Wild Rice Chicken Salad

So I just got this AWESOME recipe from one of my dearest friends and a great cook, Kathy Bushong.  She made this for my fabulous wedding shower...almost 10 years ago.  I've made it today for a potluck lunch for our ladies bible study tomorrow.  Here's my version with a few additions:

Kathy Bushong's Wild Rice Chicken Salad
1 box long grain and wild rice (Zatarain's is best for this, Jewel carries it); prepared and cooled
1 cup low fat Hellmen's mayo
2 cups champagne grapes (or red grapes, halved)
3 cups shredded and/or chopped rotisserie chicken with the juice from half a lemon squeezed over it
4 stalks celery, diced small
1 cup chopped toasted, salted pecans (Trader Joe's has good ones)
1/4 cup italian parsley, minced
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine everything the day before you intend to serve, the salad should be nicely chilled.  One recipe feeds about seven people, you can put a serving in a little Boston lettuce leaf and throw a mini fresh croissant (also from Trader Joes) on the side for a lovely lunch!

Also, with this you can add or subtract more of anything...more celery to stretch it further, less or a different kind of nut, dried cranberries or currants instead of grapes....the possibilities are just about endless!

Golden Corn Salad with Fresh Basil

This is one of those recipes that symbolizes this particular summer to me.  I had it first at a graduation party in June, then stole the recipe from Kathy who got it from Karla and made it many times myself the remainder of the summer.  Here goes:

For the salad:
8 oz. small yellow potatoes or small red potatoes
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
2 cups assorted tear drop cherry tomatoes, halved
1 & 1/2 cups chopped red pepper
6 cups arugula (or mixed spring lettuce, I like the latter better I think)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves (the more the better)
2 oz. goat/blue/feta cheese

For the dressing:
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 TB. white balsamic vinegar (I used an awesome cranberry pear white balsamic from this great store in our town, The Bleu Olive)
1 TB. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 TB. extra virgin olive oil

Place potatoes in a small saucepan, cover with water.  Bring to a boil, cook 11 minutes or until tender.  Drain and chill.  Cut potatoes in half lengthwise.  Combine potatoes, corn, tomatoes and bell pepper in a large bowl.

Combine shallots and the next 4 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Slowly pour oil into shallot mixture, stirring constantly.  Drizzle over corn mixture, toss well.  Add lettuce, toss.  Sprinkle with basil, top evenly with cheese.

Fresh Corn Salad with Lime and Nectarines

This was one of those recipes that I attempted to throw together based on the memory of a salad I had long ago, at a party catered by A Movable Feast in Geneva.  It was fresh corn, diced cantaloupe (in theirs), basil I think and lots of fresh lime juice.  The combination of flavors at the height of summer was over the top with deliciousness.

Our salad last night easily rivaled it, enough so that I wanted to share.  You can add or subtract ingredients based on what you have on hand and what is ripe.  Here's what we used:

-4 ears of sweet corn, cooked but still crunchy, cut off the cob

-2 ripe nectarines, chopped small (I also had a ripe apricot that I threw in there, yum)

-1 red bell pepper, chopped small

-about 8 basil leaves, chiffonaded, more or less to taste

-salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

-the juice of one lime, or two if you want a stronger flavor, taste it before adding more

-a handful of feta cheese, to taste

-you could also add a splash of fruity olive oil, although I did not  

This would be the perfect dish to bring to a 4th of July barbecue, just about everything can be bought at Saturday's farmer's market, and it'll stand at room temperature really well.  Hope you enjoy!

The only salad recipe you'll need for this summer

Unless, of course, like my husband, you hate tomatoes.  (?!)
Search no further.  My Aunt Cindy's Tuscan Bread Salad is all you need to survive this summer.

We had it up at the lakehouse this weekend and I am trying to figure out how soon I can make it again.  So good, perfect summer flavors that shine with the tomato and basil, and the pizza crust that catches the dressing, sopping up all it's goodness.

Aunt Cindy's Tuscan Bread Salad

1  14-16 oz. Boboli pizza crust

1 to 1  1/4 cups water

4 TB. red wine vinegar, divided

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

anchovy paste, to taste

1/2 tsp. salt

2 ribs celery, diced

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 small red onion, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Broil the Boboli crust in the oven until brown on both sides.  Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.  When cool, cut into 1 inch squares and place in a large bowl.  Pour the water and 1 TB. of the vinegar over the bread, toss and let stand for 15 min.  Whisk together the remaining 3 TB. vinegar, salt and anchovy paste.  Add olive oil in a steady stream, whisk constantly.  Add celery, tomatoes and basil to the bread, toss well.  Add dressing over everything, toss again and serve.