Recipe(tried): Sunday Dinner at our Home.... Chicken San Souci, Carrot Ring, Fresh Mixed Greens with Mandarin Orange Honey Ginger Vinagrette, Black Skillet Nectarine Upside-Down Cake

Good Morning Everyone,

I am posting before I go out to Publix this morning to pick up some more of that fabulous corn. We had it yesterday for dinner and it was the most scrumptious, sweet corn we had ever had. I am going to pick up about 20 of them and shuck them and freeze them for the upcoming Fall holidays. I know corn like this won't come back again....

Tonight we will enjoy a simple end-of-summer back porch dinner. It is very peaceful to sit back there and listen to the many sounds of the wildlife that surround us; there are two owls, many, many frogs, the cicadas announcing nighfall is coming and a couple of hawks.

Happy Sunday! Gina

The Menu:

Chicken San Souci
Carrot Souffle
Fresh Green Beans
Fried Corn
Mixed Greens Salad with Orange Honey Ginger Vinaigrette
Black Skillet Upside-Down Nectarine Cake

The Recipes:

Chicken San Souci

4 chicken breasts, bonelss and skinless
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. marjoram
dash of soy sauce
4 pats of butter
1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

Butterfly each breast, place in a large glass pan and in a bowl mix the sour cream, worcestershire sauce, cayenne, paprika, salt, pepper, margoram, thyme, and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken and marinate overnight.

Next day, remove chicken from marinade, shake off any excess, place a pat of butter in the middle and roll up. Roll in bread crumbs and fit snugly in a 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 1 hour at 325.

CARROT RING

1 1/2 lbs. carrots, scraped and sliced into thin rounds
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
4 eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tbsp. water

Cook the carrots in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes, until very tender. Drain well. Puree in a blender or food processor.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8-cup mold or Bundt pan.

Cream together the brown sugar and shortening. Add the egg yolks and the carrot puree; set aside.

Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the carrot mixture alternately with the lemon juice, lemon peel, extracts and 2 tablespoons water; set aside .

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into carrot mixture then gently turn into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the ring is puffed and the top is slightly cracked and lightly colored. Invert the ring onto a serving dish.

Fresh Mixed Greens with Mandarin Orange Honey Ginger Vinagrette

1/2 bag of fresh mixed greens
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
4 oz. feta cheese
1 small can mandarin oranges
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Toss all ingredients in a glass bowl. Drizzle with the vinagrette dressing and top with croutons and walnuts.

Orange Honey Ginger Vinaigrette

1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. ground Jamaican ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. red wine vinegar with garlic flavor
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together the orange juice, salt and pepper, vinegar, ginger, honey and mustard. Blend well. While whisking vigorously, pour in slowly the olive oil and continue whisking til emulsified. Store in a glass jar til ready to use in refrigerator.

Black Skillet Nectarine Upside-Down Cake

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter
3 ripe nectarines, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. fresh grated lemon rind
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. In a 10-inch black skillet, melt brown sugar with 4 Tbsp. butter over low heat, stirring til sugar melts. Remove skillet from heat and arrange nectarines in a concentric circle in skillet.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

In a large mixer bowl bat sugar, anda reamining stick of butter til creamy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and zest. Reduce speed to low and alternately add flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in berries.

Spoon mixture over nectarines and spread evenly. Bake about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for about 10 minutes. Invert onto plate and cool another 30 minutes. Great with vanilla ice cream.