Three great summer recipes!

Recently I had a small get together and served the following 'To die for Recipes' and I must share them with you! These are great for summer get togethers...Enjoy!

Tomato Feta Salad
Prep Time - 15 minutes
Yeild - 8 servings
Difficulty - EASY!

3 pints (6 cups) cherry tomatoes
3/4 pd 'good' feta cheese
1 small red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup 'good' olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them in a large bowl. Dice the feta in 1/4 dice, crumbling it as little as possible. Add the feta to the tomatoes and ten add the onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley. Toss carefully and depending on the saltiness of the feta, salt to taste. Serve chilled.


Chicken Salad Sandwiches

4 lbs chicken (canned or fresh)
1 lb red seedless grapes halved (yes I know you are thinking grapes...but just try it)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tbsp onion (sweet)
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing
1 1/4 cup mayo (and none of that fat-free stuff!)
1 1/4 cup miracle whip (same here!)
Bread of you choice I used croissants!!
Mix all ingredients together and serve chilled

AND NOW FOR THE YUMMIEST!

BLACKBERRY WINE CAKE - WAHOO!!!!!!

EASY EASY EASY TO MAKE!

CAKE
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 box butter cake mix
1- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup blackberry wine (use Morgan David if available, but any will work)
1/2 cup veggie oil
4 eggs (set your eggs out to cool a while, they will mix up better)

GLAZE

1/2 cup butter or margarine (I use real butter, I mean why not!)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup blackberry wine

Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray; lightly dust with flour. Sprinkle botton of pan with chopped pecans...not to much. Set aside!
With electric mixer on medium speed, combine cake mix, instant pudding mix, blackberry wine, oil, and eggs. Mix for 4 minutes until completely smooth. Pour into prepared bundt pan...where else would pour it???. Bake at 350' for 50-55 minutes.

GLAZE MIX

Begin about 10 minutes before cake is done with a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, add sugar and blackberry wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove cake from oven, while cake is still in pan, pour syrup over the cake, making sure to coat all areas evenly and allow glaze to run between the cake and pan. Let rest 10 minutes (I didn't know a cake could get tired!) then turn out onto serving plate.

Fab-u-lous!!!!

For an added bonus...mix up about 1/4 cup powdered sugar, oh and maybe a 1/2 cup of the left over wine and 1/2 stick of butter, melt over medium heat and pour on top of the cake before serving...yehaw!! Oh and throw a few more pecans on top for garnish.

THIS CAKE IS NOT FOR THE DIET CONSCIENTIOUS!!!!!!