Peach Tea Punch
Cool As A Cucumber Salad
Grilled Lemon Chicken on Mixed Greens
Apricot Pound Cake with Berries and Cream
Peach Tea Punch
Makes 40 4-oz Servings
3 Family-size Tea Bags
2 cups Loosely Packed Mint
32oz Bottle Peach nectar
6oz Can Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
1/2 to 1 cup Simple Syrup (see recipe)
1 Liter Chilled Gingerale
1 Liter Club Soda
Rum or Vodka if desired
Simple Syrup: Combine 2 Cups sugar and 1 Cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for 4 minutes or until clear, stirring occasionally.
Punch: Bring 6 Cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 3 family-size tea bags and 2 Cups loosely packed fresh mint. Let steep for 10 minutes; remove the tea bags. Cool to room temperature. Strain the tea into a 2-gallon container.
Add peach nectar, frozen lemonade concentrate, and ½ to 1 Cup of simple syrup. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator. Pour into a punchbowl. Add one bottle of chilled ginger ale and one bottle of chilled club soda just before serving.
Cool As A Cucumber Salad
Serves 6
Salad:
1-2 English Cucumbers, peeled and sliced into 1/4′ thick slices
3 Medium Vine Ripe Tomatoes
1/2 Medium Red Bell Pepper
1/4 Medium ,Sweet Texas Onion, sliced thin, partial rings or strips
Marinade:
2 Tbsp Water
1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Superfine Sugar
6 Tbsp Pecan Oil
6 (4-oz) Salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
To prepare the salad: Place all the vegetables into a non reactive container or a zip-top bag.
To prepare the marinade: Whisk all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Pour over vegetables, seal bag and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Variation: Add ½ Cup pitted green olives and/or Kalamata olives while marinating, and top with 4 oz crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Make ahead tip: Salad can be made a day in advance and refrigerated overnight.
Grilled Lemon Chicken on Mixed Greens
Serves 6
Lemon Chicken:
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Minced or Grated Fresh Gingerroot
2 Tbsp Pecan Oil
6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme or Lemon Thyme
6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, pounded to an even thickness
Dressing for Mixed Greens:
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp Minced Shallots
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 Cup Pecan Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
6 Cups Mixed Spring Greens
1/2 Cup Toasted Nuts for Garnish (Sliced Almonds, Pecans or Cashews)
To prepare the chicken: Combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, and grated ginger in a small bowl. Whisk in the pecan oil. Pour into a non-reactive container or a zip-top bag, add thyme sprigs and chicken breasts. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes or overnight. Remove from marinade and grill or pan-sear until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
To prepare the dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, shallots, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard. Slowly whisk in the pecan oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Toss with mixed greens.
To assemble: Place salad on plate, topped with warm (or cold) chicken, and top with toasted nuts to garnish.
Apricot Pound Cake with Berries and Cream
Makes 1 Bundt Cake
For the Cake:
1 Pound Cake Mix
1 Small Package
Lemon Jello
4 Eggs, Beaten
1/2 Cup Pecan Oil
3/4 Cup Apricot Nector
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Glaze:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2-3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Garnish:
Sweetened Mixed Berries
Whipped Cream
To prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan. Mix together all ingredients for cake until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake 55-60 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Let cool 10 minutes in pan. Invert onto cake cooling rack. Glaze while hot, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a cake platter, and cover until serving time.
To prepare the glaze: Stir the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Drizzle over cake immediately after the cake has been removed from the pan.
To serve: Slice cake and top with sweetened berries and a dollop of whipped cream.
