My new favorite chicken salad

My twist on ATK’s Classic Chicken Salad; it’s light & lemony & yummy

It’s from America’s Test Kitchen. Raise your hand if you’re surprised I fell in love with yet another ATK recipe. No? Nobody? Yeah, me either. It’s no secret I’m a rabid fan of America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks and TV shows. I just love that they devote their lives to perfecting recipes so I don’t have to.

So let’s get on to the chicken salad. This Classic Chicken Salad is adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (revised edition).

1 rotisserie chicken from your grocer’s deli, plain
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 ribs celery, chopped fine
3/4 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Hellman’s)
2 scallions, minced
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
kosher salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Bone and chop your rotisserie chicken and toss it in a mixing bowl.

Note: I prefer the plain chicken seasoned only with salt & pepper. I say that because I once mistakenly grabbed a barbecue seasoned chicken and it was a horrible choice for chicken salad. Don’t be like me; read the label.

Add the canola oil, celery, mayonnaise, scallions, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, parsley and a good pinch of salt & pepper. Give it a stir and allow it to sit for a few minutes, then come back and taste it. I found I liked this recipe with a little more lemon juice, so I added another tablespoon. It gives it a bright citrus zing. Instead of adding more juice, you could also throw in some zested lemon peel, since you’re using a fresh lemon anyway. What I’m saying here is that the lemon is my favorite part of this chicken salad. It’s refreshing. And zingy. I also add a pretty heavy pinch of fresh cracked black pepper, because that’s my thing. I loved cracked black pepper.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes before serving. It helps the flavors come together, and everyone is happier when they’re all getting along. To serve, simply scoop onto your favorite chicken salad vehicle. In my case, it’s a toasted bagel. I can also vouch for the fact that it’s delicious on whole wheat toast, saltine crackers and celery sticks.

If you’re feeling frisky, you can top it with a fresh sliced tomato and a nice crispy piece of romaine. I also highly recommend spicy sweet pickles and your favorite chips on the side so you can get in all the food groups – sweet, salty, crunchy and creamy. Wait, that’s wrong. There are five food groups. I totally left off chocolate! {slaps forehead} Have mercy… can you ever forgive me?

Apricot & Marmalade Fried Pies

Texas-style fried pies filled with warm fruity goodness

My friend and favorite Canadian, Karlynn of The Kitchen Magpie, recently put out a call for guests posts for her Pieday Friday series while her family is on vacation. I love Karlynn and her Friday pie features, so I immediately jumped in. I’d love it if you would drop by and check out my Apricot & Marmalade Fried Pies and tell her “Howdy!” from NanaBread.

Fried Pies are easy with a great pie dough & the filling of your choice

Speaking of pie dough, my guest post includes a shout out to my friend Kirsten from Comfortably Domestic. Her “No Excuses” Pie Dough recipe makes an appearance. In fact, I couldn’t have done this without her. Thanks, Kirsten!

You want ice cream with that?

Thank you, Karlynn, for the opportunity to share Texas-style fried pies with your readers. To read my guest post, click HERE. Thanks, y’all!

Postcards from Small Town Texas

The Complete Package and I have been enjoying scenic drives to small towns throughout Texas. This is the second in a series of photos documenting our lazy day adventures and highlighting these small town Texas treasures.

Second Stop: Yoakum, Texas

Yoakum, Texas is located between Houston & San Antonio on Highway 95 So., 35 miles south of I-10 and 11 miles south of Shiner. To learn more, visit www.texasescapes.com.

To see the first story in the series – Hallettsville, Texas – click HERE.

Moody Haiku

Ever had one of those days? One of those funky, moody, blue days when you just feel out of sorts? A day when even a counter full of homemade fried pies can’t seem to snap you out of it (so you KNOW you’re really in a funk)? I don’t know why, but I’ve been feeling funky. And when I feel funky, my mind goes to weird places. Like haiku. Don’t judge. I don’t shake my head or wag my finger when you eat peanut butter from the jar with your fingers. Do I.

In the tradition of 5-syllables then 7-syllables then 5-syllables, here’s where my mind went yesterday. And don’t even think about stealing these little pearls. Some day, they’ll be published (on a bathroom stall somewhere).

Oh lovely bacon,
you beguile me as you lay
on my BLT.

Grey hair – yes, down there;
the drapes and now the carpet.
{sigh} Growing old sucks.

"The Complete Package"
He says that's his wrestling name.
He does not wrestle.

"Someone shrunk my pants!"
she declared as she ate pie.
Oh snap. That was me.

Boston Terriers:
I love their smushy faces
And sweet, warm snuggles.

I have a new bike.
It takes me on adventures.
And makes my butt numb.

"What's for dinner, babe?"
“Go make yourself a sandwich.”
“Wow. I feel the love.”

I love barbecue
and ice-cold Dr Pepper.
I’m a Texas girl.

Hey, tailgate driver:
if you’re gonna hug my butt,
introduce yourself.

Okay, guys – it’s your turn. Throw your best or worst haiku at me. I could really use a chuckle. But couldn’t we all?
-NanaBread

Houston 2012 Art Car Parade

The Complete Package and I attended our first Houston Art Car Parade this weekend. What a hoot! Over 300 cars entered this year’s parade; each one of them unique and entertaining. Here’s a look at this year’s event, starting with Houston’s mayor. Note: You can click on any photo to see it in a larger format, then simply hit the ‘back arrow’ on your computer to return to the blog.

And to prove that it’s not just about the cars, here’s a tribute to my favorite “accessory” of the day. Caution – you may not be able to handle all this sexy.

To the funny & friendly lady who sat behind us at the parade ogling the Viking Skater man (I believe her name was Lynn) – that one was for you. {wink}

If you’d like to learn more about the Houston Art Car Parade, please visit their website at http://www.thehoustonartcarparade.com/

Tropical Cream Cheese Pound Cake

When it comes to dessert, my motto is usually “More is More.” A pan of plain brownies doesn’t cut it in my world. They need to have Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate syrup, dark chocolate chips and a shot of Kahlua thrown in. There are, however, a few things for which I am a purist. Shortbread cookies and pound cake, for example. Some things are just better in their pure, simple forms.

Don’t get me wrong – you can still add stuff, but the key is to keep it simple. To enhance, not overshadow. Sometimes, that’s a thin line to balance. For a girl who trips over her own two feet and walks into walls (this girl), that can be tricky. This week, I tried something that could have pushed ‘simple’ over the edge, but didn’t. It worked beautifully and started with some of my favorite things:

1. Lots & lots of butter, cream cheese and some gorgeous brown eggs

2. A bowl of soft, fluffy, sifted all-purpose flour; I’m a messy sifter

3. Macadamia nuts, shredded coconut and Cream of Coconut

4. A bag of dried tropical fruits – mango, papaya and pineapple

The result was a soft, moist, not-too-dense pound cake with all of the flavors of the islands. I’m not going to lie. My heart melted at the first bite. This, to me, is a perfect cake. No layers. No frosting. Just pure, delicious cake. It was super easy to whip up, and made two large gorgeous loaves. Here’s how I did it.

NanaBread’s Tropical Cream Cheese Pound Cake:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup Cream of Coconut
3 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 6-oz. pkg. dried tropical fruit

To start, lay your butter, cream cheese and eggs out in advance. You’ll want them to be at room temperature when you start putting this together.

Preheat your oven to 325F. Spray 2 large non-stick loaf pans with Pam spray for baking (or grease & flour both pans).

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. With the mixer still running, gradually beat in the sugar, then add the salt, vanilla, almond extract and Cream of Coconut. Beat until thoroughly combined. Turning the mixer down a notch, add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder; whisk to blend well. Roughly chop the dried fruit into 1/2″ pieces, then add the fruit, macadamia nuts and coconut to the bowl of flour; stir until combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter/egg mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. Divide the batter in half and spread evenly into each loaf pan. Tap the pans gently on the counter a few times to help remove air bubbles, then bake at 325F for 60-75 minutes, rotating once half-way through baking. The cakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the top of the cake. You’ll want to keep an eye on it so you don’t over bake these. An over-baked cake is a dry cake.

Remove from the oven and place the pans onto wire racks for at least one hour. After one hour, remove them from the pans and allow them to cool on the racks for another hour. One loaf can be sliced and stored in an airtight container for now; the other loaf can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and zipped into a large freezer bag and stored in the freezer for later. Or you can make a friend’s day and share a loaf. It’s up to you, but I’d taste it first and then decide. You might just decide to hang on to both.

Note: This recipe was adapted from a cream cheese pound cake recipe by my blogging friend & baker Anne, the genius behind the From My Sweet Heart blog. If you haven’t seen Anne’s blog yet, you need to drop in for a visit. She’s a lovely lady and her love of baking shows in all of her recipes and photographs. If you drop in, please tell her I said hello.

3-Step Simple Summer Salad

Pasta salad has to be among the most adaptable and forgiving side dishes of all time. You can pretty much throw anything into it and when you toss it with a simple vinaigrette, magic happens. Sunday afternoon when The Complete Package grilled chicken breasts for sandwiches, I threw together this simple but flavorful side in under 12 minutes. Here’s how I did it, in three easy steps.

Step 1: The Pasta
4 cups water
a good pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup pearl couscous or orzo pasta

In a saucepan, bring water & salt to a boil. Add the couscous and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, pour into a strainer and run under cold water to chill the pasta. Drain thoroughly and pour it into a bowl.

Step 2: The Add-Ins
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of Italian parsley, minced
2-3 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 scallion, minced
1 small Roma tomato, seeded & chopped
1/4 cup Italian Olive Salad, chopped

While the pasta is cooking, chop up all the add ins and set them aside.

Step 3: The Dressing
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat. Taste just before serving and tweak the salt & pepper, as needed. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

Substitutions or Additions:
1. No olive salad? Chop some kalamata & green olives.
2. Feel free to toss in some shaved or grated parmesan.
3. Feeling frisky? Toss in some chopped salami.
4. I hate bell peppers but if you don’t, add some.
5. Red onion, chopped finely, instead of scallions.
6. Grated lemon peel – it makes everything better.
7. If you hate olives AND bell peppers, try cucumber instead.
8. If you add feta cheese instead of parmesan, I’ll kiss you. On the mouth.

Adaptable. Versatile. Delicious. Now it’s your turn. What is your favorite pasta salad? Feel free to shout it out in the comments. If you’re a blogger, attach a link so we can all see it. With temperatures already climbing into the 90′s in Houston, I need all the light but tasty pasta salad suggestions I can get.

Ready… set… salad!