Good morning

“Excuse me, sir. Seeing as how the V.P. is such a V.I.P., shouldn't we keep the P.C. on the Q.T.? 'Cause if it leaks to the V.C. he could end up M.I.A., and then we'd all be put on K.P.” 

Simple Classic Chicken salad

Nothing says summer quite so much as a heaping scoop of fresh chicken salad on a bed of lettuce or fresh spinach. Packed with whatever goodness you want to include and plenty of protein, this is sure to delight even on the hottest of days. It’s all the better for chilling overnight, so please do yourself a favor and make it in advance. It’s a brilliant dish to help keep things simple when the mercury rises.

Paleo, Whole30, and primal diets are supported by choosing an avocado mayonnaise and trading the mustard for a dash of red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice.

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

4 cups chicken broth, plus water as needed

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup or more chopped scallions, green parts and white parts

1/4 c finely diced red onion

1 cup shredded carrots

1.5 cups mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

A few sprigs fresh tarragon, optional, but you'll be glad you added them

Freshly cracked black pepper. 

Directions

Set the chicken breasts in a pan so that they are single layer and don’t touch.

Cover with the chicken broth. Add water if necessary to bring the water above the chicken.

Cover the pan and set on medium high. You want the chicken to come to a simmer slowly. Once it simmers, turn the heat down just a smidge and continue to simmer for at least an hour, until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Lift the chicken out and let set into a large mixing bowl to cool. (If you need to delay, just move the pan off the burner and let the breasts cool in the liquid.)

Shred the cooled chicken using two forks.

Add the chopped vegetables and tarragon.

Mix the mayonnaise and mustard together in a small bowl. Stir in the pepper.

Fold the mayo mix into the chicken and vegetables. Stir until coated and evenly distributed.

Cover the mixing bowl with a lid or beeswax cloth or Saran Wrap.

Set in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.

Variations

You can do so many different things to make this to your liking.

Avocados help reduce the mayonnaise needed and really bump up the healthy fats and nutrients while keeping everything rich tasting. It’s also a perfect way to use those avocados that have to be eaten right now. 

Grapes! Apples! Dried Cranberries! Whatever fruit your heart is craving or that you have on hand will blend in nicely and give the salad an air of sophistication.

Nuts. Traditionally, pecans are used, but you could use chopped almonds (my favorite) or walnuts. Pine nuts are exceedingly good in this.

Fresh herbs, especially parsley. Chopped parsley is a nice balancer. Lemon juice and basil combine well, too.I’d avoid anything overly aromatic and savory (such as oregano or sage), but thyme or chives are a nice addition.

Other Vegetables. Whatever is in season and on hand can be chopped and added. Sugar snap peas or snow peas are a lovely addition and have plenty of great nutrition. If you want cucumber, be mindful of how watery it can get.

Rainy Day Crockpot Chili

This is a work-in-progress, one-pot recipe that is perfect for simmering while you do anything else. The result is hearty and warming and can be served as is, heaped in a bowl with some shredded white cheddar on top or not, but definitely with some rustic bread. This is perfect for the day-old leftovers of The No-Touch, Quasi-Sourdough Recipe and a glass of farm-fresh milk.

This recipe is small-batch, written for a 2.5 quart crockpot, but it could easily double.

Ingradients

1 pound lean-ish ground beef (raw, but not frozen)

1-2 jalapeno or chili peppers

Chili powder

Cumin

Red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 onion (or the whole thing, depending on your preference)

1 28 oz can tomatoes, whole or diced

1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans

Olive oil

Method

Coat the bottom of a 2.5 quart crock pot with olive oil and set on high.

Chop the jalapeno peppers and onion and add to the oil, stirring to coat.

Add cumin and red pepper flakes and stir, then cover and cook for about an hour.

Add the ground beef, using a wooden spoon or the like to break into small chunks.

Stir to mix and cover. Let cook for at least two hours.

Add the kidney beans, tomatoes, and chili powder.

Stir to blend and cover. Let cook for at least two hours. If you need to leave it more than six hours, I'd recommend turning the heat down to low.

Stores well, if there are any leftovers.