Sweet Chicken Salad Sandwiches

chicken salad thanksgiving

Here we are, just a few days away from what is, without a doubt, the biggest food day of the year and I’m thinking not of the day itself, but of the leftovers.

But let me back up a moment. Until the other day, I hadn’t actually given much thought to my menu. I guess because for us it never changes: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, Cookie Lert (aka chocolate wafer icebox cake, but that’s another story). I did do some preliminary taste testing of Trader Joe’s gluten-free boxed stuffing mix (don’t judge) and stood and stared at the turkeys that have pushed all other meats aside.

But standing and staring isn’t buying and planning, and by the time I actually bought a turkey, I had to get just that: a turkey. What I wanted was a turkey breast; instead, I ended up with the whole kit and caboodle. And with just three of us around the table this year, that means a lot of leftover turkey.

chicken salad thanksgiving turkey leftovers

Which is why this recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart, will be put into use on Friday. I tested this one with chicken, adding walnuts and apples for even more crunch. And since it’s going to be in the 70’s here all week, it isn’t exactly soup weather in San Diego. And that’s fine by me.

xoxolisa

5.0 from 2 reviews
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Sweet Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Recipe type: Lunch
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 servings
 
This simple salad is a sweet twist on a traditional chicken salad. As Thanksgiving approaches, Pin this recipe to use up the rest of your leftover turkey.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (one lemon)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cups diced chicken
  • 2 large stalk celery, diced
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ½ cup diced apple, such as Honeycrisp
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or almonds
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Arugula, for serving as a salad, or whole wheat gluten-free bread, for serving as a sandwich
Instructions
  1. Make the dressing: in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and pepper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, celery, parsley, apple, raisins, walnuts and the remaining lemon juice. Add the dressing.
  3. Serve as a salad atop arugula or as a sandwich on toasted whole wheat gluten-free bread.
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London Summer 2014 Ephemera

London Underground Whisk Cleaver

Despite what the thermometer says, summer is over…at least during the week; weekends still equal beach in my book. Over here we’re back to school, soccer and swim (I’m guessing you’re in a similar boat?!). But that doesn’t stop me from reliving our summer trip to London every chance I get.

Globe ticket edit

Our big summer vacation this year was a week in London! I couldn’t get over how much there was to see and do. We barely got through my list of “must-do” sights, and believe me, I had plenty more, including a trek to a gluten-free fish and chips place that just didn’t fit into our schedule. Next time for sure. I’ve been to London before, once in high school and once ages ago before kids, but this time I wanted to “live” in the city for a week through the eyes of a kid, but with a nod to the grown-ups in the room.

Lion King ticket edit

I’m still collecting all my photos into one place. Does that happen to you in this digital age? This trip we had photos on my little point and shoot, my iPhone, my husband’s iPhone and a nifty little retro Fuji Instax Mini 90 camera that does a blessedly wonderful job of blurring those lines and wrinkles that, ahem, come with getting older. (If I can get a decent scan of a photo where I actually look rested despite having bumbled about in the light mist of a London afternoon for a few hours, I’ll post so you can see for yourself the miracle that is the blurring via the Mini 90).

Tower of London ticket edit
So! Until I get my photos all organized, I wanted to share something about myself: I love ephemera. You know, all those little pieces of paper you collect along the way on any journey you take. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved to collect all the little bits and pieces that come with travel. The tickets stubs from plays and musicals and concerts; postcards printed on warped paper, collecting dust in postcard trays outside small markets; pamphlets and booklets available for free at tourist information centers; even the little pads of paper found in every hotel drawer the world over.

Here are a few glimpses of the sights and sounds of our London trip, told through those sweet little pieces of paper that have absolutely zero value but which I love nonetheless.

British Library edit
Map of the British Library
London Matisse Tate Modern
We were so lucky to catch this show at the Tate Modern – Henri Matisse’s cut-outs, long my favorite artwork!
Mamma Mia booklet
We LOVED Mamma Mia!!
Nat Hist Musum edit
The Natural History Museum – perfect place for kids & their parents
Sophie's steak house edit
Sophie’s Steakhouse in the West End – dinner here after The Lion King – and they were GREAT about my gluten-free questions!

More London pics coming soon!

xoxolisa

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri Whisk and Cleaver 1

Chimichurri sauce is one of the easiest ways to add some zing to grilled meats, from steaks to chicken to fish. Chimichurri sauce whips up in a flash – even faster if you’re using a food processor. This recipe, adapted from Williams-Sonoma, uses white wine vinegar, but if your pantry is stocked with red wine vinegar use that instead. To add a touch of California sweetness, I used basil instead of oregano. And to make this recipe just a hint lighter, I reduced the olive oil by a third. But whether you use my version or the original, you won’t be disappointed.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Chimichurri Sauce
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Add some California sunshine to this Argentinian dish with a bit of sweet basil. This is an ideal condiment for steaks, grilled chicken or sword fish.
Ingredients
  • 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 1½ cups)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Add the parsley, basil and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped (you can also do this by hand).
  2. Transfer the herbs and garlic to a small bowl.
  3. Add the olive oil, red pepper flakes and vinegar; stir to combine.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Let sit 20 minutes or so before serving.
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The Carlsbad Fires

carlsbadfire 4

Lives are changed, every day. Weddings, funerals, first-place soccer championships … these are just a few of the life events that we expect and, in some cases, anticipate. But a nearby fire was the last thing I expected on Wednesday after spending the morning at a volunteer tea at school. Instead of clear blue skies and 92 degree weather, I, along with thousands of others in my community, saw smoke; what you see above is the fire right after it started. Scary. And yet I couldn’t smell the smoke, and so somehow I figured it was far enough away to not damage our school or our home.

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Split Pea Soup with Millet

Gluten free split pea soup with millet

Super Bowl Sunday is a big food day for my family. To be honest, I approach it with the same exuberance as I do Thanksgiving and Christmas. Think an afternoon of snacking followed by a big Sunday dinner. Yesterday that meant lots of locally made chips, salsa and guacamole; salty mixed nuts and (God bless my husband, the shopper) my absolute favorite Lay’s potato chips! Top off an afternoon of snacking with a gorgeous Pittsburgh-style filet, red smashed potatoes and steamed peas, and that’s a lot of food.

Continue reading Split Pea Soup with Millet >> “Split Pea Soup with Millet”

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup doesn’t exactly jibe with San Diego’s fall temperatures of 85 degrees weather. In October. As a true California girl, I’m puttering around the house in a tank top and shorts, my go-to outfit whenever the thermometer goes above 72 degrees. But with warm fall days come – finally! – crisp, cool nights that have me thinking of soup.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

gluten free chocolate chip cookie bites

Living gluten-free means I’m healthier, not to mention happier, than when I ate gluten. But that doesn’t mean I don’t experience gluten-envy from time to time…like every time a post from my friend Averie’s blog, Averie Cooks, pops up on Feedly. This is a girl who can bake! And she’s no stranger to my favorite sweet combination – the perfect marriage of chocolate and peanut butter.

Continue reading Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites >> “Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites”