Maria’s Chicken Salad

I had a friend over for lunch today and she brought over some chicken salad. It was rather unique, so I got her permission to post it here. It’s really good. As a matter of fact, I was eating some this afternoon with some crackers for a snack when my husband came in. He tried it and nearly took it away from me to eat it himself. I don’t have any measurements, but I’ll throw out what Maria told me. Perhaps someone out there might like to experiment with these flavors yourself.

2 cans of chicken, some mayonnaise, and some raspberry walnut vinaigrette. Determine amounts by desired consistency.

There ya go. This is just something my friend made up one day when she didn’t have much in the kitchen. Not bad. I might try it with leftover roast chicken instead of canned. At first glance, pink chicken salad is a little weird. But, when you try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Forgotten Tradition

It was a tradition in my family to eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day. I have generally carried on this tradition since marriage, making sure to have something with black-eyed peas on the first day of the year. It seems it was said to bring good luck for the year – or something of that nature. Well, good thing for me I don’t put my faith and trust in such things. Because this year – I forgot!

Between returning from holiday travels and preparing for my folks to visit this weekend, it never even occurred to me. Sometime after my folks left I suddenly remembered and gasped “I forgot to make black-eyed peas!” My husband just shrugged. Oh well, no big. We had food to eat and did not go hungry. But I did kind of miss them once I realized it. Perhaps I’ll pick some up to make before the week is out. Here’s the recipe I have used most often in past years from my 1989 Betty Crocker cook book:

Hoppin’ John

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup black-eyed peas
• 2 ounces salt pork, diced, OR 3 slices bacon, cut up
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup uncooked regular rice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Heat water and beans to boiling in 3-quart sauce-pan. Boil 2 minutes: remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Add enough water to beans to cover if necessary. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst).

Drain beans, reserving liquid. Cook salt pork in 10-inch skillet until crisp; add onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Add enough water to bean liquid, if necessary, to measure 2 cups. Add bean liquid, salt pork, onion, rice and salt to beans in 3-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling stirring once or twice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 14 minutes (Do not lift cover or stir.). Remove from heat. Fluff with fork; cover and let steam 5 to 10 minutes. About 5 servings.

This makes a good meal with cornbread and perhaps some salad. It’s not a bad way to start off the year. I remember another food tradition I learned of when we lived in Hawaii – consuming Ahi, a type of tuna. Do you have any traditions for bringing in the new year?

Easy Greek Salad

As requested, here’s an easy salad that folks seem to enjoy eating whenever I make it:

Salad:

• 1 bag baby spinach
• small head Boston Lettuce
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 can jumbo black olives – pitted
• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• Lemon Dressing (below)

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil – I usually use olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice – about half a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Toss the salad ingredients together, Shake the dressing ingredients in a tightly covered container. Enjoy!