Chicken Salad Veronique

I just pulled this recipe card out to make this, not having made it in several years.  This recipe was given me by a dear teacher friend in the late 1970s.  Supposedly, this was from the trendy recipe The American Cafe, which opened in Georgetown in 1977.  There were several other locations that opened in the years following, including one nearby in Columbia, MD.  That restaurant group has been closed for decades now.  My favorite way to serve this is on croissants on a bed of spring greens.  It really is my favorite chicken salad.  I've subbed other fruit for the grapes, including dried cranberries which I particularly like.

Chicken Salad Veronique

printable recipe

Ingredients:

3 c. Cubed cooked chicken breast

1 c. green grapes halved

½ c. toasted slivered almonds

½ c. chopped celery

3 Tbl. chopped onion

½ tsp. Celery salt

⅓ c. mayonnaise

⅓ c. lemon yogurt

1 Tbl. dry white wine

½ tsp. Prepared mustard

Mix chicken, grapes, onion, almonds, celery, and celery salt.

Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl.  Fold into chicken.  Refrigerate.

 

Vicki's Three Potato Salad

Today is Labor Day and as is the custom, I'm preparing cookout food:  hot dogs, burgers and our favorite potato salad.

I've been making this potato salad for probably 25 years.  I used to buy a 3 potato salad at my local grocery that had sweet potatoes, red potatoes and white potatoes.  It had a sweetish dressing which I liked without having pickle relish in it which I don't like in potato salad.

When they quit carrying it, I played around with ingredients and came up with my own recipe.
My mom always added vinegar and sugar to mayo for her potato salad so I started there.
I like the extra kick of the mango chutney--probably due to the ginger.

It's really pretty when made with the multicolored potatoes that are available now.  It's
always been a family favorite!

Vicki’s 3-Potato Salad

 Printable Recipe

2 or 3 sweet potatoes

about 12 oz. Each baby Yukon Gold and Red potatoes

Peel and dice sweet potatoes and boil until fork tender.  

Run under cold water and drain.

Quarter baby potatoes, leaving skins on and boil until fork tender.  

Run under cold water and drain.

Combine potatoes in large bowl.

Add 1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia) chopped.

Dressing:

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp. sugar

1 Tbl. Cider vinegar

3 Tbl. Commercially prepared Mango Chutney (I use Taj or 

          Trader Joe’sbrand)

Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl and mix well.  

Toss with potatoes and onion.

Salt and pepper to taste.  Chill until serving time.

I find that leaving the potatoes slightly warm when combining the salad 

ingredients helps the flavors to blend better!

To make in a smaller quantity:  Just use a bag of assorted baby potatoes

Such as Trader Joe’s 3-potato variety which comes in a 1.5 pound bag
plus 1 sweet potato.  Use about ⅔ - 1 c. diced sweet onion and keep the

dressing ingredients the same.

Chinese Chicken Salad

This recipe came to me in the late 1980's from my good friend Barbara who taught PreK with me for many years.  This recipe is reminiscent of the Asian Chicken Salad from that famous restaurant known for its cheese cakes.

I love this one for so many reasons.  It has a great mix of textures and it can be prepared for a crown ahead of time.  When doing it ahead, I fry the noodles and store them in a large zip loc bag, prepare the chicken, mix the dressing, and I put the green ingredients in a large bag.  I prepare the almonds and sesame seeds and put then aside, adding them when I throw the whole thing together.

Crunch Crunch Crunch!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Printable Recpe

Ingredients:

Rice noodles

2 Chicken breasts

1 head of lettuce, shredded (crunchy variety like Iceberg or Romaine)

3 green onions, sliced

1 c. sliced celery

1 cucumber, sliced

3 Tbl. toasted sesame seed

3 Tbl. toasted slivered almonds

Dressing:

6 Tbl. sugar

7 Tbl. rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. White pepper

1 tsp. Lemon juice

¼ cup vegetable or canola oil

Break apart ⅓ lb. rice noodles and deep fry in small batches as

They will puff up when fried.  Do not let them brown. Drain and

Put in paper grocery bag.  Store in air tight container if they are

not to be used immediately.

Combine dressing ingredients, shaking to mix. Store in a jar.

Bake or steam 2 chicken breasts.  Cool and shred. Mix with

2 Tbl. of dressing.

Before serving, toss chicken, noodles, and dressing with the

lettuce, green onions, celery, cucumber, sesame seeds and

almonds.