A Toast to Summer

A TOAST TO SUMMER

 

Limoncello Raspberry Prosecco Cooler 
or a Minnesota Hackensack Summer Sipper

Amazingly refreshing, bubbly, and sweet, the perfect summer solstice cocktail that you can make in just 5 minutes! Recipe adapted from The Comfort of Cooking
Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of Prosecco or another sparkling wine, chilled
• 1 cup limoncello liqueur, chilled
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• 6 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:

• In a large pitcher, whisk together prosecco and limoncello. Add ice cubes.
• Chill wine glasses.
• Serve the drink with frozen raspberries and garnish with mint, if desired.

Limoncello Raspberry Prosecco Cooler pairs well with a summer salad of Pasta with Chicken and Mango Chutney. 

Cook's notes: This is not your standard deli-style chicken salad with mayo, celery, and sometimes chopped-up eggs. No, this is the kind of food you get when you go to lunch with the ladies at Tea Room Restaurants, but it did get a huge stamp of approval from my husband.

Plain Greek Yogurt can be substituted for the mayonnaise. This recipe can be easily doubled. Use only enough dressing to moisten the ingredients. Curry spice is strong, so I recommend starting out small and taste testing first, then increasing as needed.

The curry and chutney make this salad take center stage over traditional chicken salad. Recipe adapted from deepsouthdish.com and serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced (use a rotisserie chicken to save time) 
• 1 cup dry pasta shells (cook according to box directions) 
• 3/4 cup celery, diced
• 4 tablespoons onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of Miracle Whip. yogurt or Lite Mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon curry
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 3 tablespoons mango chutney ( I used Major Grey's Chutney)
  
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or almond slices or cashew pieces 
• 3/4 cup dried cran-raisins (plump up in a cup of boiling water and drain) or substitute 1 cup sliced red grapes
• 1/2 cup crisp apple, diced
• Optional: 1 small can of water chestnuts, drained and diced

Directions:

• Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Mix chutney, mayonnaise, yogurt or Miracle Whip, onions, curry powder, and parsley flakes in a large bowl.
• Add in diced chicken, cooled pasta shells, nuts, cran-raisins or grapes, apples, and celery.
• Chill several hours before serving.

Serving options: on a bed of lettuce garnished with nuts or use the salad as a croissant filling.