New Years Chicken Salad!

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Happy New Years to everyone!! Today's recipe is the perfect light meal to start the new year off right. I wish I had started this years blogging off right also, but here is what happened.~I put this chicken salad recipe together. As I was just about done, I realized I had no cheese. I mean, you don't need cheese, but I think it adds a lot to the recipe. So I went to the store and picked up the cheese. Of course, you know I couldn't buy just cheese! Oh no, I had to spend 30 minutes, just browsing, picking up this and that, basically accomplishing nothing. I get home, and I make the sandwich, take the pictures, and begin to eat my creation. What's wrong?~Where is the avocado? I have to have the avocado on this sandwich. It's healthy. It's good for me. It has to be a part of this sandwich. Also, I love avocados, and I try to eat one everyday. I have to have the avocado.!!! So I make another sandwich. No problem, they are little, after all. And most of the pictures are of the ingredients being put together, so this can still work!!  I take the pictures of the avocado on the sandwich. They look really nice. I'm using a new camera I got from my husband for Christmas. I love this camera. It works great, and takes better pictures than my last camera! So, now I am downloading the pictures onto my computer from the card. Everything is good. I start to write this post. I go to put the pictures on my post~There are no pictures! What!!  What is happening? I find out that I have erased every picture having to do with this recipe!! I can't believe it! I just sit here dumbfounded for a few minutes. Then I figure, I better at least make another sandwich so I can photograph it! The good news? I downloaded Christmas pictures onto my computer at the same time, and I didn't lose any of those!! So, all was not lost! So, I am sorry for the lack of pictures for this post. I will try to make up for it next time!

This chicken salad recipe is one I came up with as an alternative to using mayo. I love everything in this recipe, and it is really good anytime of year. I hope you like it also!

New Years Chicken Salad

1/2 pound Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup Craisins

2 tablespoons Slivered Almonds

1/2 Roma Tomato, chopped small

1/2 Avocado, sliced

1 slice Sargento Baby Swiss(per sandwich)

Oroweat Sandwich Thins Minis 100% Whole Wheat

Mix all the ingredients together. Build the sandwich
starting with the chicken salad, top with 3 slices of avocado,
and a slice of cheese, cut in half.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining The Freshman Cook today!

Strawberry Avocado Salad!

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Our second fruit inspired dish of this weeks menu is a Strawberry Avocado Salad! This is a simple salad with a delicious vinaigrette that lingers on your tongue, and when it mixes with the slightly sweet strawberry and the creamy goodness of the avocado, it's remarkable! Plus, it's pretty!

 

Strawberry Avocado Salad

(Makes 2 Salads)

1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon minced Shallots

1 1/2 tablespoon Granulated Sugar

3 tablespoon Sherry Cooking Wine

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of Salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Avocado

Romaine Lettuce

1 cup Strawberries

Mix the sherry and the mustard in a bowl and whisk.

Chop off both ends of the shallot.

Ready to chop.

Cut slices off of the end of the shallot.

Slice the shallot into pieces.

Cut the shallot in the opposite direction, then measure.

Add the shallots to the bowl along with the sugar.

Drizzle the oil in while you whisk it all together.

I used 2 leaves of lettuce for each salad. 

Wash lettuce and cut off the ends.

Slice the romaine into four strips.

Slice the other way until all the lettuce is chopped.

Place the chopped lettuce in the middle of 

your plate.

Wash the strawberries

and dry them with a towel.

 

Trim the strawberries

Slice them in half.

Cut the avocado in half by cutting around the seed on the

outside, then pull apart.

Slice the avocado into 4 pieces. 

To get the avocado out, scoop with

a spoon.

Top your lettuce with the avocado slices.

Place your strawberries  on the lettuce.

Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

Tomorrow we will be making Orange Chicken!

Hope to see you then!!

Blue Cheese Caesar Salad

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This weeks salad dish is a remake of a treasured standard. The dressing has a great flavor, and the chunks of blue cheese definitely make it look pretty.  I think I may be starting to prefer it more than the original. Let's see what you think!

Blue Cheese Caesar Salad
(adapted from Perfect Party Food)

1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 cup Olive Oil

1 cup Blue Cheese, crumbled

Romaine Lettuce

Slivered Almonds

Let's make the dressing first! 

Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire,

mustard, and pepper. Blend well.

Little by little, whisk in the oil and the the blue cheese.

Refrigerate the dressing for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours 

before serving.

Chop or tear the romaine lettuce.

Top with the dressing.

Sprinkle the almonds all over the salad.

When you are not having this salad as a part of a meal,

it can become the meal by adding pieces of chicken breast.

Enjoy!!

Tomato Feta Pasta Salad

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This weeks salad is so refreshing and cool tasting. I don't know if that is a thing, but it does taste cool, like a breeze! You are going to love it.!!

Dill and Garlic Dressing

(adapted from Perfect Party Food by Diane Phillips)

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Sugar

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons Dillweed

2 teaspoons dried Oregano

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

Mix together the veggie oil, olive oil, & the red wine vinegar.

Whisk.

(Isn't that pretty?)

Add the sugar and garlic. Whisk.

Add the dillweed, dried oregano, & pepper. Whisk.

Refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hrs. before serving.

Let's make our pasta salad!

You need 8 oz. of Radiatore pasta.

Fill a pot with water, and pour in a teaspoon of oil.

Bring the water to a boil.

Cook the pasta for 9-11 minutes.

Drain, cool and refrigerate.

Now, let's put it all together!!

1 roma tomato

1/2 cucumber

1/4 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

1/4 cup chopped Red Onion

Cooked Radiatore Pasta

Peel the cucumber.

 Slice the cucumber.

Slice each slice in half.

Add the pasta, cucumbers, and red onions in a bowl.

Chop the top and bottom off the tomato.

Cut it in half, then cut each half into 4 pieces.

Cut the pieces crosswise, so it is diced.

Add the tomatoes to the bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of dressing to the salad. Mix it up.

Add more dressing if you think it needs it.

Top with feta cheese.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

I hope you will join me tomorrow when we

will be making 

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo!

See you then!

Peachy Garden Fresh Salad w/ Champagne Vinaigrette

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This weeks salad is a delicious garden salad made with romaine  lettuce and topped with peaches and champagne vinaigrette. Summer in a salad!

 Champagne Vinaigrette

1/4 cup Champagne Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 tablespoon fresh Lime Juice

1 fresh Lime Zest, finely grated 

Salt & Pepper

We want to make the vinaigrette first. It needs to refrigerate 

for at least 1/2 hour before serving. With vinaigrette, there is never

too much refrigeration! So, pour the champagne vinegar in a bowl.

Add the dijon mustard, and whisk.

Add the vegetable oil and olive oil.

Zest the lime into a small bowl, then put into the bowl

with the oils, and whisk.

Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl, and whisk.

Add salt and pepper. and refrigerate. If there is not enough

champagne taste to satisfy you, add up to another 1/4 cup

of champagne vinaigrette.

 Put together your salad, by chopping the romaine,

add a couple grape tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and chop 

up a peach. Serve with vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

Tomorrow we will be making a

Strawberry Trifle!

Hope to see you then!