Lynne’s Baked Chicken Salad

Do you wake up some mornings and all through the day your mind wanders back to good times shared with family and friends?  More often than not, for me, these wanderings include thoughts of food I have enjoyed either at my home, the homes of family and friends or the food I enjoyed while working at the two Fairfax County School’s where I spent many happy years.

The teacher’s lounge was always filled with delicious foods brought in by the teachers, other staff members and our wonderful parents.  It seems as though we were always celebrating something.  There was the monthly breakfast, birthday celebrations, baby showers, wedding showers, and, of course, all the wonderful holidays during the school year.

I got this recipe from co-worker Lynne Morgan and I have cooked this dish many times over the years.  The ingredients are readily available; it is easy to assemble and cooks in only 30 minutes.

Lynne’s Baked Chicken Salad

4 cups cubed, cooked chicken breasts

¾ can cream of chicken soup

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons grated onion

½ cup mayonnaise

3 hard-boiled eggs chopped

1 ½ cups chopped celery

¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients and add a pinch or two of curry powder.  Mix well.  Cover with a mixture of grated sharp cheddar cheese and crushed potato chips.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.

Depending on their size, I use two or three skinless, boneless chicken breasts.  I sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and this time, Emeril’s Italian Essence onto the chicken, added a few pats of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and baked for about 30 minutes at 350°.  I have often entertained the idea of using frozen chicken breast pieces but even on a really hot day I still prefer to bake my own chicken.

I have made this dish for many years always adhering to the recipe but this year I decided to change it up a bit.  As I have mentioned so many times in past blogs I have turned my attention to making meals that are good but also with an eye towards healthy eating.

So this time I decided to use Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of chicken soup.  This version of the soup has half the calories and half the sodium than the traditional cream of chicken soup.  I also used a light version of mayonnaise and 2% milk shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  As far as the potato chips go, I actually used kettle chips for the topping.  I have found that regular potato chips tend to soak up too much moisture thus not retaining their crispness and do not reheat well.  The kettle chips stay crisp even the next day when put in the microwave for reheating.

Add some sliced vine-ripened, juicy tomatoes, a green vegetable or a salad and voilà you have a great hot weather meal.

Now I must tell you that I actually like the original recipe just a bit more because it is creamier but the healthy version is really good too.  So much so Randy had two helpings.  Randy rarely eats more than one helping of anything because he is always watching his waistline, so for him this was high praise.

Enjoy,

Mary

Delicious Divas celebrates anniversary with Boston Cream Pie!

Today is the third anniversary of the Delicious Divas sharing favorite recipes, experiences at our favorite restaurants and taking you on many of the cruises and motorcycle trips we have taken.  On May 11, 2010 we posted a welcome to our site and then Kristine shared a crazy and funny experience she had making meatballs called “Exploding Meatballs”.   My first contribution to this fun project was a Tyler Florence pasta recipe that I continue to make to this day.

I wanted to make and share one of my favorite recipes on this special occasion and chose one that my family has loved for thirty-five years.  I found this recipe in my 1969 Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.  If you see the condition of this book you would know that it was a well-loved member of my cookbook collection.  The spine is gone, the book is held together literally by threads and the pages are yellow and stained.  If someone walked into my kitchen today they would know that this cookbook is well loved.

This wonderful dessert became one of the one that my family insisted that if I made one to take to an event I had to make a second to keep at home.  There were quite a few recipes of all types that fell into this category.

There are three processes to make this cake.  Yes, I know it is called a pie but trust me it is a cake.  The three processes include making a cake, the filling and the chocolate topping. This wonderful confection was created by Armenian-French chef M. Sanzian at Boston’s Parker House Hotel in 1856.  Since the first one was created it has become the official dessert of Massachusetts in 1996.

Boston Cream Pie

Cake

1 ¼ cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

1/3 cup shortening*

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour cake pan*.  Measure all ingredients into large mixing bowl.  Blend ½ minute on slow speed, scraping bowl.  Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour into pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool.

*I used 1/3 tablespoons butter.

**I used an 8x8x2 round cake pan.

Filling

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups milk

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan.  Combine milk and egg yolks; gradually stir into sugar mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Cool to room temperature.

After cake has cooled slice in half so as to make two layers.  Pour filling onto bottom half of cake then place top layer back on.

Chocolate frosting

Melt 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter or margarine over low heat.  Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and ¾ teaspoon vanilla.  Mix in about 2 tablespoons hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is proper consistency.  Pour over top of cake.  Chill

The cake is light, the filling is creamy and the chocolate frosting is like a wonderful candy bar.  I love it, my family loves it and every guest that has graced my dinner table loved it.

Here’s to three fun years and many more fun years to come!!

Enjoy,

Mary

Rest, relaxation and reflections-Tarpon Bay

Celebrating our anniversary with friends

I knew it was going to be a wonderful day when I rolled over in bed and saw Randy taking a picture of the sunrise through our bedroom window.  What a great day to start the day.  Especially as this was our fourteenth wedding anniversary.

We started the day as we had all week eating breakfast on the balcony and gazing over the beautiful landscape.  The morning was filled with all the sights and sounds we had become accustomed to over the week.  The little alligator that inhabits the lake was taking an early swim, a cormorant was standing on the shoreline drying its wings, and golfers were making their way down the fairway.

Sandy and I enjoying our books poolside

Each day Sandy would look out over the landscape and would muse, “There are so many colors of green”.  And she was right.  There was lime green, sage green, grey green, pine green and more.  Everywhere we looked our eyes were filled with beauty.

Bob enjoying the hot tub

We decided to spend our last day repeating what we had done each other day, rest and relax poolside.  Randy and I spent time swimming in the pool and floating around the lazy river.  We had a nice day basking in the sun and wishing that time would pass very slowly not wanting to hurry our departure the next day.

Randy taking one last trip around the lazy river.

Because it was our anniversary I made reservations at one of my very favorite restaurants in Bonita at the Tarpon Bay restaurant located in the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa.  Each time we go to stay at our timeshare we try to eat a meal at this wonderful restaurant.  I requested that we be seated on the screened outside patio.  The ambience is wonderful.  The patio is above a lake with a large geyser like fountain in the middle.  As the evening draws near a beautiful and colorful sunset fills the sky.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

The food at Tarpon Bay is presented beautifully and is beyond delicious.  I was the only one who wanted an appetizer which did not deter me in the least from ordering one of my very favorite salads, Tomato Mozzarella Salad.  This one though was a little different.  In place of large slices of vine-ripened tomatoes was a collection of Heirloom Florida tomatoes each one a different texture, color and taste but all delicious.

Red Snapper, rice and vegetables

We all ordered different entrées. Randy chose the ‘Crispy Whole Snapper’ with asparagus and Jasmine rice.

Sandy ordered the ‘Tarpon Seafood Pasta’.  The bowl was filled with halibut, Gulf shrimp, diver scallops, lobster broth, roasted vegetables and ballerina pasta.

Bob decided to have the ‘Organic BBQ Chicken’.  The chicken came with barbeque Shiitake Caps, organic succotash and smoked cheddar polenta.

I ordered one of my favorite dishes.  A simple dish filled with different textures and tastes that combined were really delicious.  I ordered the 5 oz. Filet Mignon.  The all natural Harris Ranch Filet came with Chimichurri, Boardwalk fries and grilled asparagus.

To say that we enjoyed our meals would be such an understatement.  Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner.   Sandy was amazed at the size and tenderness of the scallops and shrimp.  Bob loved his barbequed chicken.  Randy had never had red snapper before and enjoyed every bite.  Me, well, I was in heaven knowing that I was sharing this wonderful meal with my husband of fourteen years and two of my best friends.

The manager was walking from table to table and stopped to ask how we were enjoying our meal and we all said that we were enjoying it very much.  He thanked us for choosing Tarpon Bay. I mentioned that we try to eat at the restaurant each time we come down to Bonita and could not I think of a better place to celebrate our anniversary.

We all decided to pass on dessert and were preparing to leave when our wonderful waitress, Candace walked towards the table with the most wonderful variety of confections.  Placed on a stark white platter was a chocolate lava cake, a small glass of cinnamon ice cream, strawberries, a blueberry, blackberry and a raspberry and the words, “Happy Anniversary” written in chocolate.  Candace brought four spoons so that we could all enjoy this wonderful surprise.  As full as we were, we enjoyed every last morsel.

We returned home to our condo, sat on the balcony and chatted away the rest of the evening. We all wished we had just one more day but it was time to go home.  This trip I desperately needed to rest and relax and did so.  And, while sitting poolside I did a great deal of looking back and looking forward to see where I had been and where I was going.  I reflected on the many blessings I have in my life.  I am blessed with a great husband, a wonderful family and many friends that I look forward to sharing memories with for many years to come.  It was a very good vacation indeed!

Enjoy,

Mary

Rest, relaxation and reflection-Señor Tequilas

It was going to be another beautiful day in Bonita Springs.  I woke up a bit late, grabbed a cup of coffee and headed for the balcony to enjoy the beauty that stretched before me.

Watching the golfers from our balcony

After a while everyone else joined me and we had fun, once again, watching as golfers tried to take that perfect swing and hit their ball down the fairway.  A great deal of the balls this morning landed in the bushes and trees.  It is really quite funny to watch as the golfers search sometimes in vain to find their balls and stealthily drop a new ball down their leg and then take a swing.

Our schedule for the day was a duplicate of yesterdays; breakfast, morning poolside, lunch, afternoon poolside back home than then off to dinner.  Today we are taking Bob and Sandy to a wonderful Mexican restaurant we discovered when we here in August of last year.  Bob and Sandy came down to Bonita with us in May 2010 and we took them to Maria’s Restaurant offering authenic Mexican food.

We decided to find a new restaurant while in Bonita in August and started to drive down Tamiami Trail and as soon as we saw an interesting restaurant we would stop.  To our pleasure we saw Señor Tequila’s and pulled in.  We loved the restaurant with its beautiful and highly polished tables with the restaurant’s name painted on them, leather chairs that were so comfortable, and seeing the walls lined with empty tequila bottles.   But most of all, we loved the food.  Like so many Mexican restaurants there were many wonderful sounding dishes to choose from.  As we sat and ate our meal we both agreed that Bob and Sandy would love this restaurant and would bring them here the next time they came down with us.

The first thing you see when you enter the restaurant is a table draped in a colorful Mexican blanket with four bowls of different salsas, tiny bowls and spoons and an invitation to try each one.  The one I liked best was called Bebe—made with mayonnaise, jalapeño and garlic.  There was also a Salsa Guajillo-made with Guajillo (chili pepper), jalapeño, onion and garlic; a Verde/green—made with tamatillo, cilantro, jalapeño and garlic; and a Roja/red—made with bacon, tomato, jalapeño, chile de árbol, garlic and onion.  I liked them all but my favorite was the Bebe with its smooth, mild taste.

As we were seated I noticed several patrons enjoying different flavored margaritas. Our waitress  explained the different flavors of margaritas and suggested that I would like the Patron Golden Margarita.  I normally do not like margaritas finding them too bitter.  But, oh my, this margarita was so smooth.  I passed the glass around so everyone could have a taste.  Everyone agreed that it was wonderful!

We told Bob and Sandy that the portions served here were extremely generous.  Randy and I decided to share a chicken chalupa while Bob ordered a super burrito and Sandy decided to try the taco salad.  The presentation of our chalupa was very eye appealing.  A large flour tortilla was filled with tender shredded chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and topped with dollops of sour cream and guacomole.  The chalupa was set atop a bed of rice and beans.  It was delicious.  The table became very quiet as we enjoyed our meals.

Our appetites sated we returned to our home away from home grabbed some beers and settled down on the balcony enjoying a warm, clear, beautiful evening.  We spent the rest of the evening talking about how great our meal had been, and sharing childhood memories.

Tomorrow we celebrate our anniversary at the Tarpon Bay restaurant.  Stay tuned!

Enjoy,

Mary

Rest, relaxation and reflection at Bonita Springs

Paradise pool

My mind and body was in desperate need of rest. Within my heart was a desperate need to turn off the sights and sounds that were infiltrating my mind and heart each and every day with glaring headlines in the newspapers and the constant droning of the talking heads on the 24 hour cable news channels.  I was also dealing with a back problem that was taking a great of my time and sapping my energy.

But I also needed to take some time to reflect on the future.  What better place I thought than our timeshare at Coconut Plantation Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida.  I love it there.  The setting is beautiful, the staff is friendly and accommodating and most of all it is peaceful.  Oh, yes there are children frolicking in the pools and periodically you can hear them running up and down the outside hall but I relish the sound of children at play because it brings back so many happy memories of my children growing up.

We decided to invite our friends Bob and Sandy to come along.  Bob and Sandy are the kind of friends that you can have a lull in a conversation and it is okay.  We never feel the need to constantly entertain each other; we just enjoy each other’s company whether we are talking or just enjoying being together.

Mornings we enjoyed coffee and breakfast on our balcony that overlooks 4 tees and fareway on one of the holes of the Raptor Bay Golf Club.  After watching the sun rise high into the sky each morning we would watch a steady stream of golfers play good, bad and sometimes interesting golf.  Eventually we would make our way to the pool to find the perfect spot to soak up some sun relax and, in some cases, drift away and day dream.  Lunch found us back on the balcony for a quick lunch then back to the pool for the rest of the afternoon.

They look so peaceful!

I never cook on vacation so dinner is always at a nearby restaurant.  The first few days at Bonita we visited one of Bob’s favorite restaurants, Panera Bread.  The variety of food at Panera is wonderful.  This trip I enjoyed their Thai chopped chicken salad filled with cashews, fire-roasted edamame, red peppers, carrots, fresh cilantro and wonton strips tossed in a low-fat Thai Chili Vinaigrette and drizzled with peanut sauce.  Oh, my, it was delicious.  The next evening I enjoyed a tomato and mozzarella Panini with fresh basil and an all-natural sun-dried tomato pesto on Ciabatta bread.  Again, delicious.

One day we decided to eat poolside at The Veranda.  The Veranda offers a casual setting with umbrella tables on the patio, tables in an open air setting but under roof and a bar.  The restaurant offers light food like hamburgers, sandwiches and salads.  There was a cool breeze blowing as we sat talking about how wonderful the weather had been and looking forward to a few more days of the same.

Bob and Sandy ordered a Chef’s salad to share and Randy and I ordered an Italian Panini filled with ham, pepperoni and Italian sausage to share.  Both choices were just right and delicious.  As we sat there I found my eyes drifting from the lovely yellow, tangerine and pink hibiscus and enjoying the sounds of the coconut palms as cool, gentle breeze moved the palm fronds to and fro.

Randy loves slowly floating around the lazy river.

Each evening we  gathered on the balcony and had fun sharing stories from our pasts, remembering good times and talking about the future.

Bob and Sandy are also our Mexican food buddies so tomorrow we are taking them to a new Mexican restaurant we discovered the last time we were at Bonita.

Enjoy,

Mary

Thai Steak Salad perfect meal for a hot afternoon

For all intents and purposes Florida did not have a winter, and now summer is so eager to make its presence known that the soft cool breezes of spring have blown aside and replaced with hot, still air.  Perfect weather for cool, refreshing salads; salads that take a minimum of time to prepare but are full of delicious fresh vegetables, light dressings and, at times, some kind of meat.  Kristine found and passed along this Cooking Light recipe to me several years ago and got lost in my always growing pile.  I came across it again this spring in a copy of “the best of Cooking Light 4” and moved it to the top of that pile.

Thai Steak Salad

Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons chili paste with garlic

Steak:

Cooking spray

1 (1 ½-pound) flank steak, trimmed

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

Salad:

3 cups trimmed watercress (about 2 bunches)

1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup julienne-cut carrot

2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

1. To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.
2. To prepare steak, heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Rub both sides of steak with pepper.  Add steak to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove from pan; place on a cutting board.  Cover loosely with foil; let stand 5 minutes.  Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.  Place steak in a bowl.  Drizzle with half of the dressing; toss well.
3. To prepare salad, combine watercress and next 5 ingredients (watercress through carrot) in a large bowl.  Drizzle watercress mixture with remaining dressing, and toss well.  Divide the salad evenly among 6 plates; arrange steak evenly over salad.  Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon peanuts.  Yield 6 servings.

CALORIES 230 (40% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 4g, mono 4.2g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 23.1g; CARB 9.5g; FIBER 2G; CHOL 57mg; IRON 3.3mg; SODIUM 327mg; CALC 68mg.

This was my first time to make Thai cuisine so I knew I would have to purchase ingredients uncommon in my pantry.  The ingredients were easily found in my store’s ethnic aisle.  Of course, that left me with the dilemma of needing to find other Thai recipes to use up the Thai fish sauce and the chili sauce with garlic.  Kristine and I talked about that a bit and she assured me that she prepares Thai food frequently and would send along several other recipes for me to try.  I also ran into a little difficulty locating fresh ginger and so settled on jarred, sliced ginger.

The only change I made to the recipe was using a combination of field greens and baby spinach for the salad.  Randy and I were leaving town for a few days and I worried that the greens would be wilted when we returned.

It was warm the afternoon I prepared the salad but the meat only took 6 minutes on each side not nearly long enough to heat up the kitchen or me.   While the meat was searing I prepared the vegetables and dressing.

The meat cooked up and was beautifully browned on the outside and just a soft color of pink on the inside.  The meat was tender and easily cut into thin strips.

I loved the coolness of the ginger and the faint sense of heat from the chili sauce.  What I really enjoyed though was the wonderful taste of the mint leaves hiding among the other greens.  I found the mint to be very refreshing.

Randy and I both agreed that we would enjoy this salad again once in a while during the summer.

Enjoy,

Mary

Light, delicious Croque Monsieur

I absolutely loved this wonderful, light, crunchy ham and grilled cheese delight.  I discovered the recipe in the 2003 edition of  “the best of Cooking Light 4”.

According to the write-up in the magazine, their version of this classic French grilled ham and cheese sandwich is, “more like stuffed French toast than a sandwich”.

No matter what you call it, it is just the dish to have on a hot afternoon or evening.  I decided to make this recipe one hot Sunday for an early dinner.  I added a simple salad of field greens, baby spinach, sweet red peppers, vine-ripened tomatoes and julienne carrots.

Croque Monsieur

4 (1 ½ ounce) slices French bread

4 teaspoons honey mustard

6 ounces reduced-fat deli ham, thinly sliced

4 (1 ounce) slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese

½ cup fat-free milk

3 large egg whites

Cooking spray

1. Cut a slit in each bread slice to form a pocket.  Spread 1 teaspoon honey mustard into each bread pocket.  Divide ham and cheese evenly among bread pockets.
2. Combine milk and egg whites in a shallow bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Dip sandwiches, 1 at a time, in milk mixture, turning to coat.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add 2 sandwiches, and cook them 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Repeat the procedure with the remaining sandwiches.  Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional information:

CALORIES 293 (30% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 5.2g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 22.3g; CARB 27.9g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 40mg; IRON 1.6mg; SODIUM 649mg: CALC 475mg.

I loved this recipe because it was easy, all ingredients were readily available and, most of all, delicious.  I loved the ‘crunch’ of the French bread with the warm ham and cheese nestled inside, and the sweetness of the honey mustard.  I especially loved that on a hot day I was in and out of the kitchen in short order and enjoying this light, tasty meal on my lanai.

I used Boar’s Head Tavern ham and Baby Swiss cheese for this recipe.  I use Boar’s Head meats and cheeses exclusively because they contain no fillers, by-products, artificial colors, flavors, trans fat or gluten.  I like the philosophy of this family owned business  about their products:  We don’t put anything in our products that you wouldn’t put on your own table.  But in the end, the reason I prefer their meats and cheeses is because they just taste good!

One hot spring or summer day try this recipe, I think you will like it.

Enjoy,

Mary