding shower, for instance, we like to pull out all the stops and do something a little special. The amaretto and pecan baked brie makes eyes light up. The last time we were together, I made Erik's grilled cheese panini with a pecan-pesto mayonnaise and spicy tomato jam. Once you've tried it, you'll never look at a plain old grilled cheese sandwich the same way again. I guarantee it.
And, of course, no New Year's celebration down South would be complete without hoppin' John New Year's salad. They say it brings luck throughout the whole year. I can't swear there's any truth to that, but I do know that the Sweet Magnolias have had more than their share of luck over the years. Oh, we've had our trials and disappointments, but I'd have to say we've faced them all with courage and grace. And, most important of all, of course, we've not once faced them alone.
Down here in Serenity, we like to set a table loaded down with incredible food whenever we get together. It's a key ingredient to the Southern hospitality on which we all pride ourselves. But, if you ask me, the most important ingredient of all is friendship. With a glass of sweet tea or a margarita and a friend by your side, there's not a thing in the world that can keep you down for long! Try it, and see if that's not so.
Christmas Festival Eggnog
(alcohol-free)
4 cups whole milk
8 whole cloves
2 (3") cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg, broken into bits using a rolling pin or meat mallet
12 egg yolks
1
2
/
3
cups sugar, divided
4 cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon rum extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Combine milk, cloves, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often. Bring to a low boil.
In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and 1
1
/
3
cups sugar. Beat together until fluffy.
Whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture very slowly.
Return mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat 3â5 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Do not allow mixture to boil.
Strain mixture through a fine-wire mesh strainer. Let cool at least 1 hour.
Stir in half-and-half and rum extract. Cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled or up to 4 days before serving.
Just before serving, beat together heavy cream, remaining
1
/
3
cup sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Pour eggnog into a small punch bowl. Drop whipped cream into the mixture in dollops, then fold into the eggnog. Add freshly grated nutmeg to float on top.
MAKES 1 GALLON
Poinsettia Punch
2 (12-ounce) bags frozen raspberries, thawed
1 (12-ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
½ cup sugar
1 (750-milliliter) bottle white zinfandel wine, chilled
1 (2-liter) bottle raspberry-flavored or regular ginger ale, chilled
In a food processor, blend together raspberries, lemonade concentrate and sugar. Process 1Â minute. Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer, pressing mixture against the sides of the strainer. Discard seeds. Refrigerate raspberry mixture until thoroughly chilled. When ready to serve, blend with wine and ginger ale.
MAKES 1 GALLON
Note: This gorgeous punch has a low alcohol content and is the perfect choice when you want to serve up just a little holiday “spirit.” You may also leave out the wine totally, replacing it with an equal amount of cran-raspberry juice cocktail.
Golden Wassail
(alcohol-free)
½ gallon apple cider
1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice
2 (12-ounce) cans apricot nectar
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
24 whole cloves
6 (3") cinnamon sticks
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In a Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain, and discard spices. Serve hot. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
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MAKES ABOUT 5 QUARTS
