Best of Summer Fruit Salad

Our kids love having fruit with our meals, to them, a big bowl of fruit with some granola is the greatest breakfast...works for me!  This recipe helps to combine 4-6 different fruits in one fantastic dish.
If you use bananas, make sure you don't slice & mix in till you are pretty much ready to eat or they will turn brown on you!

1/3 c sugar (or 3/4 c agave nectar)
1/4 c fresh mint or lemon verbena leaves (optional, but def. adds fantastic flavor, very easy to grow in a pot!)
2 Tbs lemon or lime juice
2 c seedless grapes, halved
2 peaches, or nectarines, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1 c sliced strawberries and/or whole raspberries
1 c blueberries
bananas, apples, kiwi, etc...

Bring sugar and 1/2 c water to a boil in a saucepan.  Simmer 2 min.  Remove from heat, stir in mint & lemon juice (or lime).  Steep 15 min.  Strain out mint.
Combine fruit in a lg bowl.  Stir in sugar syrup.
Cover & chill 2 hours or overnight.

be creative, let the kids help pick out fruit & if old enough, chop up & mix it all together.  Helping out in the kitchen generally helps get more of it on their plates & into them!

Biscuit Topped Lemon Chicken

This too is from an older edition of TASTE OF HOME magazine.  I like the biscuit topping, Len's not such a fan, so this is a rare make in our house...but still a favorite.

MEAL:                                                                              CHEDDAR BISCUITS:
2 lg onions, finely chopped                                                    5 c self rising flour
4 celery ribs, finely chopped                                                  2 c milk
2 garlic cloves, minced                                                          2 c (8oz each) shredded cheddar cheese
1 c butter, cubed                                                                  1/4 c butter, melted
8 green onions, thinly sliced
2/3 c flour
1/2 gallon milk
12 c cubed cooked chicken
2 cans (10 3/4oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c lemon juice
2 Tbs grated lemon peel
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

In a dutch oven, or heavy pan, saute the onions, celery, and garlic in butter.  Add green onions, Stir in flour until well blended; gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Add the chicken, soup, lemon juice, and peel, pepper & salt; heat through.
Pour into two greased 13x9 baking dishes; set aside.

In lg bowl, combine biscuit ingred. just until moistened.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times.  Pat or roll out to 3/4" thickness.  With a floured 2 1/2" biscuit cutter, cut out 30 biscuits.

Place over chicken mixture. 
Bake uncovered, at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

***In place of SELF RISING FLOUR~ for each cup needed, use 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a measuring cup, adding in enough reg. flour to measure a full 1 cup.

***This recipe yields 14 servings....cut in half for a family of 4!!

Daffodil Cake

This cake is longer then I typically would make or even look twice at it...but the name caught my eye & has stuck in my recipe box for WAY too many years without actually making it!  How sad...we will be correcting this issue for Easter this year...will post pictures once its made!

Serves 16

CAKE:                                                                              JEWELED LEMON SAUCE:
1/4 tsp salt                                                                                   1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c soft wheat flour; sifted before measuring                            2 Tbs cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp vanilla                                                                            1 c water
1 3/4 c sugar, divided                                                                   2 Tbs grated lemon peel
1 3/4 c (12-14) egg whites                                                           2 Tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar                                                               1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs soft wheat flour
5 egg yolks
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 375
Sift flour and 3/4 c sugar together 3x's  Set aside.
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar & salt together in lg mixing bowl until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in 1 c sugar and continue beating till stiff peaks form.
Sift about 1/4 of flour mixture over the egg whites & gently fold into the mixture.
Repeat until all flour in incorporated. 
Fold in vanilla.  Remove 1/3 of batter.
Beat egg yolks, 2 Tbs flour & 2 Tbs sugar until thick & pale yellow. 
Stir in lemon peel.  Pour egg yolk mixture over reserved 1/3 of batter and fold until blended.
Spoon yellow & white batters alternating into an ungreased tube pan.
Run knife gently through batter to eliminate air bubbles & to swirl batters.
Bake in lower third of oven at 350 for 35-40 min.
Invert pan to cool.
Serve with warm Lemon Jewel Sauce

To Make Lemon Jewel Sauce:
Combine sugar, cornstarch & water in saucepan.  Cook over med-high heat until smooth & thickened.
Add grated lemon peel, lemon juice & butter.  Stir till incorporated & warmed through.