Cheddar Chunk Green Pea Salad

May 14, 2013 by 3 Comments

Traffic Light Salad aka Cheddar Chunk Pea Salad A Pinch of Joy

Green peas are a harbinger of springtime, one of the cool weather crops that begins to produce early.  Green peas are a nutritional powerhouse,  a legume rich in vitamins and minerals along with protein.  Green peas make a delicious salad that Wheels calls  “Traffic Light Salad” because it is red, green and yellow.  Add these all together and Cheddar Chunk Pea Salad is the perfect salad to usher in National Salad Month, otherwise known as the Merry Month of May. 

Peas are legumes, along with beans and lentils.  They were one of the first crops to be cultivated by humans and were eaten dried (blech!  Sorry . . .personal opinion . .  disclaimer ) for thousands of years.   They are now grown all over the world, with Canada as the major producer.  If you are a gardener, you know peas will increase the nitrogen available in soil so fertilizers are not necessary and, when grown in rotation with other plants, will reduce pests.  Peas are high in fiber, low in fat, with no cholesterol, 45% of your daily requirement of Vitamin K (important in prevention of osteoporosis) and significant amounts of other necessary vitamins and minerals.  They have a substantial amount of protein, are a source of Omega 3 and Omega 6, and contain many anti-oxidants and anti inflammatories.  These properties along with a relatively low glycemic index have recently focused attention on peas as a help in heart disease and controlling blood sugar levels.  Who would ever have guessed???

If you buy  cheese already cubed, cut the pieces in half so they are easier to eat with the salad.  Use baby peas (no sauce) if you can find them, otherwise any good quality frozen pea will work.  (I have eaten this made with canned peas too and found that good, although the texture was softer.)  If you make this ahead, the flavors have a chance to meld and the cheese will soften.  Make it just before serving, and the flavors are separate and everything crisp.  If you want melded flavors AND “crisp” cheese, make the salad the night before and add the cheese just before serving.  I’ve done all three and it gets eaten every time.  But some people are particular about such things.  J  The lettuce leaf cup makes a nice touch if you are serving on salad plates.  In that case you would probably only use half cup servings and the entire recipe would make eight servings.  If you are serving family style for a hearty meal, servings would probably come closer to one cup and the entire recipe would make four servings.  One cup servings are the basis for most of the nutritional values given above.

In honor of National Salad Month, here are some other salads you can find in the index above:


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Cheddar Chunk Green Pea Salad

Yield: 8 onehalf cup servings or 4 one cup servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup to 1 cup

Cheddar Chunk Green Pea Salad

Nutritious and delicious! Serve on lettuce cup for individual servings or serve up heartier family servings from the bowl.

Ingredients

  • 1 12 ounce package frozen peas
  • ¾ cup cheddar cheese cubes
  • 1/3 cup diced red pepper
  • 1/3 cup diced celery
  • 2 green onions sliced thin
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon salt OR to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare, and slice or dice cheese, red pepper, celery and onions.
  2. Rinse frozen peas to remove any ice crystals, drain briefly.
  3. Mix all ingredients together in medium bowl.
  4. Serve on lettuce leaf.

Notes

Charlene @ A Pinch of Joy

http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2013/05/cheddar-chunk-green-pea-salad/

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Snickers Surprise Salad

November 1, 2012 by

Snickers are my favorite candy bar!  Through college, they were often my lunch along with an apple, carrot sticks and maybe, but more often not, a sandwich.   Then at the office, they became my afternoon break staple.  Other people couldn’t function without coffee.  Me —  Snickers!     And then, once upon a time, my sister Bee brought a Snickers Salad to a family potluck.  Everyone raved.  I wondered how the Snickers Bars lasted long enough to get put in a salad.   Were they crazy???

 After the last Halloween trick or treater departed last night,  there were five Snickers bars left in the bowl.  Hmmmmm – leftover Snickers Bars.  Bee’s salad.  Of course, I did not have the recipe because I never figured there would be leftover Snickers Bars in MY lifetime in MY house.  But there I was with five of the babies in my hands.  I quickly threw them in the cupboard under a bag of something.  Out of sight,  out of mind sort of thinking.  Today I called sister Vee on her lunch hour to see if she had the recipe.  No, Bee was the specialist so she didn’t have a copy either.  I left a frantic message on Bee’s voice mail to call me after work with the recipe.  I had to work fast before temptation overtook me and there were NO leftover Snickers Bars in my lifetime in my house.

I kept my hands busy caulking and sanding and painting until  she called.  And made me talk about the weather, the families, the . . . . .  And then she gave me the recipe.  I listened in disbelief.  Is there . . . no, none of that she said.  Well, is there. . . no, none of that either.  Just three ingredients, she said.  Really.  Really??  I felt a little cheated.  But she was the specialist.

I set out my chopping board and  cut those beautiful Snickers bars into little cubes.  I washed my three apples and cut them into quarters and cored them.  Then I cut each quarter into slices and the slices into dices.  By then, the secret ingredient was soft so I scooped a big scoop into the bowl with the Snickers and the apples.  And remembered the specialist told me to adjust as needed.  She used a whole container of the secret ingredient.  I eyeballed it and decided half a container would be sufficient for us.  Yes, I did.  I tweaked a recipe from the specialist!

Cool Whip is the secret ingredient.  Just plain Cool Whip.  Although you can probably use French Vanilla or Extra Creamy.  But don’t add anything else to it or you will ruin the perfect flavor combination.  The other reason – besides flavor – that you use Cool Whip is because it hides the Snickers cubes amongst the apples.  Biting into a sweet caramel, nutty cube is a surprise!  And that is why this is Snickers Surprise Salad.  Not Specialist Bee’s Best Secret Snicker Dessert Salad – although you can call it that, too.

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Snickers Surprise Salad

Snickers Surprise Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 medium apples, your favorite crisp type
  • 5-6 Fun Size or 3 full size Snickers Bars
  • 8 oz container of Cool Whip (or less)

Instructions

  1. Wash, quarter and core apples. Slice and cut slices into small pieces. Add to medium bowl.
  2. Cut Snickers into small pieces. Add to bowl.
  3. Add half of Cool Whip to bowl and mix. Depending on size of apples and taste, add more Cool Whip until apples and Snickers Bars are generously coated.
  4. Serve immediately.
  5. Note: If making ahead, toss apples with a scant tablespoon of lemon juice , before adding other ingredients. This will prevent browning.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/11/snickers-surprise-salad/

 

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Chicken Pasta Salad with poppyseed dressing

August 28, 2012 by

Chicken Pasta Salad with poppyseed dressing

Someone brought this flavorful and addicting pasta salad to a potluck and everyone raved over it.  I was lucky enough to get the recipe – and then promptly tweaked it.

I cut the pasta in half, but kept the amount of chicken the same so the carb count was reduced somewhat.  They used dried cranberries which I switched out for fresh fruit for the same reason.  Halved grapes, sliced strawberries and mandarin oranges work nicely.  This was the first time I used blueberries and we  liked those as well.  I prefer the Brianna’s dressing and look for it when I start yearning for this dish.  I’ve poached the chicken before by bringing water to boil in a shallow pan and slipping in a couple of thawed chicken breasts and cooking until done.  This time I decided to use the Foreman grill. I spritzed the cooking surface with cooking oil and laid thawed two chicken breasts on the grill which had preheated a couple of minutes.    About five minutes and they were done.  Grilling the chicken added a bit of new dimension to the flavor of the salad.   I prefer to use farafelle (bowtie) pasta and leave it just barely undercooked.

This makes 6-8 servings.  If you want  to serve more, use 16 oz of uncooked pasta and prepare it according to package directions.  Use the entire bottle or two cups of poppyseed dressing.

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Chicken Pasta Salad with poppyseed dressing

Chicken Pasta Salad with poppyseed dressing

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked pasta - about 8 oz uncooked
  • 4 green onions, sliced thin
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 ½ cup cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (approximately two chicken breasts)
  • 1 cup poppyseed dressing (I use Brianna’s)
  • ½ - ¾ cup of your choice of fruit

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rigatoni, farafelle or penne work well.
  2. Cook chicken until done – microwave, poach or grill -- cool slightly and cut into small pieces.
  3. Slice onions and celery.
  4. Drain and rinse pasta when finished cooking. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.
  5. Mix cooled chicken, pasta, vegetables and poppyseed dressing together.
  6. Gently fold in fruit of your choice. Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges are suitable choices.
  7. Chill two hours before serving. Will keep in refrigerator for 2-3 days.
  8. Makes six to eight servings.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/08/chicken-pasta-salad-with-poppyseed-dressing/

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Guest post at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

August 23, 2012 by

Head over to Sumo’s Sweet Stuff today! 

I am thrilled to be guest posting for her right here. 

But don’t stop there! 

Check out the fave posts on the left  or click on the button at the top that says “”Tutorials”" and prepare to be amazed. 

Sumo creates beautiful projects – and then tells us how to create our own..  What could be better than that? 

 I love the honeycomb art  and the adorable outfits she creates for her sweet daughters like this one and this one.  

You just know anyone that  names  her sewing machine (Shirley)  and Silhouette (Lucy)  is going to be super creative!  Enjoy!

 

 

 

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Taco Salad

August 14, 2012 by

Wheel’s sister, JayEl*, introduced this salad to us at a family dinner once upon a time.  It was an immediate hit!

Like all recipes that come my way, it’s been tweaked a bit here and there – well, a lot come to think of it.  First was the ground beef.  Bytes and his brother would leave behind anything with taco spices, but they would eat chili mixed with the ground beef.  Like any sane mother, I went with the flow and opted for what they would eat as long as it was on the healthy side.  Then Bytes turned up with an allergy to tomatoes, so they were served on the side and until he outgrew the allergy, his ground beef was plain.   Growing young men go more for cheese and meat rather than lettuce and dressing so the layer method was developed.    Bytes brother brought sour cream into the picture.    Wheels and I decided we preferred the smaller, more flavorful black beans so the red kidney beans fell off the recipe. A diabetes diagnosis led to the chips on the bottom, counted out to serving amount on the package.  And half the time we skip the Italian dressing.  All this to say, this recipe is flexible and the cook can make necessary changes and still have a delicious and tummy filling meal that pleases everyone.

*Have you figured it out yet ??

              Our sisters are identified by spelling out their initials.  :-)

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Taco Salad

Taco Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • I pkg taco seasoning, prepared according to directions OR 1 can chili with beans, low sodium
  • 1 package lettuce OR 1 head of iceberg lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 can kidney OR black beans
  • 4 ounces grated cheddar OR Mexican mix cheese
  • Italian (or French) dressing
  • 1 small bag baked taco chips
  • 1 small container sour cream

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef and drain.
  2. Add taco seasoning OR chili and heat until warmed through.
    3. Layer method:
  3. Lay taco chips on plate, then lettuce, tomatoes, black bean, onion and cheese.
  4. Add dressing and sour cream to taste.
    5. Tossed method:
  5. Toss lettuce, tomatoes, onion, beans and cheese.
  6. Break chips into small pieces, add to salad.
  7. Add ground beef chili mix and toss gently.
  8. Serve with Italian dressing and sour cream.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/08/taco-salad/

 

 

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Layered Salad

June 27, 2012 by

Lettuce salad layered with other vegetables and topped with mayo

A glass refrigerator dish was setting forlornly on a wobbly table in the basement.  The masking tape tag said it could be mine for 25 cents.  I wandered off through the rest of the musty basement looking over tattered Christmas decorations, worn tools, some dusty knick knacks, chairs that had seen better days, a scale.  And then I came back to the table with the square, lidded dish, almost hidden with office supplies and gift wrappings. Nice.  But.  What would I do with something like this?  I went off to the garage full of gardening equipment, upstairs with furniture being moved out, linens heaved around as people searched for the right size, a sad wheelchair in a closet.

Estate sales have their own stories and so did this one. It wasn’t all sad.  There were cheery colors in the kitchen,  a comfortable sun room and other reminders of a life full of friends and family.  They had apparently taken what they wanted and left the rest for strangers to find their own treasures.  Like the covered refrigerator dish in the basement.  What would I do with something like that?  I had promised myself I would not buy anything  that did not have a use or a place in my home – now.  Not someday. Not on the chance  I’d find a use for it later.  Not even if it only cost a quarter.  It could only be bought if I had a good use for it.  I took a turn around the dining room.  And then it hit me.  I knew exactly what it would do in my house.  And I zipped downstairs, grabbed that beautiful refrigerator dish and brought it home.  A trip through the dishwasher and it sparkled.

I could tell it was vintage.  Curious, I did a search.  Its lid is  distinctive so it was easy to find.  It was made by the Federal Glass Company in the 1930’s and 1940’s, into the Fifties.  It could be 80 years old.  And not a chip on it.  My quarter dish with lid is worth between $30 and $50.  Interesting.  Even more interesting would be the stories this dish could tell!  It may have belonged to the owner’s mother during the Depression. Or a favorite aunt who bought it for her hope chest before her hopes were shattered by war in the Forties.   Or was it a wedding gift when the owner was married in the Fifties?  Did they use it everyday?  Or was it “saved” because it was special.  Why wasn’t it in the kitchen with the rest of the dishes and cookware?   The dish remains mute on its past.  A lady of mystery and charm.

I can tell you what it does now, though.  It is the perfect container for a layered salad.  Just the right depth so you can lift out a serving with all its layers intact. Make the salad ahead of time, place the cover on while the flavors blend and everything remains fresh. The lid and the size makes it just perfect for  summer potlucks and get togethers. And if there happen to be leftovers – which there is at our house because we can make two meals from one recipe – the lid comes into play again.  You can even set another bowl on top of the covered dish and save room in the refrigerator.  And it works great for serving and keeping melon chunks, too.   I love my refrigerator dish with the veggies on the lid!


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Layered Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 12 ounce package iceberg lettuce with carrot shreds
  • 1 10 ounce box frozen peas OR 1 cup from larger package
  • 3 green onions, sliced OR ¼ cup diced white onion
  • Any combination or all of the following, sliced or diced:
  • 1 rib celery, half a sweet pepper, half a cucumber, several cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 package real bacon bits (not artificial) OR 1 pound bacon crisped and crumbled
  • Parsley, snipped, about 1 Tablespoon, optional

Instructions

  1. In an 8x8x2 inch dish, evenly distribute one half of the iceberg lettuce.
  2. Add peas, shaking evenly over the lettuce layer.
  3. Repeat with the other vegetables.
  4. Top with the remaining one half of the lettuce, evenly distributed and pressed down slightly.
  5. Add shredded cheese evenly over the top of the salad.
  6. Spread mayonnaise lightly across the top with spatula, pressing down into lettuce until the entire salad is covered. Add more mayonnaise if needed to completely cover the entire salad. Top should be covered with mayonnaise but you should still be able to see the lettuce "peeking" through.
  7. Sprinkle bacon evenly over the top. Sprinkle parsley over top, if desired, for more color.
  8. Cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap.
  9. Refrigerate several hours, overnight is best before serving.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/06/layered-salad/

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Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

June 13, 2012 by

Orange, red, yellow sweet pepper salad

I love the bright colors of this salad.  It just sings party!  You can slice the peppers and onion into rings before marinating for a fun party look.  Or slice the peppers lengthwise and dice the onion for a side salad.   Or you can slice the peppers lengthwise and then cut them into pieces about an inch long, as I did, and used diced onion.   With the smaller pieces, you can add the marinated peppers to a tossed salad, put a spoonful on top of a burger or use it to flavor another dish – besides eating it as a salad.  Besides its colorful versatility, this combination has several “good for you” benefits!

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in the “new world”, the sunshine colors give a hint to the nutrional punch packed by bell peppers,  One small red, yellow or orange pepper has three times the daily required amount of Vitamin C.  They contain Vitamin A which helps night vision and other compounds which help protect against macular degeneration and cataracts.  These two vitamins boost immunity and guard again heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.  They are a good source of Vitamin B6 and folic acid.  Lycopene is found in red peppers and helps protect against certain cancers.  Peppers are a good source of fiber, with its associated benefits.  That’s a lot packed into a pretty pepper!

The dressing has a lot of health benefits as well.  Continuing studies, in particular at Arizona State University and Lund University in Sweden and Tokyo University in Japan, verify the benefits of acetic acid found in vinegar.  Vinegar decreases blood glucose levels.  According to Dr. Carol Johnston of ASU,   “[Vinegar] in inexpensive and can be easily incorporated into the diet. Used in combination with diet and exercise, it can help many people with type 2 diabetes.”

Other studies have shown regular consumption of as little as 2 teaspoons of vinegar a day  will help with metabolic syndrome ( pre diabetes) and produce moderate weight loss.  Dr. Johnston recommends an easy way to consume vinegar is through dressings on salads and cooked vegetables with a mix of 50-75% of vinegar to oil.  Our dressing is 75% vinegar.  If you are using this recipe for that purpose, you can eliminate the sugar or choose a sugar substitute.

Who knew healthy food could look so festive and taste so good???

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Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 each red, yellow and orange bell peppers
  • 1 small onion
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon of sugar or equivalent sweetener
  • 1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley – optional

Instructions

  1. Wash, seed and slice the peppers.
  2. Prepare the onion – diced finely or sliced thinly into rings.
  3. Whisk together oil, vinegar and sugar.
  4. Place peppers and onion into bowl and pour the dressing over them.
  5. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
  6. 6 servings
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/06/sweet-pepper-fiesta-salad-2/

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Bacon Potato Salad

May 22, 2012 by

Potato Salad with Bacon

Tis the season for salads, sandwiches and picnics.  This potato salad is a summer favorite.  Somehow those summer favorites just don’t taste the same when there is no sunshine around!

Ever wonder why sometimes potato salad comes out creamy with nice firm potatoes and other times the same recipe is mushy and dry.   I went looking for the answer.  Just cause I’m curious that way.  And I figure if I am — so is someone else.  The reason is the type of potatoes we use.  I even tried it with two different kinds of potatoes.  Just for you.  ‘Tis true, my friends — the type of potato makes the difference!

Red potatoes or Yukon gold are what is called  waxy potatoes.  They hold their shape well and meld in with the dressing without absorbing it so the salad remains creamy.  Russets, in the “floury potato” category, are more dry so they absorb the dressing.  They also  tend to fall apart and to be somewhat gummy –  more desirable for baking or mashing.  Whichever you use, don’t forget to salt the water you cook them in.   Nutritionally all potatoes are a good source of Vitamin C and potassium. They have no cholesterol and are low in fat.  A potato, boiled with skin, is 20 carbs per one cup serving.  Anyone counting carbs will want to eat in moderation, limiting to one serving,  and balance with protein for the rest of the meal.

Today I happened to have a half pound of bacon left from another recipe. Most of the time, I don’t use sliced bacon quickly enough and end up throwing it out.    However, a very acceptable substitute for crumbled bacon in recipes are the real bacon crumbles found in the grocery store in the salad fixin’s aisle.  Not the artificial ones, but the ones made from real bacon.  Use one tablespoon per two slices of bacon.  Homemade crumbles come in at 6 grams of fat per serving.  Packaged crumbles are 1.5 grams of fat.  Sodium levels in the packaged bacon is 220 mg per tablespoon  vs 300 mg for 2 slices of bacon.  And the packaged bacon keeps longer, thaws quickly if you need to preserve by freezing and there is no messy bacon grease disposal.  And you know how you always want to add extra bacon – cause if a little is so good, a lot is a lot better?  Well, you can do it guilt free . . . .

In the summer, I often keep hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator for quick snacks, egg salad sandwiches or to add to a tossed salad.  Makes them easy to add to recipes like this – and to slice an extra one on top for added color.  You can use 3 or 4 green onions instead of the diced onion for a more delicate flavor.  I used to slice the celery thinly, now  I just used the same chopper I bought for chopping onions.  We decided we liked the smaller crunch better.  You can also leave the skin on the potato, especially if using the waxy potatoes.  My preference is to peel because I think it looks better, but that’s just me.

 

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Bacon Potato Salad

Bacon Potato Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs, hardboiled
  • 4-6 slices bacon, crisped and crumbled OR 2-3 Tablespoons packaged real bacon bits.
  • 6 medium potatoes, about 2 pounds, scrubbed and cut in half with peels left on
  • ½ cup low fat sour cream
  • ½ cup olive oil mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons minced onion OR 3 green onions and tops sliced thin
  • 3 stalks celery, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the potatoes in a pot with enough salted water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender enough to insert fork. Begin to check frequently after 12-15 minutes at a boil to prevent overcooking. Drain and cool.
  2. Meanwhile, place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 12 minutes. Drain hot water, and place eggs in cold water to cool.
  3. While potatoes and eggs are cooking, place bacon slices in the microwave on bacon crisper for about 4 minutes, until crisp. OR fry in a skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble half of the bacon slices into the mayonnaise mixture. Reserve the rest for garnish.
  4. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard.
  5. Mince onion and celery. Crumble bacon, set aside about a tablespoonful. Peel eggs and dice. Add each to mayonaisse mixture.
  6. Peel somewhat cooled potatoes by inserting point of sharp knife under the peeling and gently pulling off the warm potato. Cut the potatoes into smaller than bite sized pieces, and let cool until lukewarm on the cutting board. Then stir into the bowl until evenly coated.
  7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Crumble the remaining bacon over the potato salad, then sprinkle chopped parsley over the top.
  9. Refrigerate at least four hours, overnight is better.
  10. Serve cold. Makes about 8 servings.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/05/bacon-potato-salad/

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Wicked Good Simple Sweet Slaw

March 27, 2012 by

Wicked Good Simple Sweet Slaw A Pinch of Joy

My mother’s coleslaw recipe. I could eat it twice a day at least four days a week.  Crunchy, creamy and the perfect accompaniment for anything.   I’ve never seen another recipe for coleslaw this simple – and no vinegar.   I don’t consider myself a picky eater by any means – just please, please, please don’t give me coleslaw with vinegar in it.  Who wants vinegar when we can have sweet and creamy, I say!

I’m sure Mom’s recipe started out with one medium head of cabbage, sliced very thin to make approximately four cups.  You can do that.  You can also shred cabbage very nicely with the food processor.  I prefer packaged shredded cabbage – at least until garden season with our own fresh cabbage.  Mom was also a flexible cook (where do you think I got that???) so she would adapt.  Slightly bigger head of cabbage?  Add a tablespoon more mayonnaise and/or milk because creaminess is important to this dish.   The creaminess also develops a bit as the slaw matures a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving.  (Although I have stirred it together and set it on the table as the diners were coming in the door.)

This is one of those basic recipes.  Know the proportions and you can do just about anything with it. Dress it up with a quarter cup of diced apple and/or shredded carrots with an additional bit of mayonnaise.   Other and/ or options are quarter cup of drained crushed pineapple and/or golden raisins.  Or you can go the other way and add a quarter cup of diced onion and half a teaspoon of celery seed and sprinkle with black pepper.

Sweet and simple as written makes it  a perfect accompaniment  because it lets the flavor of the main dish shine.  Serve it with  any chicken dish.  Cabbage is a traditional side with pork, like Wicked Good and Easy Pork Chops or Pork Roast with sweet potatoes and fried apples.  It is picnic worthy to accompany grilled meats, including hamburgers, sausage and hot dogs.  Tonight I served it with a savory roast beef and mashed potatoes. Love the light flavor and the crunchiness!

This recipe featured at Taste This Thursday.

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Wicked Simple Sweet Slaw

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Wicked Simple Sweet Slaw

Creamy sweet coleslaw is a perfect crunchy complement to almost any meal!

Ingredients

  • Cabbage, shredded 16 ounce package with or without carrots
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar or equivalent sugar substitute

Instructions

  1. Mix mayonnaise, milk and sugar together
  2. Stir in cabbage
  3. Refrigerate one – two hours
  4. Four servings at 10 carbs each if made with sugar, about 5 carbs each if using sugar substitute

Notes

Charlene Vance @ A Pinch of Joy

http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/03/wicked-simple-sweet-slaw/

 

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Fruit and Curry Chicken Salad

March 22, 2012 by

Sneak peek!  Coming soon!

Measure boards for cutting

The weather has been summery – astounding for March!  The weather people are crowing about  record highs in the 80’s for the last three days.  And we’ve taken advantage of it, with long walks and lots of time in the garden.  In fact, we are trying something new this year and having good weather  to work on it is wonderful.  Above is a sneak peek – I can’t wait to share more as it all comes together.  Meals when we are concentrating on a project are usually do ahead.  Last night I reached back in the archives from the very first days of A Pinch of Joy.  One of our long time favorites and a great make ahead main dish  –Fruit and Curry Chicken Salad.

This is a festive, flavorful salad perfect that is so versatile. It is not spicy, but is uniquely and wonderfully flavored.  A party on the tongue!   It is the first thing I think of when I need something for a luncheon because it can be served so many different ways. Great by itself it also goes well with croissants or any delicately flavored quick bread.  It works well for a Christmas brunch or late dinner.   With crackers or toasted rounds, it makes a delightful appetizer.  We love it for cool summer suppers with a salad and corn on the cob or a light dessert. Last night I served it with crusty Italian bread on the side, a huge tossed salad and ice cream for dessert.  Great change from the wintry fare we would usually be eating this time of year!

Did you know that curry is a combination of spices?  Families in southern Asia have their own “secret” blends that can contain up to 20 different herbs and spices, depending on the region and traditions.  Many blends include cumin, mustard, chili powder, cinnamon, coriander, and tumeric.  It is the tumeric that gives curry the signature color. The chili powder gives heat according to the quantity used.  Americans often associate curry with Indian cuisine.  The only association with India is that the British army adopted a version of  for use in rations during British colonial days in India.  The British are responsible for the Western world’s version of curry powder and the dishes prepared with it, while people from India do not use the term at all.   The word curry most likely comes from the Tamil region of India, where the word “kari”  refers to a sauce, cooked vegetables or meat.

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Fruit and Curry Chicken Salad

Fruit and Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups, cooked and diced chicken breast (3 large or 4 medium breasts)
  • 1 stalk of celery, cut
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 1 apple, cored and diced (preferably sweet as Delicious or Gala)
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins or original craisins
  • 1/3 cup seedless green or purple grapes, halved
  • ½ cup pecan pieces
  • ½ tsp curry powder
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Mix together mayonnaise and curry.
  2. Add all other ingredients, except the chicken, and stir well.
  3. Add chicken. Folding in gently will keep it chunky for a stand alone dish. Stirring vigorously will break chunks apart for a more uniform texture to serve on a croissant or other bread.
  4. Chill several hours, overnight is even better, to develop the full fruity flavor.
  5. 11 carbs, 15 grams protein per serving
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