Luncheon Ladies

Name: Luncheon Ladies
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 celery ribs; 4 hard-boiled large eggs; 12 whole cloves; 4 pimiento slices; 20 carrot curls; 4 tomato slices; 4 lettuce leaves; 2 cups chicken salad; 12 ripe olive slices; 8 whole pitted ripe olives

Total Time Prep: 20 min. + chilling

Yield 4 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

The character behind these salad gals was my mother. She'd serve them to my teachers each spring at a special lunch she hosted. I did the same when my children were little. Nowadays, I make them for my friends who love luncheon ideas like this. —Harriet Rummel, Reynoldsburg, Ohio

Ingredients

3 celery ribs
4 hard-boiled large eggs
12 whole cloves
4 pimiento slices
20 carrot curls
4 tomato slices
4 lettuce leaves
2 cups chicken salad
12 ripe olive slices
8 whole pitted ripe olives

Directions

Cut eight 1-in. celery sticks and set aside. Cut eight 1-1/2-in. pieces from remaining ribs; with a sharp knife, make lengthwise cuts in each piece, as close together as possible, beginning 1/2 in. from one end. Place in ice water. Refrigerate until celery begins to separate, about 1 hour.
To form ladies, place each egg on a salad plate. Insert cloves into egg for eyes and nose. Add a pimiento for a mouth. Surround top and sides of egg with carrot curls for hair. Position a tomato slice below egg for the body. Tuck the narrow end of lettuce leaf under tomato for skirt.
Spoon 1/2 cup chicken salad under each lettuce leaf. Place three olive slices on each tomato for buttons. Drain frilled celery ribs; place next to tomato for arms. Place celery sticks below lettuce for legs. Place whole olives at ends of celery for shoes. Serve immediately.

Recipe Creator