Recipe(tried): Here are a few of my favorite recipes

Michelle/Oregon -- How kind of you to help your friend at this terrible time.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes... obviously not a meal menu, but just some favorites.

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Whipped Cream Chicken Salad
From: Party Receipts by the Charleston, SC Junior League.
(Verla originally posted this recipe and it is excellent!)

Ths can be served in pastry shells or scooped out cherry tomatoes or used as a sandwich filling. It is sinfully rich.
Makes 4 cups

2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups diced celery
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/2 cup chopped or sliced almonds

In a large bowl toss the chicken with the celery, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the mayo and the lemon juice and mix well. Gently fold in whipped cream until it is well incorporated.

Refrigerate the salad for about an hour. Before serving, sprinkle with the almonds.

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POTATO SOUP

(Note: I frequently add chopped turkey ham to this recipe.)

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large potatoes peeled and cut as if for mashed potatoes
1-2 cups mushrooms
2 large celery or bok choy stalks chopped
1 medium carrot shredded
1 medium onion chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp allspice
dash of chervil (just before serving)
salt and pepper to taste
2 -3 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) vegetable or chicken broth
Heat olive oil in stock pot, add onion, carrot, mushrooms, celery/bok choy, and saut until translucent. Add potatoes, spices and broth. If needed, add enough water to cover everything with water. Cover, bring to a low boil and then cook on medium-low until potatoes are tender.

Remove bay leaf. Add a "dash" of milk. The amount of milk I add depends upon how thick or thin I want the soup.

(Note: I put the milk in after I remove the bay leaf because sometimes I use my potato masher to "thicken" the soup. You can also thicken your soup using instant mashed potatoes or left-over mashed potatoes. Or, make a roux using 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Add these items and stir constantly to make certain they are blended. Add a small amount at a time depending upon how thick you want your soup.)

Tips: I tend to cook my soups all day so the multiple flavors blend and the soup becomes naturally thick. I chop some of the vegetables small so they become the thickener for the soup. Chop some of the vegetables larger so they cook down to bite-size by the time the soup is finished. And, if you do not want to cook the soup all day, another great way to thicken soup is by using instant mashed potatoes or left-over mashed potatoes. Works every time and guaranteed no lumps!

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Quick and Easy Sweet 'n Sour Meatballs

1 (12 oz) bottle chili sauce
1 (10 oz) jar grape jelly
1 pkg frozen meatballs

Simmer Sauce Directions: Combine chili sauce and grape jelly in a medium saucepan (or same electric skillet); stir well until jelly is melted. Add meatballs and simmer UNCOVERED on low for 30 minutes (to thicken the sauce), stirring occasionally. Serve hot meatballs with toothpicks out of the skillet or a chafing dish set on low to keep warm. Makes about 5 dozen 1" meatballs.

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Fabulous Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco shortening (solid)
4 heaping Tablespoons cocoa 1 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:
1 stick butter
4 heaping Tablespoons cocoa
6 to 8 Tablespoons milk
3/4 box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Ingredients must be mixed in proper order for best results.

Cake: Sift flour, sugar, and salt together. Set aside. In a saucepan, mix butter, Crisco, water, and cocoa. Heat until it almost boils. Pour over dry ingredients. Beat well by hand. Add soda and buttermilk and beat gently only to mix. Add eggs and vanilla last. Mix gently. Pour into 9 x 13 inch greased and floured pan. Bake for 20 minutes only. 10 minutes into baking time, start to make frosting.

Frosting: Mix ingredients together in microwavable bowl. Heat in microwave until warm only. Pour over cake immediately after removing cake from oven.

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Gina's Lemon Glazed Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
serves 12

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter, room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream, room temp.

Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan and set aside.

Sift the flour and all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the poppy seeds and zest stirring to combine well. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl til very fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each one. Beat in the vanilla. Spoon in the flour mixture and mix til smooth. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool in the pan on wire rack for about 20 minutes.

Prepare the glaze by combining the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat til sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Unmold the cake onto a rack set over aluminum paper to catch the drippings of the galze. Pour half of the boiling syrup evenly over the cake while it is still hot. Brush the remaining syrup onto the sides. Allow to cool completely and serve at room temperature.

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Gina's Chicken Cheese Lasagna

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE:
1 cup chopped onions, saute and set aside
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sauteed with onions above
1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth (I use Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon)
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 of a 16 oz. bag broccoli, cauliflower, carrot vegetable mix, thawed and drained
FOR THE LASAGNA:
8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked
2 cups cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
2 pkgs. (10 oz. each) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups diced cooked chicken

TO PREPARE THE CHEESE SAUCE:
Saute the onions and mushrooms in a little oil; set aside.

Heat the butter in a saucepan; add garlic then stir in flour and salt. Cook stirring constantly till bubbly. Remove from heat, stir in milk and broth; heat to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan, basil, oregano, black pepper, sauteed onions and mushrooms; toss with the vegetable mixture.

TO MAKE THE LASAGNA:
Spread 1/4 of the cheese sauce mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) in an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan, top with 2 or 3 noodles, 1/2 of the cottage cheese or ricotta, 1/4 of the cheese sauce, 3/4 of the noodles, cottage cheese or ricotta, spinach and chicken, 1/4 sauce, 3-4 noodles, ending with the remaining cheese sauce.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

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Grape and Cabbage Salad

1 c Grapes; green seedless
1 c Grapes; red seeded
3 c Cabbage; shredded
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/8 ts Black pepper
1 tb Lemon juice freshly squeeze
1/4 c Mayonnaise (to taste)
Lettuce head
Grapes; whole; for garnish
Combine grapes, cabbage, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Toss lightly. Serve on lettuce leaves. Garnish with additional whole fresh grapes, if desired.