For now, I have decided to post my recipes over on my personal blog.  Feel free to stop by and say hello.

Thanks!

Chicken Salad

I am obsessed with eating chicken salad. Strange isn't it? I just can't seem to get enough of the stuff.

Years will pass without me making a single batch. Then, wham! I find myself dreaming up reasons to roast a few chickens so I can justify my obsession under the guise of using up the leftovers.

I like my chicken salad loaded with dried cranberries, grapes, nuts and fresh herbs. It is delicious on it's own, but is especially tasty on freshly toasted Cranberry-Walnut Bread or on top of a spinach salad.

Give it a try. You may even love it as much as I do.

*** The measurements in the recipe are just rough estimates. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your personal taste.

Chicken Salad
2 c. cooked chicken, diced
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. red grapes, halved
1/4 c. nuts, chopped
1-2 Tbs. fresh herbs, minced
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder



Place the diced chicken in a large bowl. I prefer to use roasted chicken, but any cooked chicken will do. This is also a great way to use up some of that leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.


Add the dried cranberries.


Add the grapes.


Add the nuts. I generally use pecans or walnuts, but feel free to use any nuts or seeds that you have on hand.


Add the fresh herbs. I happened to have chives and flat leaf parsley on hand.


Stir the ingredients to combine.


Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and onion powder. I have found that the onion powder really elevates the flavor of the chicken salad.


Give everything a thorough mixing. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. You may need to add a little more mayonnaise if the chicken salad seems a little dry.

Enjoy!

Naan Bread

My hubby and I have been on and Indian food kick as of late. Every chance we get, we sneak off to our favorite place, Shalimar Fine Indian Cuisine. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

While I never tire of Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Biryani and Samosas, I can't get enough Naan. I love the stuff.

My obsession with the bread necessitated that I find a recipe to make at home. As luck would have it, I struck gold with my first attempt.

The Naan recipe that I used came from Manjula's Kitchen : Indian Vegetarian Recipes. I am looking forward to trying many of the other recipes on the website.


Naan Bread

4 c. flour
2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2 pinches of baking soda
4 Tbs. oil
5 Tbs. plain yogurt
1 1/2 c. warm water

This recipe makes 12 Naan.


Dissolve the yeast in the water and let it stand for 10 minutes.


In the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.


Combine the oil and yogurt in a separate dish.


Add the yogurt mixture to the flour and blend at medium speed until it resembles coarse crumbs.


With the mixer still running, add the water/yeast mixture. The dough will become quite sticky.


Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough, adding a little additional flour if needed, until the dough becomes soft and smooth.


Place 1 Tbs. of oil in a large bowl. Roll the dough in the oil to coat, cover and let raise in a warm place for 2-3 hours. The dough should be nearly doubled in size.


Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. and place a baking or pizza stone inside. Allow it to heat up for at least thirty minutes. Manjula advises that the heated stone will come close to replicating the temperature of a clay tandoor.

After thirty minutes have passed, turn on the broiler.


Once the dough is risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth.


Divide the dough into 12 equal parts.


Dust your work surface lightly with flour. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch oval shape.

Before putting the Naan into the oven, pat both sides of the rolled dough with lightly wet hands. Place two Naan on the baking stone in the oven.

Allow the Naan to bake for approximately 2 minutes, depending on your oven. The Naan should be golden brown on top.

I opted to flip my Naan and allow the bottom to brown for a little less than a minute.


Place the cooked Naan on a baking rack to cool. You can brush them with a little clarified butter or ghee if desired.

Follow the same process for baking the remaining Naan. It is a good idea to allow the oven to reheat for a minute or two between batches.

The process was much easier than I anticipated and the Naan turned out perfectly despite my lack of a tandoor for baking. I hope that you will give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed.

Baguette with Brie, Honey and Black Pepper

The hubby and I took the boy on an action packed trip to New York City last month. We had a blast. You can read all about our trip over at my other blog. Just click on the September archives.

New York is a city that is known for it's amazing cuisine. One of the highlights, for me, was eating at Les Halles, the French Brasserie where Anthony Bourdain cut his teeth. The food was nothing short of amazing.

My boy, who ordered the restaurant's version of fish and chips, loved the whole dining experience. Since returning home, I have been asked countless times to recreate "that yummy appetizer."

Here is my version of Croûtons de Coulommiers rôtis au miel et poivre (Brie topped with honey & cracked black pepper). It couldn't be easier to make. I hope you will give it a try.


Take several slices of baguette and arrange them on a baking sheet. Top the baguette with a slice of Brie, a drizzle of honey and a grind of fresh black pepper.

Place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is lightly toasted.

This tasty bite has quickly become one of my favorite breakfast indulgences. It goes perfectly with a piping hot cup of coffee.