Chicken Salad

Pretty excited, today is my first official blog post. When the site was created I had put up a few favorite recipes. Now I will share a house favorite. It is gluten free, travels well and a great lunch. Best of all it is really easy to make.

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breasts

2/3 cup celery (diced)

1 cup (+) red grapes

1 t poultry seasoning

2/3 cup mayonnaise (Hellmanns)

salt and pepper to taste

Remove any noticeable fat or veins from the chicken. Add to a large pot of water that completely covers the chicken. Bring the chicken to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes. Make sure chicken is no longer pink.

While the chicken is cooking dice the celery and cut the grapes in half. Put aside.

Remove chicken from the water and dice. Add to bowl or storage container. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and stir in mayonnaise while the chicken is still hot. Stir in the grapes and celery and you are ready to go!

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

4 c. Chicken stock

2c. Water

2/2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

Two small onions sliced

2-3 stalks Celery sliced

3 med carrots sliced

1 bay leaf 

1 tbsp oregano

3 whole garlic cloves   

5 oz fresh baby spinach

Cooked Rice or pasta in Chicken broth or bouillon 
Parmesan cheese 

Instructions:

Turn instant pot on sauté. Add stock, water, chicken, onion, carrots, bay leaf, oregano, and garlic. Turn pot to soup/stew for 35 minutes. 

Rapid release pressure and remove chicken. Shredded chicken and add back to pot with the spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve over rice or pasta if you wish with a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

Roasted Brussel Sprout Pomegranate Salad

1 lb Brussel sprouts halved and cleaned 

3 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1 medium garlic clove minced 

Salt pepper 

Combine in roasting pan and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then broil for 5 minutes to crisp. May appear burnt but fear not!

Top with:

3 strips of chopped bacon 

1/3 cup toasted almond 

(Roast in oven at 400 for 12 minutes)

Crumbled blue cheese 

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

1cup quinoa

2cups water

Boil- simmer 15 mins.

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lime juice

2teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

Whisk

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cup cherry tomato halves

1 - 15 oz  black beans rinsed

5 green onions chopped

1/4 cup cilantro 

Salt

Pepper

Beef Chili

3 lbs ground beef
2 large onions diced and browned (omitted if you give some to your dog )

Brown 

Add:

4-5 cans tomato soup 
2-3 cans dark kidney beans 
Bring to a slight boil

Make a paste of:

3T flour
6T chili powder
1T garlic salt (or add about 3 cloves to the hamburger)

Add about one cup of water to make a paste.  Stir in chili.

Simmer for at least 1 hour

Serve over rice with diced scallions, grated cheese, jalapenos and sour cream 

Corn Salsa

Ingredients

One box frozen shoe peg corn

One red pepper-cut the size of a piece of corn

One can black beans drained and rinsed

Small Red onion. Diced about half of the onion

Cilantro chopped. About 1/4 cup

Dressing

1/4 cup cider vinegar 

1 to 2 garlic cloves crushed or chopped very small

2 teaspoons Cumin

1/2 - 1 teaspoon coriander and cardamom (optional)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2/3 cup olive oil

Ground pepper

Mix dressing very well and pour over salsa

Ratatouille

Vegetable mix

1 yellow pepper cut into 3/4 inch squares

1 red pepper cut into 3/4 inch squares

1 eggplant cut into 3/4 inch cubes

2 zucchini cut into 3/4 inch cubes

 2 yellow summer squash cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1/2 pound portobello or other mushrooms cut into 3/4 inch pcs.

2 shallots  halved length wise

2 garlic cloves peeled

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 450.  In large roasting pan combine vegetables. Toss with oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Roast, stirring occasionally, until soften and begins to brown,  about  25 minutes.

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves finely minced

2 29 oz cans petite diced tomatoes 

1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce

2 teaspoons dried parsley

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In medium sauce pan heat oil over moderate heat.  Add garlic.  When the garlic becomes fragrant add tomatoes, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened about an hour.

Combine the roasted vegetables and the sauce.   Serve over cooked rice or pasta.