Sonoma Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is one of my granddaughter's, Ally, favorites. The recipe is from Whole Foods. Makes enough for 10 guests. It is very yummy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 5 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pounds, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
• 2 cups red seedless grapes, cut into fourths
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

Directions

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Place chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2-cup water.  Cover with foil and bake for 25-40 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove the cooked breast and cool for 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate.

When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing.

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Croissants

I had not made these croissants for years, but was hosting a bridal shower. Original recipe is from Colorado Cache, which is a Denver Junior League cookbook. The dough must be refrigerated for 24 hours, so plan accordingly.
The recipe makes enough to feed 10 guests and freezer queen stamp of approval.

Ingredients

• 2 packages dry yeast (not instant)
• 1 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg ,beaten 
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup butter, chilled
• 5 cups flour
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions

In a medium bowl sprinkle yeast on warm water to soften.

Add 1 cup flour, evaporated milk, egg, sugar, melted butter and salt. Beat till smooth and set aside.

Cut the chilled butter into the remaining flour until well incorporated. 

Pour the batter mixture over and blend till well mixed.

Cover and chill for 24 hours.

Divide dough into thirds; working with one at a time, putting the unused portion back in the refrigerator.

Roll out in a circle and cut into pie-shaped wedges.

Roll up into croissant shape and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

(You may cut the pie-shaped wedges into smaller wedges if desired.)

Rise at room temperature for one hour.

Brush with beaten egg and bake in a 400-degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Printed

Cutout Sugar Cookies

The original recipe was from a neighbor of my sister's, Simone. The cookie is not overly sweet. I did not have the instruction for how thick to roll the dough out. The cookies turned out perhaps a tad too thick... I chose raw sugar for the sprinkles, as was baking for a wedding shower I was hosting.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in the milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups flour
• pinch of salt

Directions

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and baking soda, vanilla, flour and salt. Mix well and chill in the refrigerator until firm.

Cut the dough in half and roll each half on a lightly floured surface and shape with desired cookie cutters.

Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake at 375-degree oven for 10-12 minutes (until turn just slightly golden.

Cool on racks and frost with Royal Icing (blog: 12/14) (Label: frosting)

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Seared Chicken Breasts

This is more a TIP than a recipe. Allison who works with my son went to chef school and Jesse passed this on to me. It is SO worth the extra step for moist, flavorful chicken to use topped with a sauce or whenever cooked chicken is called for in a recipe.

I use grapeseed oil to sear the chicken. This oil tolerates high temperatures without burning.
Use a skillet and drizzle enough of the grapeseed oil to coat pan lightly.
Heat pan on medium to medium high heat.
Rinse, pat dry chicken and salt and pepper both sides.
Sear 5 minutes per side.
Finish the chicken in a 350-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes until cooked through.

I have placed extra in the freezer covered in chicken broth for future meals.

Be sure to use the browned bits left in the skillet bottom to saute onions, celery and carrots. Then add chicken broth to loosen all the pieces. Great base for soup, noodle or rice dish.

Goat Cheese, Bacon and Pistachio Truffles

I LOVE goat cheese! These can be made a few days ahead of your party and has the Freezer Queen stamp of approval. Well if any are left!
Ingredients:

• 8 ounces creamy goat cheese, softened ( I used Whole Foods brand)
• 1/4 cup cooked bacon ( about 3 slices), crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder ( I like Roasted Granulated Garlic from Savory)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios ( I think I used more because did not read "finely chopped"!)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together goat cheese, bacon, garlic powder and onion powder. 

Roll into 1-inch balls with your hands or use a small cookie scoop.

Roll into the chopped pistachios. The pistachios I had on hand were unshelled and was a bit time consuming to unshell them, but that is what "recently retired" husbands are for. I used my small food processor to chop...

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Mini Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball Bites

These scream Party! Recipe was snatched on Pinterest: chocolatemoosey.com So pretty on the off white plate. Serve with crackers and crack open the DeLoach Zinfandel! Freezer Queen stamp of approval!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( I use Tillamock)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder ( I like Roasted Granulated Garlic from Savory)
• 1/4 cup minced jalapeno (seeds and membrane removed)
• 1/4 cup cooked bacon ( crumbled) ( Whole Foods brand)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together 1 cup cheddar cheese, cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, jalapeno and bacon. 

Roll mixture into 1-inch balls.

With the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese; chop finely with a sharp knife. Roll the cheese balls in the cheddar cheese; covering as much as you can. 

Refrigerate at least one hour.

Honey Mustard Chicken Skewers

The recipe originated from one of Nordstroms cookbooks: Easy Enertainment. The chicken is sweet, moist and delicious! I like to reserve some of the marinade (1/4 cup) to drizzle over the skewers hot off the grill. Easily doubled and or reheated with success.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder ( I like Roasted Granulated Garlic from Savory Spices)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
In medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, garlic powder, salt, pepper and garlic.
Whisk to combine. Measure out 1/4 cup of the mixture, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Place the chicken pieces in a 1-gallon zip-lock plastic bag. Pour the remaining honey-mustard mixture over them, coating well. Squeeze all the air out of the bag and seal it.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Soak 6-8 skewers for a couple of hours. Drain.

Remove the chicken from the marinade.
At this point I bake the chicken on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven just to firm up the chicken pieces (about 12 minutes). In the mean time preheat your grill on medium to mediium high; brushing the grates with oil.

Remove the chicken from the oven. thread through skewers and finish them on the grill; turning once. Grill about 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the skewers on a platter and drizzle the reserved honey-mustard mixture over the top or serve as a dipping sauce.

Yum!

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