orchard chicken salad

No soggy, mushy limp salads for us! You know what I mean, the kind of egg, tuna, or chicken salad the is just a small amount of mostly mayo flavor. There it sits. The only way to add any texture was to slip a pixels of lettuce in, and hope for a touch of crunch.

I love chicken. It's so diverse. You can do anything with chicken, add anything to it, and cook it 100 different ways. So, I was bored a few months ago. We were painting the house, and it was so hot. I didn't want to heat up the house. I put my paint roller and brush in a bag, and told my hubby I was going to make dinner.

I looked at the hams, steaks, and even the seafood we had just had delivered. Nothing looked good. Then I saw the apples, and celery. Now that I can use. We are getting somewhere. I grabbed a few fresh veggies, a few strips of baccon, and the package of chicken breasts. Let's make a chicken salad, but one with life, color, and texture!
Are you with me? Good, let's cook!

I started some water boiling for the chicken, and tossed a few slices of baccon in the frying pan, while I chopped, and chopped, and did I mention chopped?

This is one of those recipes where you need to have a slap chopper. It isn't quiet, but its quick and effective.

Chop up two apples, add a few cups raisins. Then dice up your boiled chicken breast and crumble your baccon into your bowl.

Add your favorites. Anything goes. One small red onion, one green bell pepper, celery, heck, why not add a bit of pineapple if you want?

Add 3 Tbs of Italian dressing and 3 Tbs of ranch. Salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, sky's the limit here, it is your chicken salad!

Add garlic powder. We are so blessed here in town. There is this older Italian gentlemen, who roasted, smokes, dries, and grinder garlic. That's all he does is garlic powder. He only charges $3.00 for his unbelievable aromatic, heavenly concoction. I have to sprinkle this into all my cooking. Oh the smell!!!! Here, I'll get it closer, can you smell that!!! It's amazing, right?

I ran out to the garden and grabbed a few spring onions, dice and chop...

At this point all your ingredients are in. I make my own mayo, so I don't like to leave it on the counter long. Add a small bit, and stir with a fork. Add until you have the consistency you desire, and either serve on warm rolls, or chill for a few hours to allow flavors to marry. I prefer it warm and fresh, but it is very good the next day too.

Here's a peak at this salad, on a Buttery buttermilk roll. Oh what a combination!! Serve with a green salad, or a cranberry salad, or maybe some sliced fruit. I think it is absolutely perfect with a cranberry orange walnut salsa, but y'all have to wait for that post!!!
Happy chopping!!!

Stuffed lasagna pastry

Do any of you go to Strings Italian Cafe? I fell in love with their salad 12 years ago. I just love it. They have another enticing item on their menu, the whole family likes. I decided one day to figure out how to make it at home, and after only two tries, it worked. It is a lasagna stuffed pastry.

First, make your family favorite lasagna, and save the leftovers in the fridge. Wait two days, so it dries up a little bit. Then all you'll need is to make puff pastry dough, or purchase it in the freezer section of your grocer. I haven't mastered puff pastry dough, so I still buy mine! You will also need a bit of marinaria and alfreado sauce, an egg, and some garlic powder. Ready? Let's cook!

Cut out as many squares of lasagna as you will need. Then cut your pastry dough to about double the size of your piece of lasagna.

Place the lasagna in the center of your dough square and seal up the sides and bottom, tucking and pinching until the whole thing is a ball with no openings.

Place on a baking sheet with the seams down. Cut two vents into the top of your pastry. Soak garlic powder into an egg white, and brush onto the entire pastry.

Follow baking instructions on the package of the puff pastry, or bake at 350 until completely golden brown. Place hot pastry on a plate, and pour alfreado on one side, and marinaria on the other. Serve with a crisp green salad! Enjoy and happy cooking!