Grape Juice Flummery

A quick and easy cold dessert for those warm days.

3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups grape juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
Juice of 1 medium lemon
Light cream or half-and-half

In a saucepan, mix the cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Blend in the grape juice and cook, stirring, five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon rind and juice. Cool, then chill. Serve with the cream. Serves four.

Ginger Cream Chicken

Add a spicy touch to your chicken tonight!

4 whole chicken breasts, split
Flour
Salt and pepper
Ground ginger
Butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped candied ginger

Oven: 300 degrees

Season flour with salt, pepper, and ground ginger. Place seasoned flour in a bag and shake chicken pieces until coated. Brown chicken slowly on both sides in a half-cup of butter in a large skillet. Cover and cook until tender. Remove to a warm dish and place in pre-heated oven.

Add enough more butter to the skillet to make a quarter-cup. Blend in a quarter-cup of flour. Gradually add chicken broth and cream and cook, stirring, until thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and ground ginger. Pour around chicken and sprinkle with chopped ginger. Serves four.

Brandied Coffee Jelly

You can't get this dessert out of a box!

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups hot strong coffee
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brandy
Sour cream sauce

Soften gelatin in the cold water. Add the hot coffee and sugar and stir until gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Add the lemon juice and brandy. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square pan and chill several hours, or until firm. Cut into cubes and serve with the sauce. Serves 4-6.

Sour Cream Sauce

1 cup dairy sour cream
1/4 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine ingredients and beat until sugar is dissolved.

Spinach & Yogurt Salad

Don't be put off by the title; the yogurt dressing is quite good. And the salad is quick to make, too.

10 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 8-oz or 1 16-oz container plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon dried mint leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup coarsely broken walnuts

Trim the stems and any coarse leaves from the spinach. Wash remaining leaves and dry well. Break any large leaves into bite-sized pieces. Put spinach in a large bowl and add the onion.

In a small bowl, blend all remaining ingredents except the walnuts. Pour dressing over spinach and toss lightly to mix. Sprinkle walnuts over salad. Serves six.