Chicken Salad

Ingredients

4 cups diced poached chicken, recipe follows
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, scallions and herbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cook's Note: Serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes, in half an avocado or in a chicken club sandwich made with artisanal bread, crispy smoked bacon, vine-ripened tomatoes and lettuce.

POACHED CHICKEN FOR SALADS
10 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small onion, halved
1 small carrot, halved
1 stalk celery, halved
3 pounds chicken breasts halves, on the bone and fat trimmed
5 to 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
Put the parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve the liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and cut the meat into 1 inch cubes. Discard the bones and skin.

Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth before using. Yield: 4 cups cubed chicken or 4 to 6 servings

Patriotic Fresh Fruit Salad - Strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, bananas and blueberries make a Star Spangled Fruit Salad taste even better on a patriotic holiday!

Everyone loves fresh fruit salad, so why not make it a patriotic one with the colors of the flag! Red strawberries and raspberries, almost white bananas and pineapple, and as blue as you can get blueberries make one beautiful fruit salad! Feel free to substitute the fruits you enjoy, even if they aren't red, white & blue.

Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered or sliced
1 sweet pineapple, cored and cut into 1" chunks
1 pint blueberries, rinsed and picked over for loose stems and mold
1/2 pint raspberries, clean without leaves or rot
1 large ripe banana, sliced
How to Make Fresh Fruit Salad
Directions: This is an easy-peasy, no-brainer fruit salad. Toss the strawberries, pineapple and blueberries in a large serving bowl. Arange the raspberries and banana slices on top. Don't mix them in, they're too fragile. That's it! Serves 6-10 depending on how big the bowls are. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Waldorf Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1/3 cup raisins
1 apple, cored and cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, pine nuts or sunflower seeds
1/2 cup celery, sliced thin
3/4 cup red or green grapes, halved
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt, or all mayo (1/2 cup)
2 Tablespoons honey
Salt & pepper to taste, optional
Mixed greens and baby spinach

Directions:

Plump the raisins by soaking in water for about 15 minutes. Drain, and mix with apple, walnuts, celery and grapes. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and honey. Use a pinch of salt & pepper to taste. Gently fold into the fruit and nuts. Yields 2-3 if served on a bed of green leaf lettuce and spinach or mixed greens. Refrigerate any leftovers.