Bewitchin' in the Kitchen

Tuna and Egg Salad

 
With the temps reaching dangerously close to triple digits here in middle Tennessee, I don't want to cook anything that requires an oven that might heat up the house. Thank goodness for tuna salad!

I love it because it's delicious, nutritious, and easy to make. What I don't like is tuna in a can, but hey, I'm not a princess. I can make do. However, I've found the strong, fishy taste of tuna goes a long way. It only takes a little so not to overwhelm the other flavors.

And I've found this to be the best recipe to enjoy tuna salad.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 can tuna in water, drained
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 6 eggs, boiled, peeled and chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• chopped pecans or sliced almonds, optional

Sidebar:  You know the economy is bad when a southern cook who swears by Hellmann's Mayonnaise has switched to a generic. In lean times, everyone has sacrifices to make. However, there has been a trade-off. Even though prepared food coming in to the kitchen has been generic, the produce and eggs have come from the local farmer's market walking distance from my house. The flavors of just-pick fruits and veggies along with eggs from happy, free-range farm pets are amazing!!!

Preparation

 
 
Mix, chill, serve on lettuce or in a homegrown, cored tomato or on homemade sourdough bread. The longer you chill, the better the flavors marry, but who can wait?  Yum!

 
 
Fine enough to serve company.

Oriental Chicken Salad

Especially in the summertime when fresh from the garden fruits and veggies are in season, I try to see how many colors I can consume in one day. As for counting calories, fruit and veggie calories don't count. The more the merrier!!

I especially like to use a variety of veggies in soups, salad, stir-frys and for roasting. This recipe I'll share below is one of my all-time favorite salad recipes. Say it all together now, "DE - LISH!"

 

Oriental Chicken Salad

For the salad:

2 packages ramen noodle mix, Chicken or Oriental flavor, toasted and flavor packet set aside for dressing
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 package tri-color coleslaw mix
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
6 green onions, whites & green, chopped
vinaigrette dressing (recipe below)

Heat oven to 350 F.  Break up the ramen noodles and place them and the almonds on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 6 minutes, or until the noodles and almonds turn light brown.

Place slaw mix, chicken, cilantro, and green onions in a large serving bowl or layered on individual plates. 

 
 

Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.  Scatter the toasted almonds and noodles on top and serve.

 

Vinaigrette dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 fresh squeezed lemon - juice only 
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 reserved flavor packet from the ramen noodles
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, pepper and one of the reserved flavor packets from the noodles in a mason jar with the lid on.  This way you can double the recipe and store the remainder in the fridge for future salads.

 

 

Homemade Chicken Salad

When posting about homemade tuna salad, I had one follower on Facebook comment, "Or go to Kroger and purchase a package of Mrs. Grissom's."  And this is a viable option. A delicious viable option.

With no disrespect to the Mrs. Grissom's Company, I've purchased their salads on many occassions such as going fishing or canoeing and need to pack a lunch in disposable containers. But for entertaining or simply making a great meal for yourself, nothing beats homemade tuna salad and chicken salad.

With chicken salad, I start from scratch. First you boil a chicken. I add onion and carrots not only to flavor up the meat, but also the broth that I'll use to make something else, say Dumplins for example.

 
When the meat is cooked, remove it from the broth and let it cool. Using poultry shears, cut the meat from the bone in small chunks. Discard skin and bone. I don't even give this to the dog for fear they will choke.  
Skim the fat off the broth and discard the fat. Rreserve the broth for another meal.

 
 
To your cut up chicken add pineapple chunks, slivered almonds, chopped onion, chopped celery (especially the leaves), mayonnaise, a little sour cream, salt and pepper.

 
 
Mix well, adjusting mayo-sour cream mixture to reach the consistency you like.

 
Serve on a bed of homegrown lettuce or lettuce grown locally and purchased at the farmers market.

Yummo!

Dandelion Salad

 
 

I ran across this video on YouTube and had to share. I have no idea who made this or who Clara is, but she is priceless and she reminds me of my own grandmother who used to make poke salet.  I appreciate the entire series.

Layered Salad

 

Potato Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click herefor original article,

Potato Salad

Ingredients (all estimates)

Pound or so of potatoes, boiled, peeled, cubed

Boiled eggs, chopped (I use a lot, 6 or so)

Dill pickle relish, to taste

Fried bacon, to taste 

Half cup or so of chopped celery

Half cup or so of chopped Vidalia onion

Tablespoon or so mustard (either yellow, dijon, or dry)

Cup or so of Hellman's mayonnaise (NEVER use a different brand... it matters)

Freshly ground pepper

Salt

Dash of tabasco

Paprika 

Directions

Put the potatoes in a large pot; add water just to cover and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender. Drain and cool. Peel and cube.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large iron skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble.

In a large bowl, combine all your ingredients, either reserving some bacon to sprinkle on top or sprinkle the top with mild Paprika.

Serve chilled, warm or at room temperature. However, it tastes bests after the flavors have had time to marry overnight.

(Thank you to Kathy Chaney for the use of her photo of her potato salad. My waistline can't afford a batch in my refrigerator. I make this recipe for special occassions with lots of people outside my home with a rule that none can be brought back home. However, that is not a problem. In the history of the world, there has never been any leftover potato salad!)

Pimento-cheese sandwich

Pimento-cheese sandwich

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients: 4 oz. extra-sharp cheddar, finely grated; half a jar of pimento (3 oz.), drained and finely chopped; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; a couple of shakes of Tabasco; salt to taste; 4 slices of good white bread.

To prepare: Mash cheese, pimento, mayonnaise, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl with a fork until well combined. Season with salt to taste. Cover and chill 1 hour for flavors to blend. Spread pimento cheese evenly on white bread. Cut each sandwich into triangles and serve.

Although it is not traditional, I prefer my Pimento Cheese with grated apple. Simply select a tart, green apple like a Granny Smith and grate it, peel included into your Pimento Cheese mixture. Stir to incorporate and spread on crackers or toast. De-Lish!

California Chicken Salad

This fresh salad will bring some pizzazz to your day. Apples and walnuts add a dash of sweetness to this tasty treat.

1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
6 cups torn mixed salad greens

In a large bowl combine chicken, apples, celery, green onions, and parsley. Stir in sour cream, red wine vinegar, mayonnaise, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir walnuts into chicken mixture. Divide greens among 6 serving plates; top with chicken mixture.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 258 cal., 12 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 70 mg chol., 288 mg sodium, 11 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 26 g pro.