Just another chicken salad recipe

I have been making chicken salad in the spring/summer since...well, forever.  After making it for the moms at Jasper's birthday party and receiving rave reviews, I thought I would add it to my blog.  I have to warn you, however, this recipe is one of those "make it up as I go" ones.  If you need precise measurements, I am sorry to disappoint!  I have many variations on the basic recipe so keep reading for further chicken salad enlightenment.

2 medium whole chickens*
salt and pepper
3-4 stalks of celery finely diced
1 red onion finely diced
Mayonnaise (I use Hellmans Light)
Ranch Dressing (I use Litehouse Ranch found in the produce section...it is peppery loveliness)
Salt, Pepper and Garlic seasoning to taste

Salt and pepper raw chickens. Place in roaster breast side down to keep breast moist and cover with foil.  Roast according to directions (usually 350 degrees for up to 2 hours) basting as needed and removing foil for last half hour.  Reserve any pan juices.

Allow chicken to cool completely (place in refrigerator overnight).  Shred chicken removing skin, bones, and all other yucky stuff.  Place in large mixing bowl with a little bit of the reserved pan juices to re-moisten chicken if dry.  Add about 2-3 large spoonfuls of mayo and 1-2 large spoonfuls of ranch dressing.  Start small because you can always add more.  Add celery and onion as desired (again, start small because you can always add more).  Salt, pepper and garlic to taste. 

*the key to good chicken salad is a mix of light and dark meat...it will not taste as good if you use only chicken breasts or canned chicken.  Use rotisserie chickens if you are short of time or afraid to roast a chicken

Okay, here is your enlightenment:

Balsamic Rosemary Chicken Salad
Omit ranch dressing (add more mayo)
Add 1-2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar to mayonnaise before mixing in with chicken.
Add crushed rosemary to your seasoning.
Serve on croissant with Swiss cheese and tomato (toast if desired)

Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes
Omit ranch dressing, celery, and red onion
Add curry powder to taste along more mayo than you would normally use to accommodate for the noodles and cashews.
Slice about one cup of green grapes in half
Finely chop 3-4 green onions
Just before serving add about one cup of La Choy fried noodles and 1/2 cup rough chopped cashews

Craisin Wild Rice Chicken Salad
Omit ranch dressing
Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked wild rice and increase mayo to accommodate for the rice
Add 1/2 to 1 cup of Craisin (Trader Joes's has the best sweetened, dried cranberries.  Use them if you can get your hands on them)
Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans just before serving
Add crushed rosemary with the salt, pepper, and garlic
Serve on croissant with provolone cheese (toast if desired)

Chicken Salad on a cracker
Make as above
spread on large crackers (pictured is Wheat Thins Tuscan Herb Flatbread)

 

Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend Makeover

 

1 package of Harvest Grain Blend from Trader Joes

Earth Balance Original Spread

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts

Olive oil

1 zucchini

salt and pepper to taste

Cook whole package of Harvest Grain Blend according to package directions (using Earth Balance spread in place of butter). Saute onion, garlic and pine nuts in 1 teas. olive oil for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add to grains. Salt and Pepper to taste. Saute zucchini in olive oil until just cooked (don't over cook). Salt and pepper to taste. Serve grains in a bowl making a well in top to hold zuchinni.

Soupa Ranchero**

After we had our second son our friend Jessica brought this soup to us.  Seven years later and I am still making this yummy soup regularly!  This mexican "rancher's soup" is chock full of veggies, protein and flavor!

1 med. onion, diced
2 teas. minced garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
8 cups vegetable broth
8 small red potatoes, skin on, quartered
1/2 zucchini chopped
1/2 summer squash chopped
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes (or fresh)
2 cans garbanzo beans (aka chick peas)
1 teas. cumin
2 teas. oregano
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onion is clear. Add vegetable broth and potatoes. Cook on high heat until potatoes are soft. Turn down to simmer and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with quartered limes. Enjoy!

**This version is vegan but you can make it with chicken and chicken broth if you prefer. Serve it with cheese and sour cream also!!

Pasta Primavegan

 2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
2 teas. minced garlic
1 can diced Italian seasoned tomatoes with juice
10 stalks asparagus cut into bite sized pieces, tough end removed (or zucchini or broccoli or carrots...basically whatever veggies you have in your fridge)
1 c. mushrooms
3/4 c. pine nuts
1 tbsp. oregano
drizzle with olive
sea salt
whole wheat or quinoa fettuccine

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in iron skillet until onions are clear. Add diced tomatoes and allow to simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Scoot tomatoes to open center of pan the sides to saute asparagus and mushrooms until tender. Mix all together and add pine nuts and oregano. Prepare fettuccine according to package directions. Add a little vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance) to the pasta if desired. Just before serving drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Please be kind and don't over cook you veggies.  If you are adding zucchini or summer squash, put it into the pan after your harder veggies are just soften and basically just warm them up.  Veggies just taste better with a little crunch!

Vegan Walnut and Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 Tbs. canola oil
2 cups walnuts
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups oat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
3 3.5-oz. bars bittersweet vegan chocolate, chopped, or 1½ cups vegan chocolate chips (12 oz.)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine meal. Add canola oil, and blend 2 to 3 minutes more, or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter, scraping down sides of food processor occasionally. Transfer to bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar and ½ cup water in small saucepan, and bring mixture to a boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter, add vanilla extract, and stir until no lumps remain.

4. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats, then chocolate chips.

5. Shape cookie dough into 2-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Credit for this recipe goes to Vegetarian Times!

Black Bean Skillet

1 c. brown rice
2 c. water

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. diced onion
1 teas. minced garlic
1 c. diced red pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, diced (remove the seeds to reduce heat)
1 c. corn
1 large tomato, diced
2 cans black beans with liquid
1 tbsp. chili
1 teas. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro for garnish
1 avocado sliced
lime quarters

In a medium saucepan bring water and brown rice to boil then simmer with lid on for 40 minutes. In a large skillet saute oil, onion, garlic and both peppers until onion is clear. Add corn, beans, tomato, chili, and vinegar. Simmer for 15- 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve with avocado slices and lime squeezed over top.

Eclair Icebox Cake

Okay...this is an emergency!!  Stop everything you are doing and make this delicious concoction of creamy, chocolatey goodness right now.  My friend Heather swears by this recipe for thousands of accolades at the neighborhood bbq.  We have made it several times now and my husband always has me make him a separate 8x8 pan because he never gets enough!

I will post a picture soon.   I just needed to get this posted for Mercy so she can recover from the disaster of a recipe that dared to have the same name as this one!!

Eclair Icebox Cake

Filling:
3 1/2 cups milk
2-3.8 oz. boxes FRENCH vanilla instant pudding
8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 box Honey Maid graham crackers

Chocolate Glaze:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (2 squares), finely chopped
2 teas. light karo syrup
2 teas. vanilla
3 tbsp. butter, melted
3 tbsp. milk
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1. Mix milk and pudding then fold in cool whip
2. In a 9x13 pan layer graham cracker, 1/2 of the pudding, then another layer of graham cracker, then the rest of the pudding, and one last layer of graham cracker.
3. Slowly melt chocolate, karo syrup, butter, and milk until all melted.  Remove from heat and mix in vanilla and powdered sugar.
4. Pour over last layer of graham cracker.
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight to 24 hours. The graham cracker should be soft.