Recipe(tried): Baked Chicken Souffle, Baked Apricots, Cabbage Casserole, Spinach Tart, Tomato Salad with Basil-Honey Vinaigrette

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Well, here I am, sort of late in posting tonight's dinner. The kitten keeps me busy; making sure it doesn't climb over the guard gate I put up, yes, it climbed out so I had to put cardboard on the other side to prevent him from doing it again. Then I had to bottle-feed him and give him his teaspoonful of kitty food. I'm telling you, it's like having a baby! With all my house chores and him, believe me, I am running around. So I took my lttle break and posted dinner.

Once again, I am experimenting with yet another coconut cake recipe...I'll hit it sooner or later!!

The weather today is just beautiful, sky is a beatiful picture-perfect blue with nice cool breezes. Just the way I like it!!

Tonight's dinner is:

Baked Chicken Souffle
Baked Apricots
Cabbage Casserole
Spinach Tart
Tomato Salad

Enjoy! Gina

Baked Chicken Souffle
serves 8
must be started the night before....

9 slices of white bread
4 cups cooked chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 T. paprika
4 eggs, well beaten
2 c. milk
1 1/2 t. salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (2 oz.) jar of chopped sweet pimientos
2 c. buttered bread crumbs, using 1/4 cup melted butter

Remove crusts from bread and line a large buttered casserole with a single layer of bread. Saute the mushrooms and onion in some butter til onion begins to golden. Throw in the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the chicken and the pimientos and mix well. Take off heat and add the chopped water chestnuts. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, the soups, mayonnaise, salt and paprika. Add the chicken mixture in and mix well. Pour this over the bread in the casserole. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and and store overnight in refrigerator, just before baking, sprinkle with the buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours until center is set.

Baked Apricots
serves 8

2 (16 oz.) cans apricot halves, drained
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. buttery style cracker crumbs

In a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole, layer the apricots, sugar and crumbs until all ingredients are used. Pour melted butter over all this and bake at 300 for 35-45 minutes.

Cabbage Casserole
serves 10

1 small head of cabbage
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. evaporated milk
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
butter or margerine

Cut cabbage into small pieces, cover with water and cook 10 minutes. Drain. Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, salt and pepper and milk. Stir constantly until thickened. In a 10x10x2 inch casserole, layer the cabbage, sauce and cheese, repeating twice. Dot with butter and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Spinach Tart
serves 8

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 T. margerine
1 T. flour
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chooped spinach, thaw and drain well
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. cream, scaled
salt and nutmeg to taste
3/4 c. gratead parmesan or swiss cheese
1 deep dish pastry shell, partially baked about 10 minutes

Saute onion in margerine til limp. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Sprinkle flour over onions, add well-drained spinach. Beat eggs slightly and slowly add cream to eggs. Add egg mixture to spinach mixture and blend well. Add seasonigs. Pour into partially baked pastry shell, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until set.

Tomato Salad with Basil-Honey Vinaigrette
Serves 6

4 tbsp. balsamico vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3-4 tomatoes sliced and layered in serving platter

In a small bowl whisk together the vinaigrette, honey and salt. Add the olive oil and basil and whisk to blend. Taste and adjust seasonings. Drizzle over tomatoes and serve.