An August Lunch

Every year, I donate a luncheon to the "other" PEO chapter in town

for their fundraiser auction.

"You and two friends are invited to join me for lunch"

Today, was the day that Marcy and her two friends joined me

Such a grand occasion called for the lace tablecloth

Real flowers

(but really, when did you ever see me using faux?)

 And the "good"china

Grandmother's

Noritake Marcsite

I think everyone needs at least one set of white/cream china with a gold band

So classy!

Of course, I always do a  menu

The first course was my favorite blue and bleu salad

blueberries, bleu cheese and pecans

over romaine dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette

(homemade, of course!)

The entree was called "Apricot Chicken"

I've seen it forever and never made it --

it's always in church cookbooks from the late 70s and 80s

usually right before or right after the chicken dish we call "Sarah's Chicken"

It's an old recipe you can tell because it calls for a whole chicken

That was back in the day when your choice of chicken was whole or cut up

Rarely, did you find packages of special pieces!

You mix a cup of apricot jam, 1/2 package of onion soup mix, 1/4 bottle of Russian dressing (again, showing the age of the recipe -- I subbed Ott's) and 2 T. mayonnaise.    Mix together, pour over chicken and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Yummy!

Especially when served with white and wild rice with more of the sauce drizzled over!

Dessert was classic and simple

A cherry pie

Made from local cherries from the freezer

And my own pie crust

A lattice crust because Mom always made cherry pie with a lattice crust.

A simple pie just cherries, sugar, butter, flour and a bit of almond flavoring.

So you can taste the cherries

But what pie doesn't taste better with a little ice cream?

(Not homemade)

And friend Marcy who bought the lunch as a fundraiser brought me a hostess gift

A wonderful heart with a great message

Which goes perfectly in my breakfast room

What a great way to start the day!