Thai Chicken Salad & Lemon Pudding Dessert

My favorite foods at dinner were the Thai Chicken Salad,Chicken Nibbles, the duck itself, and the herb cookies I made. I will post 3 of the recipes here , a few will be posted on our Family Recipe Blog* later. I could have filled up on just the salad and been happy, but I had to share. Isn't this a stunning looking salad? Here is the recipe for Thai Chicken Salad ~

• 1 large carrot, peeled
• 3 cups shredded Napa cabbage, from 1 small cabbage
• 3 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and deveined, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh Thai basil leaves or fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 2 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts lightly coated in with Thai dressing, grilled, set aside and cooled.
• 2 Tablespoons toasted white or black sesame seeds
• won ton wrappers
• pea pods (4 per plate)

Using a vegetable peeler shave the carrot and add to a large bowl. Stir in the cabbage, lettuce, pepper, Thai basil, and sesame seeds. Dressing:

• 1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• sea salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons sesame oil

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss. You can view the picture above to see how Jim plated the salad, with pea pods and thinly sliced chicken arranged on the plate, the salad in the center . GARNISH with diagonal cut won tons fried in corn oil and lightly salted. ( you can do this the night before) Too bad I had to share this, but I know the chef~ so maybe he'll make this again for me, as a personal favor!

Mint Orange Shortbread I altered a shortbread recipe and believe me, these are so good!

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest

In a mixing bowl using electric mixer at medium high speed, beat butter til light and creamy , 2 to 3 minutes. Add confectioner's sugar, beating until smooth and fluffy. Add orange extract and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. With mixer at low speed, slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture.Increase speed to medium, mixing until combined. Add mint and orange zest, combining thoroughly. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill, at least an hour. I simply shaped the chilled roll and then sliced the cookie dough and placed the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. I am eating some now as I type,oh, they are perfect with a cup of hot tea!

Lemon Pudding Dessert

This dessert is from Taste Of Home Best Holiday Recipes, 2006 and was submitted to them by Muriel Dewitt of Massachusetts. Very, very good and a light dessert after eating a lot of food.

• 1 cup cold butter
• 2 cups flour
• 1 -8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 - 8oz. carton frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 3 cups cold milk
• 2 - 3.4 oz. pkgs. instant lemon pudding

CRUST :In a bowl cut butter into the flour until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 13 X 9 X 2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 22 minutes, or until set. Cool . In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.Fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Spread over the crust. In a mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Carefully spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with the remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate for at least an hour. I usually freeze this a few days in advance of needing it, and take it out of the freezer about an hour before serving.

My husband enjoying lemon pudding dessert, you could say after preparing and serving this great meal he is partaking of his just desserts.

The dishes are washed , stacked, and await storing, the few cookies remaining are there for tea time, the flowers are barely hanging on after adorning our dinner party. The tablecloth and chef's coat have been washed and put away. The remnants of leftovers were eaten tonight and good memories remain, hopefully for a long , long time.Thank-you Jim, thank-you sisters and brothers.Thank-you Lord for such bounty. "Whose bread I eat; his song I sing." German Proverb