Aunt Ginny's Chicken Salad

*I am reposting this recipe because I've been having viewers tell me lately that there was a problem with the original post showing up. I couldn't fix it, so I had to repost it. I lost all the comments, but just so you know, other people tried it and liked it. :)  When you try the recipe, let us know how it goes! :)  Happy cooking, everyone!*

Last week when my husband and I decided last-minute to go out to a movie, I whipped up my favorite chicken salad for a quick dinner. This is my Aunt Ginny's recipe, and it's one of those few recipes that I collected while I was a teenager. For some reason, it's become my tradition to have homemade rolls and chicken salad for our Easter picnic every year. So I've made it almost every Easter since I got married. :)
My mother-in-law recently taught me a time saving trick when it comes to preparing dinners with chicken. In the morning she puts a bunch of frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot with 1 cup of water and some bouillon cubes. Then she cooks it on low for 7 or 8 hours and when it's time to prepare dinner, the chicken is already cooked and ready to go. I think it's a genius idea. This is the first time I've done it, and it worked great in this chicken salad. Crockpot-cooked chicken does have a little bit of a different texture, so if you prefer, your usual method of cooking chicken will work great too. :)

Aunt Ginny’s Chicken Salad

submitted by Erin ~ www.thesisterscafe.com
printable recipe here

3 c. diced chicken, cooked
1 8oz can pineapple tidbits
1 c. celery, diced
½ c. chopped almonds
1 c. seedless grapes

Dressing ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 T. vinegar
½ c. mayo
1 tsp salt

Mix dressing ingredients and pour over salad ingredients. Toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

Ham & Vegetable Fried Rice

This recipes is from my friend, Jenny Balmforth. It is a great go-to Ham Fried Rice recipe, and the addition of all the veggies make it a good summertime dinner option, when I am craving something fast and light. I prefer having frequent chunks of eggs in my fried rice, so I usually up the eggs in this recipe to five.  To decrease prep time, start the rice immediately and while the rice cooks, chop up and cook the veggies. Enjoy!

Ham & Vegetable Fried Rice

Submitted by Erin  ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 ½ c. water
T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 ½ c. long-grain white rice
2 T. vegetable oil
1 carrot, cut into ¼-inch thick diagonal slices (1 cup)
2 ribs celery, cut into ¼-inch thick diagonal slices (1 cup)
1 sweet green pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips (1 cup)
1 large onion, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced crosswise
4 eggs (I increase to 5 or 6 eggs and sprinkle them with a little sea salt)
½ c. thinly sliced baked ham
¼ tsp black pepper

Bring water, soy sauce, garlic and bouillon cube to boiling in a medium-size saucepan, stirring to dissolve cube.  Add rice; return to boiling. Lower heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrot, celery, green pepper and onion; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes.  Add 3 tablespoons water; cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and vegetables are tender.  Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to a medium-size bowl.
Lower heat to medium. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet.  Whisk eggs in a small bowl.  Add to skillet; cook, breaking up into small pieces as eggs set.  Add rice and vegetable mixture to skillet. Stir in ham and black pepper.  Stir until heated through.  Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.  Per serving: 303 calories, 11 g protein, 9 g fat, 43 g carbohydrate, 695 mg sodium, 48 mg cholesterol.  (Obviously this came from a cookbook, so I need to ask Jenny what cookbook it is, so I can give it due credit.)

Egg Rolls

Oh my. These egg rolls are SO GOOD. This recipe comes from my friend, Jennie Whiting's blog Tried and True Recipes, and she says that they don't order egg rolls at restaurants anymore because they just can't compare. And you know what? She's right. I don't think I will be able to order them ever again either. I am ruined by this recipe.  :)
I have to admit that it was a bit time-intensive to wrap each egg roll.  After some trial and error, I ended up folding them like envelopes and found the task much easier. Jennie uses the bigger size of wrappers, which would have made the wrapping part of the recipe go quicker. Apparently I didn't look at all my options when I picked up the Wonton wrappers at my grocery store. Whichever size I use in the future, I will cheerfully wrap them up knowing how oh-so-worth-it they are!
By the way, I am not a fan of deep fried foods, or the process of deep frying foods for that matter. Of all the times that I actually break down and do it, I only like about half of the recipes I try. If that. They have to be out-of-the-roof good to be worth the hassle and the low score on my healthy-eating chart.  But this recipe makes the cut! (for sure!)

Egg Rolls

Submitted by Erin ~  The Sisters Cafe .com


4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 16oz. bag raw coleslaw vegetables (or shred about 2 cups of cabbage, with some shredded carrots added)
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
5 green onions
1 pkg (20 count) Wonton wrappers
1 egg
Ginger
Garlic

Sweet & Sour Sauce

1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/3 cup white vinegar
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
2/3 cup ketchup
½ tsp. ginger, freshly grated

Put shredded chicken in big bowl with enough soy sauce, ginger and garlic to marinate chicken. In a large stir fry pan, cook coleslaw mix, celery and green onions until just tender with 1 tbs. oil. Add veggies to chicken bowl, along with 2 tsp. Salt, ½ tsp. Pepper, 3 tbs. Sugar, and mix with spoon.
In a small bowl, whisk one egg with 1 part water. To fill the wonton wrappers, place a heaping spoonful of meat mixture into the center of one wonton. Dip your fingers into egg and smear along the edges of wonton (this helps the egg roll stick together when rolled.) Then take one set of opposite corners and bring to the middle, or close to it. Take one of the remaining corners to the middle and roll toward the flat side. Try to seal up the wrap, allowing no stuffing to poke through, using more egg mixture on fingers to help it stick together.



Fill all wrappers, then start the deep frying process. In a wok, fill enough oil to deep fry egg roll. Wait until oil is hot enough before putting egg roll inside. (~365 degrees F.) You’ll have to monitor the speed of frying so that you don’t burn your egg rolls, and turn down heat as necessary…and watch out not to burn yourself with oil splatter! Fry until golden brown and serve immediately.
For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a pot. Stirring frequently with a whisk, bring to a boil. Cook until it thickens and it’s ready!!

Sweet Chili Tortilla Soup

This soup is amazing, and even better, I would definitely place this soup in the "very good for you" category. I'm pretty sure this flavorful soup could probably be squeezed into almost any diet (except the crazy ones obviously:). So if you're currently in the category of "I'm watching what I eat" or even if you're just trying to be healthy, this soup is for you! In fact, Mom actually passed this recipe along to me. She received it from a friend whose husband is on a strict low-carb, diabetic diet. I would have been skeptical, if it hadn't been Mom passing it along, but it was great. Obviously if you're counting calories, you're going to want to go really light on the tortilla strips and garnishes and cut out the olive oil...don't worry this soup can stand on it's own two feet. Otherwise, I say throw 'em on there baby. I do recommend adding the ancho chili, it adds a delicious unique flavor. Ancho chilies are a mild, fruity chili that is just the dried form of poblanos, and are the sweetest of all dried chilies. You may be able to find them in your local grocery store. If not, you should be able to find them in your local Mexican market for super cheap. Eat up!

Sweet Chili Tortilla Soup

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 dried ancho chili
1/2 cup boiling water
2 T. olive oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, or equivalent amount of rotisserie chicken)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch coins (or equivalent baby carrots)
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
2 t. ground cumin
6 cups chicken broth (or stock)
3 cans (14.5 oz each) chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (I probably use a little more)
10 corn tortillas, for frying
For garnish use any of the following:
Sliced avocado

Crumbled queso fresco, or shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
Lime wedges
Cilantro

1. Place chili in a small, heatproof bowl; pour boiling water over and let soak 30 minutes. Drain; remove stem and seeds. Slice into 1/2 inch strips and set aside.

2. In a large soup pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Continue to cook about 8 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cumin and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add broth, reserved chili, tomatoes, and cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. With your hands, tear 3 tortillas into 2-inch strips and add to the soup. Continue to simmer about 15 minutes.

3. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a cutting board; take soup off heat. With a immersion blender, puree soup until smooth (I just use my regular blender and it works fine or you can puree the soup in small batches in a food processor fitter with knife blade). Return to pan. With two forks, shred chicken; return to soup. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Slice remaining tortillas with a pizza cutter into 1/4-inch strips. In a small saucepan, heat 1.5 inch canola oil until very hot. Fry tortilla strips until crisp, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove strips to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt. Serve soup in bowls topped with tortilla strips and any or all of the optional garnishes.

*If watching calories, try baking the tortilla strips until crisp, instead of frying them. Cut them up, place them on a baking sheet, sprinkle them with salt and pop them in the oven. I personally haven't made them this way yet, so I'm not sure how long to cook them, but I'm sure it would be great! Let us know if you try it this way:)

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!!

Clam Chowder

Well, today is the first day of December!  It is snowing outside here in Michigan (the first snow fall of the winter). It just seems like the perfect day for gathering with the family around the kitchen table for a warm and comforting dinner of Clam Chowder!  We have all our Christmas decorations up, and Carols playing on the computer - this is such a wonderful and happy time of year!

To all of you, Happy Holidays!

Be sure to check out all of our Christmas recipes. You can search for something specific using the search function on the right sidebar. Or you can click on the Christmas label in the list on the right sidebar if you want to browse through the Christmas recipes. (Try the Candy and Caramel labels as well.)

Also, I will be posting my recipe for homemade Bread Bowls on Saturday. :)
Enjoy our Mom's fabulous recipe for Clam Chowder!

Mom’s Delicious Clam Chowder

Submitted by Erin   ~   The Sisters Cafe

Printable recipe here

1 c. chopped onion

1 c. chopped celery

2 c. diced potatoes

¾ c. butter

¾ c. flour

1 qt. half-and-half (sometimes I use whole milk, to make it healthier)

2 (6.5-oz) cans minced clams

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ Tb red wine vinegar

pepper to taste

Drain clams and reserve liquid.  Pour liquid over prepared vegetables.  Add water to barely cover the vegetables.  Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are almost tender (this won't take too long).  In a saucepan, melt butter and add flour, making a roux with a whisk.  Stir while adding cream.  Cook and stir until smooth, without boiling.  Add the roux to the vegetables and add clams, salt, vinegar, and pepper.   Serve in warm bread bowls.

Makes 8 servings.

Healthy and Hearty Chicken Quinoa Stew

I made this the other day and it was right up my alley! Loved it! I felt like I was getting healthier with every spoonful:) Okay, maybe that's a stretch...then again, maybe not! It is filling and yummy and packed with "good for you" ingredients. And hello, quinoa, what a fun new ingredient. Can you believe I've never had it before?! But don't forget the last and probably most important step, to season! It gives it that last, needed touch. This recipe serves 8-10 people. My family of 4 (of which only 3 are big enough to eat this stuff) had lots of leftovers. It didn't take us long to consume every last spoonful.

Healthy and Hearty Chicken Quinoa Stew

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: Picky Palate
Printable Recipe

2 T extra virgin olive oil (I always skimp on this just a little)
1 large onion, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 Cups sweet pepper, chopped
1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
64 oz chicken broth
15 oz can diced tomatoes
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into 1" pieces (get the Yukon potatoes, it's worth the extra few dollars)
3 cups cooked quinoa
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
2 T Dijon Mustard
1 T Hot Sauce (Cholula brand is good)
Kosher Salt, fresh cracked black pepper, Garlic Salt (Lawry's is good), and Parsley to taste
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley chopped

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots, peppers, and zucchini until softened. This takes about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, and potatoes. Increase heat to high just until broth starts to boil Reduce to medium high and cook potatoes for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, chicken, dijon mustard, hot sauce. Season to taste with kosher salt, pepper, garlic salt. Stir in fresh parsley and simmer until ready to serve.

Beef Curry Supreme

This is my very favorite curry ever! It is fabulous, tasty, and full of flavor. This is the recipe that our mom used when we were growing up, and it's awesome. Originally, it calls for 2 lb lamb shoulder, but I've never used lamb. I'm almost positive that Mom only ever used beef too. I can never find chutney, so (as I noted in the recipe) I just use salsa and add a dash of ginger. And then I add a few apple slices, diced.

My husband loves loves this recipe, too. :) Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Beef Curry Supreme

submitted by Erin  ~  The Sisters Cafe

2 lb beef sirloin tip roast

1/3 c. butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ onion, chopped

¼ c. celery, chopped

1/3 c. flour

2 tsp curry powder

2 c. beef bouillon broth(I use 3 beef bouillon cubes and 2 c. water)

½ c. chutney (I use salsa plus a dash of ginger, and a few apple slices, diced small.)

¼ c. slivered almonds

1 tsp prepared mustard

1/8 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Condiments:

Chutney

Chopped nuts*

Shredded coconut (toasted until golden)*

Minced parsley

Crumbled crisply fried bacon

Thickly sliced green onions*

Sweet crushed pickle relish

Chopped hard-cooked eggs*

Raisins*

Chopped preserved ginger

(You don't have to have all of them; just serve the curry with at least three of the condiments. I asterisked the condiments that I've used. I couldn't tell you if the other condiment options are good choices or not.)

Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. Brown on all sides in the butter in a large skillet. Add the garlic, onion, and celery and cook 5 minutes. Add flour and curry. Cook 3 minutes longer. Add chicken bouillon and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add chutney, almonds, mustard, and pepper. Salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, until tender. Serve over hot rice with 3 or more condiments.

Citrus Walnut Pasta Salad

My fabulous sister Deb made this for a family event and it was seriously sooo good! It tastes so light and fresh and yet has some fun ingredients to give it a special little flare! I wish I was eating this tonight! The recipe is simple but does require a little chopping time. But definitely worth it!

Citrus Walnut Pasta Salad

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

¾ c. coarsely chopped walnuts
3 c. (abt 8 oz.) bowtie pasta
2 c. shredded cooked chicken (can use rotisserie chicken from deli)
1 c. smoked cheese, such as Gouda, cut in ¼” cubes
1 c. celery cut in thin slices
1/3 c. finely chopped red onion (I like using regular onion)
3 T. chopped fresh chives
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Dressing: (My favorite part!)
1/3 C. fresh orange juice
¼ c. fresh lemon juice
4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. stone-ground mustard
2 t. sugar
1 ¼ t. salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
2 t. rice vinegar

Preheat oven to 350. Place walnuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 8-10 min, checking frequently. Let cool. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and let cool completely. To prepare the dressing, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with whisk to blend. Add pasta, chicken, cheese, celery, onion, walnuts, chives, and parsley to the dressing; toss gently to combine. Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Corn Chowder

This is such a delicious soup! I got the recipe from the Picky Palate last year. It's delicious. It's great served with some crusty bread. Yummy!

Chicken Corn Chowder
submitted by Erin 

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium bell pepper (I prefer red for color), finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (do not omit)
1/4 Cup thinly sliced or chopped ham or canadian bacon
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
3 Tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels (I usually end up using frozen corn)
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz softened cream cheese
1 Cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a large bowl then stir into soup. Stir in corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth. Stir into soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer until ready to serve.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This is a recipe from the Picky Palate from a long time ago. I finally got around to trying it out and it is DELICIOUS! Seriously, I savored every bite. Yum. It could be rather a long process if you're doing it all at once, so try making the baked potatoes, cutting up the veggies, and cooking the bacon earlier in the day. Then dinner will be easy-shmeasy. It's totally worth it. Yum yum.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe

 

12 oz Applewood smoked bacon

4 stalks celery finely diced

2 large carrots, peeled, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, membrane removed and finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

½ Cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup thinly sliced ham or Canadian bacon (or mini cubed ham)

32 oz chicken broth (or water & bouillon)

6 oz half and half (I used whole milk)

10 med/lg. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ Cup milk

4 oz sour cream

1 ½ Cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

Garnish

½ Cup sour cream

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Cup thinly sliced green onion (green part)

 

1. Heat large dutch oven over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggis. Saute celery, carrots, jalapeno, onion and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half and half.

2. Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese and green onion.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This soup is delicious! My friend Heather gave me this recipe and I am eternally grateful:) It's one of my new favorites, and I love the Country Pasta in it. It's a very thick soup with lots of noodles. I usually end up approximately doubling the chicken broth to make it a little more "soupy", but it's still pretty thick even after that. I like it this way but just add as much broth as you and your family prefer. Enjoy this warm, satisfying dish!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cans chicken broth (14oz) I usually end up doubling this amount
1 T chicken bouillon (I just use a cube)
1 c. carrots, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1/2 med onion, chopped
16 oz. noodles, homestyle egg pasta (Country Pasta)
1 1/2 lbs cooked, cooled, chopped chicken breast
2 c. cream of chicken soup
1 12oz can evaporated milk

Boil the broth, bouillon, carrots, celery and onion for 20 minutes, or until tender. Add noodles and boil for another 10 minutes. (I actually cook the noodles first while the vegetables are boiling, so the noodles don't soak up all of the broth, but I do cook the noodles with a bouillon cube so they get some flavor. And then I add them.) Then add chicken, cream of chicken soup and canned milk. Heat thoroughly. Add pepper to taste.

Southern Baked Beans & Z'Tejas Cornbread

Yum. I love homemade baked beans. This is a hearty main-course version that I discovered a few years ago through my friend, Allison. It is absolutely delicious. I served it along with some hot cornbread, which turned out to the be the best cornbread I have ever had. I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, Melanie's, recipe blog - Mel's Kitchen Cafe. This dinner was perfect for a snowy day. If you like baked beans, you will definitely love this!

SOUTHERN BAKED BEANS
submitted by Erin

1 quart baked beans (1 large can or 2 16-oz cans)
1 16-oz can kidney beans, drained
1 16-oz can garbanzo beans, drained
½ lb bacon
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ c. brown sugar
2 Tb molasses
¼ c. ketchup
¼ c. barbeque sauce (This time I used Famous Dave's Rich & Sassy and it was great!)
¼ tsp chili powder
1 tsp mustard
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
about 1 1/2 cups water

Brown beef, drain. Cook bacon, drain, and chop. Saute diced onion, bell pepper, and celery in same pan. Add remaining ingredients together in a large pot and heat thoroughly. Add water to your liking (as it heats up, it will thin a little). You may let it simmer, covered, on low for up to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Or you can serve it after simmering for 10 minutes.

Z'TEJAS CORNBREAD
(It seems like all the other cornbread recipes I have tried have been either super oily, super sugary, super dry, or super bland. This one is just super! :) It's moist, has a great texture, and tastes fabulous. I halved this and used a glass 8x8 pan.)

1 1/2 cup corn meal
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup creamed corn
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, whisk yogurt, buttermilk, eggs and butter together. Add the creamed corn and frozen corn. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan or use a buttered cast iron skillet and fill the skillet 1/2 full (if using a skillet you will have leftover batter so go ahead and make some cornbread muffins or a smaller pan of bread). Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes (check with a toothpick that should come out clean).