tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342657314021000222024-03-12T22:10:07.571-07:00Just Wild About Saffron: Eclectic Recipes from a Child of the 1960sVickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17392320733221601875noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834265731402100022.post-50431445053781794762012-10-21T22:20:00.002-07:002012-10-21T22:48:12.204-07:00Broccoli, Cauliflower, Grape Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IlBDzXBlea9GlKXRmjHQ_cuNvpR6i1HEx_870A_kVvS_Xbep-22krly36gFf-rZD_beYJaMCcDa4lzQCCvpDVjrvsa97fzV5MXSgrbQOL8eDM9evRYIiXHBXmx2MwS_pnJpvTKHYjikj/s1600/IMG_0744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IlBDzXBlea9GlKXRmjHQ_cuNvpR6i1HEx_870A_kVvS_Xbep-22krly36gFf-rZD_beYJaMCcDa4lzQCCvpDVjrvsa97fzV5MXSgrbQOL8eDM9evRYIiXHBXmx2MwS_pnJpvTKHYjikj/s320/IMG_0744.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This salad is <b>simple</b> and <b>delicious.</b> I made it to accompany <a href ="http://www.vickiolmsteadstein.blogspot.com/2012/10/chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole.html">Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole</a href>. It combines as follows:<br />
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<b>Broccoli, Cauliflower, Grape Salad</b><br />
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<b>Salad Ingredients</b><br />
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6 strips of center cut bacon, cooked crisp, cooled, then crumbled into pieces<br />
1/2 head fresh broccoli, chopped into fine pieces<br />
1/4 to 1/2 head fresh cauliflower, chopped into fine pieces<br />
1 stalk celery, chopped<br />
1/3 cup red onion, diced<br />
3/4 cup red, seedless grapes, halved<br />
1/3 cup roasted almonds<br />
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<b>Dressing Ingredients</b> <br />
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2 Tbsp. white sugar<br />
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar<br />
1/3 cup and 2 Tbsp. high quality mayonnaise<br />
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<b>Method</b><br />
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1. Mix the salad ingredients together. Set aside.<br />
2. Whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad ingredients.<br />
3. Chill for two to three hours. Serve.<br />
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5 servings.<br />
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Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17392320733221601875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834265731402100022.post-42413417866141057922012-10-21T21:43:00.001-07:002012-10-21T22:50:38.458-07:00Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole--Definitely One to Keep on Hand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00P5x2NKUzuPaW169qYgS-lH06FTopw4qsu-HVVFTztWgL51jvdTGj9qDZFQQ9DrurD9hB1LUDEH-kXCwUI_fS-UWWvTTks7wsLC5xaUCDv4GC3t3NnAqj6d4dTe10VDroS19C1IaZgKQ/s1600/IMG_0745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00P5x2NKUzuPaW169qYgS-lH06FTopw4qsu-HVVFTztWgL51jvdTGj9qDZFQQ9DrurD9hB1LUDEH-kXCwUI_fS-UWWvTTks7wsLC5xaUCDv4GC3t3NnAqj6d4dTe10VDroS19C1IaZgKQ/s320/IMG_0745.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Have you ever had a stubborn cold, or an upper respiratory infection that won't go away in the usual five day time frame? I've had one for over a week. Tired of the sniffles and the whiffles, I decided to take the proverbial chicken (albeit a tiny one) by the wings yesterday. I stewed a whole chicken, infused with garlic, to create a medicinal broth for my own version of a non-pharmeceutical prescription. The soup was delicious, but I had about two and one half cups of herb and garlic infused chicken meat remaining. <br />
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What to do with it? I thought about making a chicken pot pie, but I wasn't in the mood for the same savory flavor. I thought about a chicken salad, but there was just too much...chicken...for one of those, as much as I love chicken salad.<br />
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So, I decided on a Chicken Cordon Bleu casserole I like to stay away from condensed soups and anything else that is pre-made (too much salt, too many ingredients that I can't pronounce--it calls out the skeptic in me). I looked at several recipes, and based on the tastes of my family, I came up with the following. And goodness if this "hot dish" wasn't quite wonderful.<br />
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<b>Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole</b><br />
4-6 servings<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 to 3 cups of cooked and diced chicken<br />
8 oz. ham, finely chopped<br />
6 thin slices of good quality Swiss Cheese<br />
1 oz. freshly, finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)<br />
<br />
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs<br />
1/2 tsp. dried parsley<br />
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper<br />
2 Tbsp. melted butter<br />
<br />
<b>Sauce:</b><br />
1 and 3/4 cup milk<br />
1 and 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
1 tsp. prepared Dijon mustard <br />
1 tsp. onion flakes<br />
1/2 tsp. dried parsley<br />
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt<br />
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper<br />
1 clove minced garlic<br />
<br />
3 Tbsp. butter<br />
3 Tbsp. flour<br />
<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. <br />
2. Place diced chicken in an even layer in a greased/buttered 8x8 glass baking dish, set aside. <br />
3. Sauce preparation: Whisk together milk, lemon juice, mustard, onion flakes, parsley, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. <br />
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sautee garlic for a couple of minutes in butter. Add flour and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in milk mixture, then cook stirring constantly until mixture just begins to gently boil and has thickened. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream. <br />
5. Pour mixture evenly over chicken. <br />
6. Add ham over sauce then place Swiss slices and Parmesan cheese evenly over ham layer. <br />
7. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together Panko bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp dried parsley, 1/8 tsp pepper then toss with melted butter until coated evenly. <br />
8. Top with bread crumb mixture evenly over cheese layer. <br />
9. Bake casserole in preheated oven for 45 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve warm. <br />
Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17392320733221601875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834265731402100022.post-54164904023861390202012-10-21T20:38:00.000-07:002012-10-21T21:58:54.905-07:00Welcome to My Sweet SpotI AM just wild about saffron. The sexy, burnt orangish/red threads lure me in, and then the way the color diffuses to a rich, sultry yellow is mysterious and wonderful to me. Saffron is worth the money, and worthy. It delivers magic to your mouth. <br />
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Hi, glad you're here, and I'm delighted that you're reading my blog. My name is Vicki Olmstead Stein, and I'm finally fulfilling my desire to write about one of my passions--food--on the internet.<br />
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I love food. (Who doesn't?) I love to cook, and I enjoy restaurant dining. Whether I cook at home or eat somewhere else, food is a chemistry class for my mouth. There's always something new to learn when you're cooking or baking.<br />
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So, please, explore with me the wonders of food.<br />
<br />
Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17392320733221601875noreply@blogger.com