A Summer Salad from Arlene – Guest Post
Written by Rachel, Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts
I asked my friend, Arlene, to write a post for me. She makes some of the yummiest food  and it’s healthy! (I don’t mean “healthy” like when it’s just labeled “healthy, but it’s really full of things you can’t pronounce. Her food has actual good for you ingredients that have been transformed into something delicious! What a feat!) In addition to being a wonderful cook, she’s so much fun to be around (she has one of the best laughs)! She’s also wise, honest, and trustworthy. I really look up to her. She lives in Texas, where I used to live… I haven’t seen her in almost 6 years… I miss her.
Here’s Arl 😉
Hi, my name is Arlene Doherty. Â I am a wife of a wonderful man that I’ve been married to for almost 26 years now years and we have two grown daughters. Â My husband, Kelly loves home cooked food and I love to cook it for one main reason – I want to know what I’m eating and feeding my family! Â I’m so happy to contribute a little Rachel’s great blog.
Our family met Rachel about 10 years ago when she came to the Bible School we serve at as a student. Â She loved us so much 🙂 that she stayed on staff for a number of years before getting married – my husband was honored when asked to officiate their wedding ceremony. Â She’s been a wonderful friend to not only me but to our whole family. Â Rachel’s wonderful, warm, crazy personality is infectious and we miss her but are so proud of all she’s doing where she is.
The recipe I want to share has been adapted from a recipe my mom had in her kitchen many years ago and it’s evolved into a salad that can be used many different ways. Â This is our youngest daughter’s favorite. Â It can be eaten as a wrap or (like in the photo) just over a bed of fresh greens. Â Hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
Arlene’s Chicken or Turkey Salad
Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:18:30 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
| Arlene’s Chicken or Turkey Salad |
- 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken or turkey.
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 apple diced
- 1/2 c blueberries – they’re in season right now so that’s why I chose them
- 1/ 2 c. grapes
- 1/2 c. nuts – I used walnuts, but you could use almonds or pecans just as easily
- Salad Dressing: 1/2 c mayonaise – either make your own or find one with as few ingredients as possible
- 1 orange – cut in half and squeeze out all the juice, then use one of the halves to zest
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- To the chicken or turkey add: cucumber, celery, apple, blueberries, grapes, nuts
- Use any combination of fruits and vegetables you like. I’ve even used chopped cherries when they’re in season. Since it’s peach season as well, you may want to try that as well.
- Stir this together.
- Mix all ingredients together and pour over the chicken mixture. Stir to coat well. Fill your plate with fresh greens and place about a cup of the chicken on top of the greens. And that’s it!
For a quick meal, purchase an already roasted rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. What I did was buy a 10 lb. turkey and roasted it with fresh rosemary, fresh lemons (juice squeezed all over the turkey and cut in half a laid in the roaster) salt and pepper. Roast at 325 degrees for about 4 hours. This way you have plenty of turkey for many different meals – after the turkey is off the bones, freeze using quart sized bags in 2 cup quantities.
This recipe is versatile. For instance use large tortillas to make a wrap or make lettuce wraps with it. It can also be place on top of bread to for a sandwich or as I often have done, eat it alone in a bowl! This is a “something for everyone” kind of meal!
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