Recipes for the bride and groom

It is bridal shower and wedding season and we are so excited to be right in the middle of it all this spring. Our son, Ross, and his sweet fiance, Anna, are making all of the necessary plans to be married in late June, and we couldn't be happier for them. We feel like God has led them together through friends and circumstances, and we are so thankful it all fell into place at the right time. I love it when that happens!

In the midst of wedding planning we've celebrated with a bridal shower, and of course that means food and refreshments. Today I am passing along a few, of the many, of our go-to shower planning recipes.

Here's to many happy years of celebrating in the future!

Hot Chicken Salad

I got this recipe too many years ago to count, from Grace Hoover, a friend and one of my college professors. The fresh lemon zest and juice brighten up this dish to make it so tasty. I use both water chestnuts and almonds and usually cut back on the celery just a bit.

• 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 2 cups sliced celery
• 2 ounces water chestnuts and/or almonds (drain water chestnuts)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1 fresh lemon, zested
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated cheese
• Crushed potato chips

Combine mayonnaise, onion, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Combine chicken, celery and water chestnuts and/or almonds. Toss these two mixtures together. Pour into sprayed 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole dish.

The mixture may be covered and stored overnight in the refrigerator at this point.

When ready to bake, cover top lightly with cheese, and add potato chips on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Celery will still be crisp. Serve hot.

If you have to cover after baking, add potato chips just before serving so they will be crisp and not soggy.

Cherry Poppy Seed Pasta Salad

If using this dish as a side, omit the chicken. This can be a great side salad accompaniment to your Easter ham or barbecue cookout. It is also very nice as a main dish for a ladies luncheon or a bridal or baby shower. Pile high on a large platter and garnish with salted pecans, chopped green onions and dried cherries for a pretty presentation.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound package bow tie pasta, regular size or mini

In a large pan, bring water, salt and vegetable oil to a boil. Add bow tie pasta and boil for nine minutes. Do not overcook pasta, just al dente for best results. Drain and rinse with cold water.

• 1 rotisserie chicken, breast chopped. Can use dark meat also if desired.
• 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 5 ounces dried cherries
• 1 bunch green onions, green part chopped
• 1 cup roasted salted pecans or candied glazed pecans

Dressing:

• 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/4 cup Briannas Poppy Seed Dressing
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Reserve about 1/4 cup of dressing and pour the rest over the other ingredients. Cover and chill overnight. When ready to serve, toss with the remaining dressing and add 1 cup chopped roasted and salted pecans, or glazed pecans and green onions.

Garnish with green onions, cherries and pecans.

Shrimp Tartlets

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 to 2 teaspoons grated onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 packages (1.9 ounces each) frozen or shelf stable miniature phyllo tart shells
• 1/2 cup seafood cocktail sauce
• 30 peeled and deveined cooked shrimp (31-40 per pound), tails removed

Minced fresh parsley and lemon wedges, optional

Beat first five ingredients until blended. Place tart shells on a serving plate. Fill with cream cheese mixture; top with cocktail sauce and stand a shrimp up on top with tail up for presentation.

Refrigerate until serving. If desired, sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Cheddar-Chive Biscuits with Cucumber

• 2 1/2 cups biscuit baking mix
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped and divided
• 2 (5-oucne) containers garlic and herb cheese spread, softened
• Garnish: thinly sliced cucumber and radish

Combine baking mix, cheese, milk, garlic powder and 2 tablespoons butter; mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, just until golden. Mix remaining butter and one tablespoon chives; brush over warm biscuits. Split biscuits; set aside.

Blend cheese spread and remaining chives. Spread lightly onto bottom halves of biscuits; add cucumber, radish and top halves. Makes two to three dozen.

Orange Rice Salad

For the rice:

• 4 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Orange vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• Garlic cloves

Optional garnish:

• Orange wedges
• Fresh parsley

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add wild rice. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in brown rice; cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Stir in pecans and next 5 ingredients. Toss with vinaigrette. Transfer to a serving bowl; cover and chill 2 hours. Garnish, if desired. Yields about 5 cups.

Fruit Salad with Orange-Vanilla Syrup

For the orange-vanilla syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 vanilla bean

For the fruit:

• 4 pints strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 cups green grapes, halved
• 1 cup chunked fresh pineapple
• Fresh mint leaves, as garnish, optional

Place the sugar, 1 cup water, orange zest and vanilla bean in a small pan and stir to dissolve the sugar. Te bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes to thicken. Set aside to cool.

Prepare all of the fruit in a large bowl, pour the cooled syrup over the top and toss together. Decorate with mint leaves and chill until ready to serve.

You may also use kiwi, honeydew, cantaloupe, or mango. If you use raspberries, sprinkle on top at the last minute before serving.

Frozen Fruit Cups

I got this recipe many years ago from my friend Joan Haring. I've used it so many times and have never made it the same twice. The original recipe called for 2 cups sugar, which seemed too sweet for us. I've added the blueberries and raspberries over the years, and I usually don't put in the bananas, as I've found that people are a little iffy on bananas. So, play with the ingredients and make this your own creation. You can hardly mess this up, and it is very refreshing any time of the year.

• 1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 (12 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 6 juice cans full of water, using one of the juice cans to measure
• 1 cup sugar

Mix all together, stir well until sugar dissolves.

Add:

• 4 sliced bananas
• 2 (10 ounce) boxes frozen unsweetened strawberries
• 2 cans pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 can (larger size) mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 package frozen or fresh raspberries
• 1 pint frozen or fresh blueberries
• 1 small jar maraschino cherries, well drained and sliced in half

Mix all together gently so as to not break up the fruit, and pour into a large glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve. Or, this can be portioned out into individual small clear plastic cups, 5 ounce are about perfect, filling about 3/4 full.

To serve, get out of the freezer in plenty of time for this to partially thaw to be served slushy.

Strawberry Salad

As with nearly any salad, the amount of each ingredient really does not matter, except to adjust to make enough for the number of desired servings. The same goes for this salad. Use the amount of the basic ingredients to achieve the desired servings and the same with the dressing. I like the orange flavor in the dressing, so I adjust to our preference, and you can do the same.

• Small leaf salad spinach
• Good quality lettuce blends
• Fresh strawberries, quartered
• Canned mandarin oranges, drained
• Pecan halves, toasted, or praline pecan halves
• Fresh blueberries

For the dressing:

• 1 bottle Brianna's Poppy Seed salad dressing, chilled
• Zest of orange, desired amount for the amount of dressing to be used

Fresh squeezed orange juice, enough to offer a bright orange taste but not making the dressing too thin

Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine bottled salad dressing, the orange zest and juice until well-mixed.

When ready to serve, add desired amount of dressing and gently toss salad. Serve immediately.

Sparkling Strawberry Tea

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 quarts boiling water
• 3 family size tea bags
• 1/2 cup sugar, adjust to taste
• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
• 1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soda, well chilled

Place strawberries in blender, process until smooth. Pour water over tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in sugar, lemonade and strawberries. Chill. Stir in soda just before serving. Garnish with fresh mint and a fresh strawberry, if desired.

Bridal Shower Punch

• 1 (12 ounce) frozen orange juice, thawed
• 1 (12 ounce) frozen lemonade, thawed
• 3 cups pineapple juice
• 1 (11 ounce) can peach nectar
• 1 liter ginger ale or Sprite
• 5 cups Sonic ice

Mix first 4 together then add Sprite. Place in glass pitcher or punch bowl and add Sonic ice. You will want to make a double batch; it is really good.