Hi and Happy Easter to All,
I've not posted in quite awhile, and decided to make time this evening. It's been a hectic year taking several graduate classes while I'm teaching, and have very little down time. But we're on vacation this week, and I'm due to for a little R and R. Today it was just beautiful, relaxing to have my family around for a visit. My daughter is just beginning the 6th month of her pregnancy, and she looks so cute with her little tummy! I just love having my friends and family around on holidays, and hope you all had a wonderful day also. I hope it's not to late to post what we had for dinner---it's good anytime, not just on a holiday! I didn't have too much time to fuss, so I made favorites of my husband and kids. Here's what we had:
Veggie Pizza
Chicken Supreme Casserole (easy)
Frozen Fruit Salad
Broccoli Slaw Salad
Homemade Yeast Rolls
Strawberry Coconut Dessert

Chicken Casserole

1 onion, chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
3 TBSP. margarine
4 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 (6 oz) pkg. long grain and wild rice, cooked
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimientos
2 (15 oz) cans of French style green beans, drained
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2-1/2 cups crushed potato chips

Saute the onion and celery in the butter. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except the potato chips. (Cook the long grain and wild rice with the seasoning packet before this step). Pour into a 9X13 casserole. Sprinkle crushed potato chips over top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or till bubbly. (My son is a vegetarian, so I just mix everything except the chicken, spoon some into an individual serving casserole dish, and then add the chicken to the rest. He thinks it's just as good!)

Frozen Fruit Salad

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cherry jello
1/2 cup boiling water
1 can mandarin orange segments, drained
1 can diced pears or peaches, drained
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup whipping cream, or 1 tub of Cool Whip

Whip the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and powdered sugar till fluffy.
Mix the gelatin with the boiling water and fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Stir in the fruit.
Whip the whipping cream, and fold into the salad.
Pour into a mold or bundt pan. Freeze covered.
This is a beautiful springy pink salad!

Broccoli Slaw Salad

1 cup toasted almonds
1 cup toasted sunflower seeds
2 pkgs. chicken-flavored Ramen noodles (uncooked)
1 pkg. broccoli slaw
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Toast the almonds and sunflower seeds for 15 minutes in a 275 degree oven. Break up Ramen noodles, and mix with slaw, almonds, and sunflower seeds. In a separate bowl, mix oil, vinegar, sugar, and noodle seasoning packets. Pour over slaw mixture, mixing well. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Strawberry Coconut Dessert

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (3-1/2 oz.) can of coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (12 oz.) tub of Cool Whip
1 large angel food cake, torn into pieces
2 cans of strawberry pie filling, or you can use cherry pie filling

Add sugar and milk to the cream cheese, and beat well in mixer. Fold in coconut and pecans. Then stir in Cool Whip and half of the angel food cake pieces. In a 9X13 glass baking dish, place the other 1/2 of the angel food cake pieces. Cover with 1 can of strawberry pie filling. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top of this, and top with the other can of strawberry pie filling. Refrigerate several hours before serving.

Hope you all enjoy trying these!