my very favorite chicken salad recipe

 its summer. don't ya know?
and this is one my very favorite make in the summer and eat in the backyard sort of lunches.
Or a you spent the morning at art camps, swim lessons, outings, and thank the Lord the kids are down for a nap type lunches.... its just really yummy and my very favorite is to pile it high on rosemary olive oil bread... with a side of fruit.

anyways.. Enough babbling. My preferred chicken salad recipe...

2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup pecans (optional)
1 small minced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Miracle Whip

Directions:
1 Combine all ingredients; chill.

2 Serve with just about anything- crackers, chips, rolls, bread

Rosemary Chicken Potato Pizza

READ THIS ALL FIRST:  years ago CPK had this on there menu, it was my first CPK item I ever ate.. and I was hooked, and then shortly they got rid of it, and I've dreamed of it fairly regulary since then...

let me warn you, this is not a meal made easy, this is A LOT of work, but is so beyond worth it.......
this is so flavor packed, and delcious and also really pretty fussy pizza.....

so when you have loads of free time, make this, or if you love someone an awful lot .. make this... or if I come over, make this...
I've simplified it, to make it doable for our family, if you want the full recipe, google it, but this is my... easier version chopped up into days version... so that we can eat this at least every few weeks, until I burn us out of it.

We break this pizza up into two days.... the first night we have grilled chicken ior soemthing else.. this recipe includes enough for that night too..

We marinate it with
5 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
5 Tablespoons olive oil
5 chicken breasts (only 2 are for the pizza)

we grill the chicken, and chop up 2 of the breasts, and refrigerate for tomorrow. We use the other three for salads, wraps, or just grilled chicken, etc...

Several hours before dinner the next day -
I make the potatoes

1/2 lb red pototates
1 TB minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 TB olive oil

I use my mandolin to slice these potatoes very thinly and place them in a ziploc bag, I add everything else, and shake to coat. Then I put foil on a pan and put the potoates on there in a single slice, do not put extra marinade, just toss it. Then I put in at 325. The original recipe says for 45 minutes, but mine takes about 30 so watch it, you want them cooked through and golden but not burned. Remove from pan, and let cool on plate with paper towels to absorb grease, do not refrigerate.

About an hour before serving time:  we use a refrigerated crust from TJ's on this pizza and we remove it from the fridge to roll out easier.  Plus preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then we begin the Shallot butter (oh sweet yum)

5 TB butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 TB minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch white pepper
1/2  cup white wine
1 TB lemon juice
1 teaspoon of chicken stock (or from boulionn cube)

to make it:
melt 1 TB butter in a pan over med heat
add shallot, garlic + thyme
cook until mixture turns light brown 7-8 minutes
add salt + pepper + wine + lemon juice + chicken stock
cook until mixture is reduce to 1/2 cup (toward the end reduce heat to low and stir frequently
remove from heat, quickly whisk in remaining 4TB of butter


Now its time to make the pizza:  Other ingredients:
pizza crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozerella
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley


Roll out the crust to your lovely round size, and put on your stone.
Then brush on the shallot butter on the crust.
Thn add mozerella.
Then add garlic chicken.
Then sprinkle the rosemary and oregano over chicken.
Then add the potatoes
Then bake for 12-15 minutes
Then sprinkle parsley.

Then eat... Finally. You'll love it.

walnut peach rainy day monkey bread

this morning it was drizzling, we needed something warm

we are low on groceries to I made this little thing up...

it was warm + good.

1/3 cup butter or margerine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cans of the small refrigerated biscuits, halved
1 peach, cubed into small peices

heat oven to 375 butter a fluted pan
In small bowl, microwave and melt butter then add brown sugar and mix
Dump mix into the bottom of the fluted pan.
Sprinkle with half the pecans.

In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon.

Roll biscuit peices in sugar mixture and and place half of them in the pan.

Sprinkle remaining nuts, and then all the peaches.

Arrange remaining coated biscuit peices on top.
Bake 33-35 minutes or until golden.

Turn pan upside down on serving platter.

Eat.

the seabrook watch what you say breakfast stratta

or also more plainly known as the basil breakfast stratta.

there are rumors on the internet floating around about the things I said about this stratta, yes its that good.

So knock yourself out and make this for brunch ASAP... its so different than anything else and so yummy.

the recipe originally came from this dear friend and was devoured in a cottage by the sea with tons of lovely girlfriends... what gets better than that.

1 c. milk

1/2 c. dry white wine (Courtney is bringing this)
1 day old French bread loaf, cut into 1/2 inch slices (see note)
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
2 c. arugula (1 bunch) or spinach
3 T. olive oil
1 pound sliced havarti cheese
3 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c. pesto (Courtney is also bringing this)
4 eggs, beaten
salt + pepper to taste
1/2 c. heavy or whipping cream

1. One day before serving, mix the milk and wine in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 or 2 slices of the bread in the milk mixture. Gently squeeze as much milk as possible from the bread without tearing it.

2. Place the bread in a 12 inch round dish and cover with a slice of prosciutto, several arugula leaves dipped in olive oil, several slices of cheese, and a few tomato slices. Drizzle sparingly with pesto. Repeat the layering, overlapping the bread slices slightly, until the dish is filled.

3. Beat the eggs with salt + pepper to taste and pour evenly over the layers in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. The following day, remove the dish from refrigerator and let warm to room temperature

5. Preheat over to 350 degrees

6. Drizzle the top with the cream and bake until puffy and browned- about 45 minutes-1 hour. Serve immediately.

heck yeah bacon wrapped shrimp

Just say that outloud and you will want to run to the market and buy the biggest praws you can find just to devour them.

These we tried this year on our fourth of july menu.
They were straight from heaven.

I think I said out loud in front of guests. THESE ARE AWESOME!!!

cause well.. they were and wickedly easy, and every man.... had seconds and thirds, and possibly fourths..

large 10-12 or 16-20 count prawns (depending on what your budget can handle and what the store has that week)
bacon (not thick cut)
Montreal Steak Seasoning
BBQ Sauce
toothpicks

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Okay so deshell, detail your shrimp, rinse in cold water and shake off excess water (in colander).

Toss shrimp with Montreal Steak Seasoning
Slice the bacon in half.
Wrap bacon peice around the shrimp and slip toothpick threw to hold the bacon on.
Brush on both sides BBQ sauce.
Cover cookie sheet in foil.
Put shrimp right on the metal rack .. ( I actually place mine on cookie cooling rack, but its oven safe and its easy to move in and out oven) with a the foil covered cookie sheet right below it to catch drips. This way they get crispy don't sit in their own grease and are all around awesome.

Back for 10 to 15 minutes depending on your oven.

Pull them out of oven.
Serve hot.
Gain weight.. Yum.

happy summer peach sangria (non alchoholic)

this has been a total favorite of mine this summer... Why?

its pretty
its delicious
its super fast
it gets lots of compliments


1 one packet of powdered peach tea
1 cup OJ
some sliced peaches
handfull of blueberries


Make the tea according to directions
add OJ
toss in fruit.

stir.
put it in pretty glass with ice

and enjoy..

I like to have this ready for company or just cause when Nick gets home from work..

Strawberry Spinach Salad

this is my Aunts recipe, I like it. I change it. Its a staple. The dressings lasts awhile... make it, it just feels like spring & summer...

dressing

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
chopped green onions
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt

mix togethor refrigerate overnight (the flavors blend better, sometimes in a pinch I don't though)

toss with Spinach leaves, sliced strawberries & pecans
sometimes we change this up, and add feta or walnuts instead, or almonds, or whatever is on hand. :)

bbq chicken chopped salad

we heart cpk. can you tell with my last few posts

here is a favorite dish of ours
now EASILY made at home
and pretty.. and delicious.

make it. you will not be sorry, ever.

corn tortilla strips
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 TB olive oil
1 TB garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays)
10 ounces mixed chopped greens romaine and iceburg
1/8 cup fresh basil
1/2 lb jicima cut into strips
1 cup monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup black beans, drained
1/2 cup corn kernels, drained
1/2 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
1 lb tomatoe, diced
1/4 cup scallions, thinly diced (we leave this off sometimes)

Make the chicken: stir together olive oil, garlic, soy sauce and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in the marinade and let sit for 15 minutes. Grill the breasts until cooked through. Cut into strips, and toss with barbecue sauce. ** If you are extra lazy you can use some precooked chicken chop, and then toss with BBQ sauce.. Im just saying.

In a large mixing bowl, toss togetrher lettuce, basil, jicama, cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, dressing and tortilla strips. Transfer to chilled plates.

Surround each salad with tomatoes and chips, top each salad with chicken and drizzle with barbecue sauce.Garnish with scallions and bacon. 

Tah Dah. Take a Bow.
 

Bryans Chicken - Carrabbas

Sometimes I browse recipezaar and this one just sounded good, apparently its a dish from a restaurant chain Carrabbas which we don't have here... and was rated pretty highly.. so tonight I gave it a shot.

Holy Moley it was amazing... a new favorite for sure, we most definetely enjoyed this treat of a dinner, the mix of flavors is so rich, and we just kept saying WOW.. its that good. Would be perfect for a romantic date night, or just because you have been working out in the yard all day and need something hearty, like we did! :)

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

***Chicken***
6 large chicken breasts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces goat cheese, softened to room temperature
 
***Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce***
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

 

Directions:

Prepare the Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce: Place butter, garlic, and onion in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté until garlic and onion are tender and transparent. Add white wine and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer to reduce by half. Reduce heat to low. Add cold butter one piece at a time. Add sun-dried tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper and stir to blend ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare the Chicken: Reduce charcoal briquettes to white-hot coals. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken over hot coals 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through. Divide goat cheese evenly between chicken breasts, placing some on each breast for the last two minutes of cooking. Place cooked chicken on serving platter and spoon Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce over chicken.

Sun Dried Tomatoe Flank Steak Pinwheels & Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

I have been loving Sandra Lee Semi Homemade, easy quick delicious, right up my alley.

Serves 4 - 6
INGREDIENTS:
STEAK
1 2/3 cups canned beef broth,

3/4 cup ready-to-use julienne sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil
1/4 cup butter

1 package (6.6-ounce) stuffing mix

1 1/4-pound skirt steak
Salt and pepper

ROSEMARY MASHED POTATOES
2 packages (11 ounces each) refrigerated prepared mashed potatoes,
6 tablespoons butter,

1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Prep time: 12minutes

Cooking time: 50minutes

PREPARATION:

Steak Preparation:
Bring broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Stir in contents of stuffing mix pouch.
Cover saucepan and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
Fluff stuffing with fork. Cool stuffing.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lay steak flat on clean work surface.
Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper.
Cover steak evenly with stuffing.
Roll up steak lengthwise to create a pinwheel effect, enclosing stuffing completely.
Skewer seam with toothpicks.
Place the steak roll, seam side down, on a foil-covered cookie sheet.
Sprinkle roll with salt and pepper.
Roast until steak is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes Preparation:
Meanwhile, peel back corners of potato packages.
Warm potatoes in microwave according to package instructions.
Mix in butter, milk, and rosemary.
Season potatoes to taste with salt and pepper

*enjoyed this dish, the flavor is fantastic, however our meat cooked ALOT faster than this. I checked it and it had 20 minutes left, and it was done. Our store also only had some round steaks cut thinly so that might be why, but it was a very good meal, and pretty on the plate.

With the round steak it was also a very inexpensive meal for 4, my total was about $7.00, can't beat that.

Angel Chicken

This is for Lisa who requested Crockpot recipes that weren't beef stew etc. Anyone else have any to share? This is wonderfully delicous and not so healthy, but I get it requested by family and friends fairly regularly and it couldn't be any easier. In fact this is what we served at our recent engagement dinner for friends, with sparkling salad a garden salad and some great bread. So easy and leaves plenty of time to ummm ya know.. CLEAN THE HOUSE!

Angel Chicken

6 skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup butter
1.7 ounce package of Italian salad dressing mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup dry white wine
½ 8 ounce cream cheese
Cooked angel hair pasta

Place chicken in crock-pot. In med saucepan melt butter. Then stir in dry salad dressing mix. Stir in soup, wine, cream cheese until combined. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Serve over pasta

*Very easy, very rich tasting. Also this is a large portion but the sauce alones freezes great and then you just pop one out of the freezer stick in microwave and cook noodles. Still just as good!

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts for Two

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts for Two
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing, divided
2 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves
2/3 cup STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken in the Canister
1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped roasted red peppers
2 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1/4 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese


PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Bring water and 1 Tbsp. of the dressing to boil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in spinach, stuffing mix and peppers; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Set aside.


PLACE chicken, top-sides down, on large cutting board; spread evenly with stuffing mixture. Starting at one of the short ends, tightly roll up each chicken breast. Place, seam-sides down, in 8-inch square baking dish. Brush with remaining 1 Tbsp. dressing.


BAKE 35 min. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through (170°F).

*This is suprsingly yummy and pretty on the plate, it literally turns out looking just like the picture. Seems more dressed up and difficult than it really is.

Apple Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Apple Brown Sugar Pork Chops

4 boneless 1-inch thick pork tenderloins
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine ingredients in a plastic bag or bowl.
Marinade pork chops in refrigerator (anywhere from an hour to overnight).
Grill over direct medium heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once.
Serve with rice (if desired).

* I baked this as a previous poster had said on 350 covered for 30 min and then added reserve and then for 20 minutes. I only marinaded these for 1 hour and still fantastic. Photo and recipe from receipezaar.

Easy Thai Chicken Pasta

Not authentic but we like it just the same.
1 lb linguine
1/3 cup sesame oil, plus
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrot combination thawed
5 servings
Change to: servings US Metric

52 minutes 35 mins prep

In a large pot, cook the linguine by following the package directions; rinse and drain; set aside.
In the same large pot, heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil.
Over medium-high heat, saute the chicken for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, cream, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, 1/3 cup sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and red pepper; set aside.
Add the vegetables to the pot with the chicken; saute 4-5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Add the cooked linguine and peanut butter mixture to the pot; toss until coated.
Lower heat and cook 3-5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated but do not boil.

I subsituted the chicken with shrimp and used only 1/4 cup sesame oil. This is good and spicey. A little bit time consuming, but we love CPK's thai shrimp pasta, and the flavors are suprisingly similar. Enjoy.

Sweet Chicken Skewers With Peanut Dip

Honey, ginger, garlic, peanut butter, teriyaki and cilantro flavor these so fine that I know you'll want to try them! Be sure to soak skewers on water or apple juice for 30 minutes before skewering chicken. Serve as an appetizer, on a bed of greens or a meal.

1/3 cup hot apple juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce (lite is fine)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup honey
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 servings

17 minutes 10 mins prep

Wisk all the ingredients but the chicken together.
Place chicken in a zip lock bag add just enough marinade to coat the chicken and chill for 1 hour.
Chill rest of sauce for dipping.
Skewer chicken in a ribbon method onto soaked skewers.
Grill on a well seasoned grill over med-high heat for about 7 minutes. Basting with marinade the chicken was inches.
Serve with chilled dip and fresh sliced cucumbers!


Had these for a fellowship night at our house and they were devoured, the dip was good as well! :)

Florentine Shrimp & Pasta

Florentine Shrimp Pasta

2 boxes (9 oz each) frozen boil-in-bag creamed spinach
12 oz penne pasta (31/2 cups)
1 lb peeled, cleaned large shrimp

Serves 4

Active: 5 min/Total: 15 min

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spinach pouches; return to a boil. Add pasta; cook as pasta package directs.2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and 1/8 tsp pepper. Cook 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat.3. Scoop out 1/2 cup pasta cooking water; remove spinach. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add spinach, shrimp and 1/8 tsp pepper; toss to mix, gradually adding reserved water if needed to moisten.

TIPS- I buy whatever creamed spinach is on sale, off brand or that Jolly Green guy.. :) If its the one in the bag I follow those directions, if its microwavable I just start in while the noodles are cooking. This meal is literally about 15 minutes begining to end, no lie. I also add some garlic powder, and lemon juice to the shrimps while they are cooking. Also as a silly side note, I do this meal the night before trash day, since I don't like shrimp tails, in my trash for long...! This recipe is from www.womansday.com

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
corn tortillas
4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 jar of salsa (16 ounces)
1 can green chiles
Grated Cheese Mexican blend, or your favorite.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chicken, soup, chiles, and salsa in bowl. Grease a 9x13 pan.
Place a layer of corn tortillas, then layer of chicken mixture, then layer of cheese, then repeat.
Bake 30-45 minutes.

Extra Tips:
This meal is super easy, you can always bake chicken up the night before if your in a rush. This is perfect for taking to someone after a baby, or during illness etc. This is a great meal to bake up some extra chicken breasts, for a meal a couple nights later. You can also make up early and have in fridge before guests come over, then pop in oven. Make life easy!