Chicken Salad

Oh, how I LOVE chicken salad!
This is the best recipe I have tried. Recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
2 stalks (to 3 Stalks) Celery, Chopped
3 whole Green Onions, Chopped
2 cups (to 3 Cups) Grapes, Halved
A Small Handful Of Fresh Dill, Minced
½ cups Mayonnaise
½ cups Plain Yogurt Or Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Lemon Juice
Kosher Salt To Taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Rinse chicken thoroughly and place in a large pot of water. Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done (about 45 minutes to an hour). When you are ready, remove the chicken from the pot and place on a plate. With your fingers or a fork, pull all of the meat off the bones, chop into bite-sized chunks and set aside.
Chop all of your fruits and veggies and place them in a bowl with the chicken.
In another bowl mix mayonnaise, yogurt (or sour cream), lemon juice, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh herbs (dill, oregano, cilantro).
When the dressing tastes just right (you must taste test for appropriate saltiness especially), pour it over the chicken/veggie/fruit mixture and stir gently until everything is thoroughly mixed.
Allow the salad to chill for several hours (or even overnight). Serve on a bed of lettuce or in a sandwich. You’ll love it!

Oriental Chicken Salad

This recipe came from my friend and college roommate Jami. We made this our firs year at Ricks College and when it says to let it sit for 4 hours- it does not mean at room temperature :).This is one of my very favorite salads!

4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced ( I cook it in a crock-pot)
1 head cabbage
2 pkgs. chicken flavored Ramen noodles (broken in pieces)
1 pkg. frozen peas
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1 oz slivered almonds, toasted (broil 3 minutes)
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Sauce:
1 Top Ramen seasoning packet
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 C. Canola oil
6 Tbs. white vinegar

Mix sauce, pour over salad. Let it chill up to 4 hours before serving. Is excellent the second day.

Strawberry Filled Angel Food Cake

I can't remember the first time I had this cake. But I remember thinking it was dangerously delicious. My Mom made this for every birthday since...once again I can't remember! It has become my traditional birthday cake. Since I have had to make it myself I appreciate my Mom so much for all the times she made this for me. I have the best Mom!

THE CAKE...
ANGEL Food Cake

1 1/2	C. powdered sugar
1	C. white flour (use cake flour if you have it)
1 1/2	C. egg whites (about 10-12)
1 1/2	tsp. cream of tartar
1	C. granulated sugar
1 1/2	tsp. vanilla
1/2	tsp. almond extract (optional)
1/4	tsp. salt

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	Set one dozen eggs on counter for 30 minutes. They whip up better when they are closer to room temperature. Be careful to keep all egg yolks out when you separate so it will whip up better. Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 375ºF.
	Sift powdered sugar and flour together 3 times; set aside. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Beat in granulated sugar,tablespoons at a time, on high speed, adding vanilla, almond extract and salt with the last addition of sugar. Continue beating until stiff and glossy meringue forms. Do not underbeat.
	Lightly sprinkle sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over meringue, folding in just until sugar-flour mixture disappears. Push batter into ungreased angel food cake pan (tube pan), 10x4 inches. Cut gently through batter with metal spatula.
	Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cracks feel dry and top springs back when touched lightly. Immediately turn pan upside down onto heatproof funnel or bottle. Let hang about 2 hours or until cake is completely cool. Loosen side of cake with knife or long, metal spatula; remove from pan.

I made the cake the night before.
Whip 1 pint heavy whipping cream adding about 1/2 C. brown sugar as you beat it. If you beat it too long you will have butter. You want it to form soft peaks.
When cake is cool, hollow out a "tunnel" around the inside of the cake (as shown in picture below).

Break or cut removed cake into small pieces.

Mix together 1 1/2 C. sliced strawberries and 1/2 of whipped cream with broken cake pieces.

Fill tunnel and center of cake with this mixture.

Use remaining whipped cream to frost the cake. Decorate with strawberries. Refrigerate until serving.

Quick Guacamole

1 Avacado
1 Roma Tomato
1/4 - 1/2 red onion

Chop in hand chopper until smooth. No need to add salt...tortilla chips have plenty of it!
We served this with Sand Dune Tacos tonight.

homemade WHOLE wheat Tortillas

This is the best tortilla recipe I have used for whole wheat. The trick is getting them to look good! Recipe from Fashionably Foodie.

homemade tortillas

2 cups flour (whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup oil
2/3 cup HOT water

Grind wheat. Combine whole wheat flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a Kitchenaid.
Mix to combine. Add oil and hot water ( heat water in a tea kettle until almost boiling.) Mix to combine. If your dough comes together in a ball, you're all set.I f your dough is still stiff and not coming together, add water by the Tablespoonful until it does.
Get a dishtowel soaking wet and wring it out. Place dough in a ball under the wet towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, divide dough into 8-10 balls and flatten like little discs. leave them under the dishtowel while you are rolling out the tortillas.
Heat a cast-iron or stainless skillet on high while you roll the tortillas. After you get going, you may need to lower the heat a bit. you can also use a griddle (electric pancake griddle,) but crank it to the max temperature setting.
Lightly dust your rolling surface with flour. Roll tortillas* into circles, starting from the center every time and rolling outwards, turning between rolls to get even circles. Dust more flour underneath or on tortillas as needed. Roll tortillas as thinly as you can, preferably as thin as paper.
Cook tortillas on both sides, watching carefully. You should get little brown spots if your pan is hot enough.
Immediately put the tortillas in a ziploc bag with the zipper part wide open, or in a tortilla warmer. This will keep them soft!

Potato Wedges

Becca- this is for you

Scrub potatoes.
Cut into wedges. Place on lightly grease cookie sheet with skins on bottom. Spray potatoes with Olive Oil cooking spray. Lightly prinkle with salt. Bake @ 425˚ for 45 min- 1hour. Poke them with a fork to see if they are tender inside and cook longer if needed. Serve with fry sauce (1 Tbs. mayonnaise + 3 Tbs. Ketchup).

Broccoli Salad

I made this for Easter dinner. I modified a recipe from Joe's Mom.

3 bunches of broccoli (can substitute cauliflower)
6 green onions chopped
1 medium red onion diced
1/2 lb. Crumbled Bacon
1/2 C. Craisins
1/2 C. Sunflower Seeds

Combine:
3/4 C. Mayonnaise
1/3 C. Vinegar
1/3 C. Sugar

Pour dressing mixture over salad.
Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before serving.