Good morning, hospitable companions. As one of many visitors to Chattanooga this midsummer, C.K. of Nashville floated a request. "I love a good chicken salad and had one recently. But there doesn't seem to be much variety or creativity, even in the best of chicken salads. Does anybody have a new recipe or a new way with chicken salad?"
After a quarter century of enjoying the egg rolls at Formosa Restaurant, Bob Seale is considering making them at home. "I am calling for a recipe for Formosa's egg rolls. New ownership - same good food. Do you have a recipe for the egg rolls they have?"
Well, do you? If so, Mr. Seale plans to follow your directions.
Laurice Flasnick loved the ice cream column of June 30, and that reminds me to ask you for more ice cream recipes. There is a specific ice cream needed, so keep reading.
Ms. Flasnick wrote, "Those yummy-sounding recipes inspired me to bring out my seldom-used ice cream machine to make treats for my family on the Fourth of July. With my three nieces - Lauren, 12 years old; Sarah, 10 years old; and Evie, 8 years old - as my helpers, we made delicious fresh blueberry ice cream with blueberries from our garden. We also made the recipe that tastes like a Frosty - which it really did. I am looking forward to making peach ice cream next. I am just wondering if you have any ice cream recipes using Splenda that you could recommend. My husband has to watch his sugar intake, but he enjoys sweet treats like the rest of us."
COSMOPOLITAN CHICKEN
The request from an elegant European vacation meal yielded this recipe from Jon McKeachie.
Grilled Chicken Breasts With Grand Marnier Peach Chutney
Chutney:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 peaches, diced small
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1 shallot, small dice
1/4 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups Grand Marnier liqueur
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, add oil, peaches, garlic, shallot and ginger. Cook until peaches are soft, adding sugar and being careful not to burn garlic. Once peaches are soft, add Grand Marnier and let cook until reduced by half and alcohol is cooked out. Add salt and pepper; pour into a bowl and let cool. Be sure to stir to keep peaches from sticking.
Grilled Chicken:
Nonstick spray
2 to 3 boneless skinless (or with skin) chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Spray chicken breast to coat. Once chicken is coated, sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic. When grill is nice and hot, place chicken on it and cook until chicken is done. Top with chutney to serve.
BROILED FISH, BAKED SQUASH
Two more recipes from Edith Parker Middleton's "Recipes and Remembering" are well suited to the lightness of summertime.
Heavenly Broiled Fish
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash hot pepper sauce
2 pounds fish fillets, skinned
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Combine cheese, butter, mayonnaise, green onions, salt and hot sauce in a small bowl. Set aside. Place fillets in a single layer on a well-greased broiler pan. Brush fish with lemon juice. Broil fillets 4 inches from heat source for 4 to 6 minutes. Spread cheese mixture over fillets. Broil 2 minutes longer until lightly browned.
Makes 6 servings.
Baked Stuffed Yellow Squash
Yellow squash, 5 to 6 inches long, 1 per serving
White onions (1/4 volume of squash stuffing)
Butter
Salt and white pepper
Paprika (optional)
Wash squash, and carefully trim off stem and blossom end. Place whole squash in a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook gently just until tender; do not overcook.
Scoop squash out of hot water, and cool on a towel. When cool enough to handle, slice each squash horizontally with 1 side larger than the other. Scoop out pulp of the larger side. Place empty shells in a single layer in an ungreased shallow casserole dish, alternating the large end with the stem end.
For stuffing, place removed pulp in a bowl. Dice remaining small halves, and add to bowl. Dice onions to equal a fourth of the volume of stuffing. Sauté onions in 4 tablespoons butter for 8 squash; do not overbrown. Add squash centers and diced squash to onions. Cook and stir together until squash is very tender and most of the liquid has cooked out. Season with salt and pepper. Fill stuffing into squash shells, rounding the top. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.
TART DESSERT, SAVORY ENTREE
As you were promised, here are two more from the collection of Dorma Pomeroy.
Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
In a medium bowl, mix softened ice cream and thawed lemonade concentrate. Immediately spoon mixture into graham cracker crust. Freeze at least 4 hours or until firm.
To prepare: Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Variations: Try your own favorite combinations of ice cream and frozen juice concentrate.
Chicken a la King
1 1/2 pounds chopped chicken breast
1/2 cup butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup chicken broth, creamed or prepared with bouillon
1 (10-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
In a large skillet, brown chicken in butter, making sure to fully cook. Add red pepper and mushrooms, and sauté until tender. Stir in peas, broth and soup. Remove from heat, and cool. Transfer to a freezer bag, cover and freeze. Or, if you will be using right away, spoon into a casserole dish.
To prepare: In a large skillet, heat frozen chicken over stovetop. If desired serve with biscuits, pasta or cornbread.
Once again you were full of good things, and I know there will be more next week. Thanks to you all, writers and readers.
REQUESTS
* New ways with chicken salad
* Egg rolls like Formosa's
* Splenda-sweetened ice cream
TO REACH US
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.
Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Email: chattfare@gmail.com
Jane Henegar