Fruity Chicken Salad Sandwiches

June 16, 2012 ᛫ ᛫ by: Chef in Training

I am all about easy meals in my house!  This meal is a favorite because it whips up super quick!
My husband does not like celery in the least bit, which is hard for me because most chicken salad recipes call for celery.  I LOVE Chicken Salad so I was determined to find a recipe not calling for celery that we all liked and still had the good “crunch” from typical chicken salads.  I found it… and it is now a favorite!  It is perfect for picky eaters (like my husband :) )!

Fruity Chicken Salad Sandwiches

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• Cuisine: American
• Course: Entrée
• Skill Level: Easy

A fast, easy and delicious meal!

Ingredients

 Print This Recipe

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup pecans finely chopped
• 1/2 cups grapes sliced in halves
• 1 cup chicken fully cooked and chopped
• 1 small gala apple chopped
• crescents, rolls, or bread

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, chopped pecans, grapes, chicken and apple.
2. Chill in fridge for about 30 minutes. (Not necessary, I just like it better chilled.)
3. Serve on crescents, rolls, or sandwich bread.

Enjoy!
recipe from: Southern Plate

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING WITH ORANGE GRAND MARNIER HARD SAUCE

Photo Credit: Flickr, Mcauliflower

BREAD PUDDING INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cups half and half
¼ cup butter
⅔ cup brown sugar (light or dark, depending on taste preference)
3 eggs
2 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bread, torn into small pieces (french bread works best)
1 cup pumpkin pie filling
DIRECTIONS:
In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat half & half just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk and pie filling, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.
Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Pour batter on top of bread.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.
ORANGE HARD SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in small bowl; mix with electric mixer until thoroughly combined and fluffy.
Enjoy!

Basic Beer-Can Chicken

First Posted: 10/27/2011 4:55 pm Updated: 06/08/2012 3:38 pm

Read more

recipe_steven-Raichlen , Cooking-Dinner-Tonight , KitchenDaily News

Provided by: Steven Raichlen

0 mins total 0 mins prep

Servings

Okay, here it is. The master recipe for the ur-beer-can chicken, the showstopper that will dazzle your family and friends. If you have never made beer-can chicken before, start here, and once you have mastered the basic procedure, there is no limit to its variations.

Ingredients

• 1 can (12 oz) Beer
• 1 Chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Barbecue Rub or your favorite commerical rub
• 2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil
• 2 cups Wood Chips or Chunks (preferably hickory or cherry), soaked for 1 hour in water and/or beer to cover, then drained
• 1 Vertical Chicken Roaster (optional)

Directions

• Pop the tab off the beer can. Pour half of the beer (3/4cup) over the soaking wood chips or chunks, or reserve for another use. If cooking the chicken on the can, using a church key-style can opener, make 2 additional holes in its top. Set the can of beer aside.
• Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the chicken and set aside for another use. Remove and discard fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of rub inside the body cavity and 1/2 teaspoon inside the neck cavity of the chicken. Drizzle the oil over the outside of the bird and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the bird with 1 tablespoon of rub and rub it all over the skin. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of rub into the beer through a hole in the top of the can. Do not worry if the beer foams up: This is normal.
• If cooking on a can: Hold the bird upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity. Pull the chicken legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the bird stands upright. The rear leg of the tripod is the beer can.
• If cooking on a roaster: fill it with the beer mixture and position the chicken on top, following the manufacturers instructions.
• Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chickens back.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
• When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the chicken until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If using a charcoal grill, you will need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour. If the chicken skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
• If cooking on a can: Using tongs, hold the bird by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. If cooking on a roaster: Use oven mitts or pot holders to remove the bird from the grill while it is still on the vertical roaster.
• Present the bird to your guests. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift it off its support. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. Halve, quarter, or carve the chicken and serve

Healthy Summer Grilling

Summertime cookouts are all about fun, relaxation, and taking advantage of the bountiful supply of seasonal, antioxidant-rich produce and light lean fare that nourishes and hydrates our bodies during those hot summer months.  Try incorporating these tips into your cookouts to set a healthful tone:

1. Choose lean meats:  When it comes to red meat, the leanest cuts include the words loin, chuck or round.   For chicken, choose white, boneless breasts.  For pork or lamb, choose tenderloin, the loin chop or the leg.  For fish, most varieties are very lean, with salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines being particularly high in heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
   
2. Makeover marinades: Ditch packaged marinades and use fresh juice from citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit and lemons, along with fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, basil or mint for a fresh antioxidant-rich marinade. And for a light, refreshing topping for meat, poultry or fish, mix a fresh fruit salsa with mangoes, strawberries, parsley and onions. 
3. Focus on fresh for sides, dessert and snacks:  With an endless supply of delicious vegetables at their peak like summer squash, zucchini, and eggplant, and succulent and hydrating fruits like peaches, mangoes, melons and cherries, scrap the canned beans, boxed brownies, and bag of chips.  Think grilled Portobello mushrooms and corn on the cob and then grilled peaches with low fat frozen yogurt for dessert.  And for an easy and hydrating snack, freeze grapes, berries or bananas.
4. Explore a variety of summer salads: Get creative and incorporate seasonal produce into summer salads like a refreshing watermelon salad with cilantro, mint and olive oil, or a melon and mozzarella salad. Add some nuts and light vinaigrette, and you have a salad bursting with antioxidants and nutrients. 
5. Involve your little helpers: Make cookouts fun and hands-on for the kids.  Give them summer-inspired shape cutters to cut out "star fish” or "surf board” melon shaped pieces.  Challenge them to stack a rainbow of fruits onto skewers, and use it as an opportunity to teach them the value of the colors of health. ~Freshfield Farms

Eat Simply and Feel Wonderful

 

BLOG by Louise L. Hay

One of the essentials to good health is learning to provide quality nutrition for our bodies in the food we eat. It seems that as Americans we have drifted away from healthful eating to the convenience of fast foods.
We are the sickest, most overweight nation in the Western world. We overeat fatty, processed foods that are full of chemicals. We support the food manufacturers at the expense of our own health. We seem to have forgotten that the cells in our bodies are living, and need living food to grow and reproduce. Life has already provided us with everything we need to feed ourselves and to remain healthy. The simpler we eat, the healthier we’ll be.
On a physical level, 43 is about the age that the body fed on junk food or even the standard American diet of processed foods (20 percent sugars and 37 percent fats) is beginning to show the effects of this lack of nutrition.
Did you know that the largest selling items in the supermarkets are sodas, canned soup, processed cheese, and beer?
We are what we think and what we eat. We need to pay more attention to what we put into our bodies. My philosophy on food is if it grows, eat it; if it doesn’t grow, don’t eat it. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains grow. Processed foods cannot sustain life no matter how inviting the package.
And in your efforts to be good to your body, remember to love it. In order to heal, it is essential to remove the negative beliefs that contribute to an unhealthy physical condition. Look in the mirror and tell yourself how wonderful you are. You don’t have to wait until you become thin or build your muscles or lower your cholesterol or reduce your fat ratio. You need to love yourself right now and listen with love to the needs of your body.
Let’s affirm: I deserve to feel wonderful all the time!
Here are a few recommended reading resources on the topic of healthy eating:

• The Body Knows, by Caroline Sutherland
• A Course in Weight Loss, by Marianne Williamson
• Just 10 Lbs, by Brad Lamm

Life's Help

Get Healthy

Love the Body You’re In!

8 ways to live a beautiful life.

by Michelle Phillips

How to be your own best friend.

It’s no small secret that women don’t like their bodies. In fact, I’ve been doing a little reading and I am sad to report that recent statistics say more than 80% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies and 65% of young girls think they are fat and already dieting. Ladies of all ages, with Summer just around the corner, this has got to change!
As a celebrity makeup artist and stylist the first things I usually hear when someone plops down in my chair are “can you cover this up” , "make me look 10 years younger and 10 pounds thinner?”  With makeup, lighting, and some air brushing, I can do a pretty good job with all of those tasks. However, that's not real life.  When it comes to the questions regarding changing someone’s body before they get in front of the bright lights, the Life coach in me has to take over from there. That bit of “cover-up” is best if it comes from inside.
Believing in who you are, loving yourself, and how you look... is the foundation to achieving true and lasting beauty. I know this isn't always an easy thing to do but freeing yourself of negative self-thoughts is a huge step on your path to living a truly beautiful life and feeling good about how you look.
The first, and possibly the most crucial step on that path though, even if you feel you need to lose a few pounds or get in better shape, is to start by loving the body you have right now.
Here are some suggestions to do just that:
Create an "I love myself because..." list.
First, write down 20 things that you love about yourself.  Your list may include your personality, kind heart, your sense of humor, compassion, smile, elbows, feet, etc.   Include your talents and achievements, or various ways you're proud of yourself.  If you have trouble with this exercise think about what your best friend would say about you.  It's time to be your own best friend!
Take notice of the beauty around you.
Take a deeper look at nature surrounding you.  It may be a tree, mountains, clouds, the moon, butterfly, a flower...is it perfect?   Does it have imperfections, maybe a few blemishes on a leaf? Start to notice the beauty around you.  Train your mind to let go of the "imperfections"
Delete negative self-talk. 
Every time you hear yourself talking negatively about how you look,..STOP!  Instead, turn the negative into positive self-talk.  Who needs another critic? You have the power to focus on the positive and change your own state of mind by deleting the negative self-talk whenever it shows up.
Appreciate your beautiful body. 
Women are familiar with their face, but not necessarily their body.  Start to look at your body in the mirror.  Study your shape and find the beauty.  Notice how your body supports you and your daily life.  If you stand there and detest your thighs, you are resenting a part of your body that you would certainly miss should you not have that beautiful leg anymore.  Our bodies are beautiful vessels that support our gorgeous souls.
Cut the tags out of your clothes!
Don't buy a closet full of clothes that are too tight for you to fit into hoping that you'll be in them soon – those are just guilt garments that don’t make you feel good when you open your closet. Buy and wear clothes that fit the body you have today.  They call it a "fitting room" for a reason.  Size doesn't matter; it is all about how you feel in your clothes.  My experience working with clients has proven over and over again that dressing the body you have today will help increase your self-esteem and in-turn unnecessary weight will begin to fall away.
When you feel better about yourself, you take better care of yourself.  It's that simple!

Born into the entertainment industry, Michelle Phillips has worked with major networks and stars of the film, TV, and music industry. She eventually moved in front of the camera, hosting beauty and style segments and becoming a well-known television personality on stations across the U.S. Her mission is to help women cultivate their beauty from the inside out.

Mango, Avocado and Grilled Shrimp Salad with a Peanut Dressing

Mango, Avocado and Grilled Shrimp Salad with a Peanut Dressing

(makes 2 salads)Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
1 lime (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 birds eye chili (sliced)
1 teaspoon palm sugar (grated or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon mint (chopped)
1 mango (stoned, scooped and sliced)
1 avocado (stoned, scooped and sliced)
2 handfuls salad greens
2 green onions (sliced)
2 tablespoons peanuts (roasted and chopped)
6 tom yum grilled shrimp (optional)

Directions:
1. Mix the coconut milk, lime, fish sauce, peanut butter, chili, sugar and cilantro in a bowl and set aside.
2. Assemble the salad, toss with dressing to coat and serve garnished with chopped roasted peanuts.