The Perfect Easter Brunch!

...or Spring luncheon, bridal or baby shower, or afternoon tea (we still have teas in the south). I cooked with my mother to get some of her most requested recipes that should really just be common sense, but for some reason they never turn out quite the same as when she makes them.

Nobody makes pimiento cheese or chicken salad as good as my mother's and after watching her make them, I now realize why. She has a few 'secret' ingredients that I think she might have been holding out on me all of these years. Or maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention or she just 'forgot' to mention these key ingredients that make all of the difference in the world. Anyone that knows my mother, knows that she does not make mistakes often (except that Happy Hanukkah wrapping paper she bought that was on clearance once ...we are clearly not Jewish) , but I digress. Could my dear, sweet Mother have left out a few ingredients on purpose all of this time and now because we are going public it comes out!!! We will never know I guess, but I got the complete recipe for the world to know this time. I am just sort of kidding here, but I really didn't know she put some of the things she does in the chicken salad and the pimiento cheese.

One of the secrets is this:

And the other one is this, but only in the pimento cheese:

Now Miracle Whip is a very southern thing, isn't it? However, I have never liked Miracle Whip. When I was kid, some of my cousins ate bologna and cheese sandwiches slathered with Miracle Whip. They never had mayonnaise, they all ate Miracle Whip. Not me, I only ate mayonnaise and still do. So when I made my mother's pimento cheese or tried to, I used mayonnaise. Guess what? That is why it wasn't as good. That is why I never make it anymore and just get my mother to make it for me. This is one thing you do need the Miracle Whip for instead of mayonnaise. The other secret ingredient is the Worcestershire sauce and she uses a little of that in both. Who would have thought?

Nana's Pimento Cheese

Here is what you will need:

American Cheese grated, Worcestershire sauce, Miracle Whip, pimento and sugar.

Ingredients:

5 cups grated American Cheese

1 cup Miracle Whip

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped pimento

Mix the first 4 ingredients well and stir the pimento in last.

The best pimento cheese ever!

Nana's Pecan Chicken Salad

Here is what you will need:

Chicken breast (you can used canned or cook your own), celery, mayonnaise, grapes, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, pecans, and sugar

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken breast chopped or 2 15oz. cans

1 1/2 cups sliced seedless grapes (red or white)

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. lemon juice

3/4 cup pecans

1 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients and stir together. This chicken salad is so good with fresh fruit or on croissants as a sandwich.

 

In the next posts, I will give you the recipes for Fabulous Fruit Dip, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, and Bacon Quiche.