California Salmon or Chicken Salad

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Here are the recipes for today’s “Chef’s Table” lunch from work. Today I featured a California Grill Salmon Salad with Pear-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette. This salad can be made with either salmon fillets or boneless-skinless chicken breasts by following the same recipe and substituting the protein of your choice. The salad composition is up to your liking. The recipe below lists the way I prepared it today with alternate suggestions in parenthesis.

First, make your dressing. To make the dressing you need either a food processor fitted with standard blade or a blender.

Pear-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 can pear halves in heavy syrup
  • 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup EV olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black or white pepper
Put the canned pears and their syrup in the food processor or blender and puree. With the machine continuously running, add the garlic, salt and pepper, then add the vinegar. Pour the oil in a steady stream into the running machine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Maple-Glazed Salmon or Chicken
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup (or you can substitute 2 tbsp dark brown sugar)
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
Combine ingredients and pour over your choice of boneless chicken breast or salmon fillets and marinate for at least 1 hour. For salmon, bake in 325F oven for 15 minutes. For chicken, cook until internal temp reaches 165F either in the oven, saute pan or on the grill.
California Salad 
  • Spring mix lettuce
  • Diced red bell pepper
  • Shredded carrots
  • Sliced red onion
  • Dried cranberries (or fresh blueberries)
  • Sliced fresh strawberries (or canned Mandarin oranges)
  • Crumbled Bleu cheese (or goat cheese or Feta)
  • Candied coated Walnuts (or pecans, almonds)
  • Maple glazed salmon (or chicken)
  • Pear-infused balsamic vinaigrette
In a large salad bowl, add enough spring mix for total number of salads you would like to serve. Add to the lettuce the red bell pepper, carrots and onion. Pour 2 tbsp vinaigrette over the salad mixture and mix well to coat. Put coated salad greens in your serving bowl. Sprinkle with a handful of dried cranberries (or fresh blueberries), then arrange some sliced strawberries on the salad. Sprinkle liberally with bleu cheese crumbles, then a few candy-coated nuts and finally top the bed of salad with either maple glazed salmon fillet or a grilled breast cut into strips. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over the protein and serve. Garnish with some thinly sliced green pears if available.

Asian Cabbage Salad

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It’s official.. I’m 40 and fat! In an attempt to lose some weight, I’ve been trying to eat healthier food. We’ve been buying a lot of fish and chicken in place of red meat and pork, and we’re watching our fiber intake. Lower fat and higher fiber seem to be the new trend in weight loss, along with exercise.

Tonight we’re having some grilled tuna fillets that are marinating in an Asian-inspired sauce right now. To go with our fish, I whipped up this refreshing Asian style salad. It’s flavorful and high in fiber, but it does have some fat because of the peanut butter. Still, it’s a healthy alternative to a high fat side dish and it’s delicious… and simple. Simplicity is my main requirement when I find or create a recipe, because now that I spend my whole day in a kitchen at work, I like to get out of the kitchen as quickly as possible in the evenings. Give this one a try and I think you’ll be pleased with the results!

 

  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp each salt, garlic powder and ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 6 cups shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw) mix OR 4 cups coleslaw mix and 2 cups broccoli slaw mix (which is how I made it)
  • 1 cup fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced
  • 1/2 cup coarsely shredded, peeled jicama
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • fresh cilantro

In a large mixing bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing together everything from the peanut butter to the water. Toss in the slaw mix and fold well to combine. Add peas, jicama and green onions. Toss and cover. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. Garnish with toasted almonds and cilantro.

Makes 6-8 servings

Mediterranean Chicken

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A few years back, I was the chef at an establishment where half of my customers would be on Weight Watchers about this time of the year, so I would offer a low-fat, healthy lunch option daily in the cafe. I created this recipe and it has been one of my “most requested” by customers at every place I’ve worked. In fact, most are surprised to learn this is actually a healthy, low fat recipe!

When you first read the ingredients, you may question this one, but everyone does. Once they try it, they are hooked. I made it this past week at work (first time at newest cafe) and everyone has been asking for the recipe. As you read the recipe, several things are “optional” ingredients. They add to the dish, but they are not required, as I’ve made the recipe with those items and without, depending on what I’ve got in my pantry. Give this one a try and you’ll agree it’s really quite tasty, and for those of you “counting points”, this one is 7 points!

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you can use boneless tenders)
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup raisins (any color)
  • 1 cup green or black olives, sliced (don’t use ripe black olives.. you want tart, brine soaked olives so it’s best to stick with regular old pimiento stuffed spanish or queen olives unless you want to drop a few bucks on some kalamatas)
  • 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained (optional)
  • 1 4oz container Feta cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom of a glass casserole dish with olive oil and arrange chicken in one layer in the dish. Size of the dish depends on size of your chicken. A 9×9 will normally hold 4 breasts, a 13×9 might be needed if you use boneless tenders. Top the chicken with the minced garlic.

In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, cinnamon and salt, then sprinkle mixture on top of chicken. Top chicken with the raisins and olives and pour the wine over the top. If using the artichoke hearts and Feta, add it last in that order.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

Serve with rice, couscous, fresh spinach, sauteed broccoli, etc for a light complimentary dinner.

Turkey Divan

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So the holidays are over and you’ve got a big dish of leftover turkey in the frig. You’ve eaten turkey sandwiches for days, made (or froze turkey for) turkey noodle soup, which I highly recommend, and you’re still stuck with a lot of leftover turkey. Why not make turkey Divan for dinner tonight? This dish can also be made with chicken, allowing you to make it any night of the week. Just cook the chicken any way you prefer (boil, grill, bake, etc) and substitute it for the cooked turkey in the recipe.

This is an old Southern standby dish, extremely easy to prepare with a few ingredients most of us have in our pantries at all times.

  • 1 can (10oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
  • 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 bunch of fresh broccoli florets, steamed or 1 package of frozen broccoli florets, cooked for half the time recommended on the packaging
  • 4 cups leftover turkey, cut into chunks (or 4 cups cooked chicken)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup toasted almonds
  • 1/4 cup coarse bread crumbs (I use Panko)

Mix together the soup, curry powder, pepper, mustard, Worchestershire sauce and cream in a saucepan over low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, turkey and half the cheese (1/4 cup) and remove from the heat. Stir in the mayonnaise, mix well and pour into a casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining cheese and almonds as garnish when serving.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

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These cookies are my favorite! I don’t have a “recently prepared” photo to show them off but I found this stock photo that’s pretty close to the finished cookie. These cookies almost remind me of gingerbread but they are better. As soon as I make a batch, I’ll post a better picture. This recipe was written in my great grandmother’s (Fortunata Vizzina Schilleci) hand.

  • 2 pounds all purpose flour (4 cups)
  • 1 pound of sugar (2 cups)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp each, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice
  • 6 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3/4 pound Shortening (1 1/2 cups + 3 tbsp)
  • 1 pint milk, heated
  • 1 cup raisins (no color specified)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • juice from 2 fresh squeezed oranges

Melt the shortening; add the warm milk, then the sugar. Sift all remaining dry ingredients together and then add the pecans and raisins. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Pinch off in a small ball the size of large marbles, place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Combine the powdered sugar and orange juice in a bowl. Once cookies have cooled, dip each cookie into the sugar glaze so that it covers the top 1/2 of the cookie. Let cookies dry completely. Icing will set like glaze on a cooled doughnut.

Makes 60-75 cookies.

Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

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This has to be one of the easiest Christmas cookie recipes ever! They are delicious though, which makes it that much better that they are so easy to make.

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 3oz package of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp real vanilla extract
  • Candied cherries or toasted pecan halves for garnish
  • Dusting of powdered sugar (optional)

Cream the butter and cream cheese; slowly add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk. Add the flour and vanilla, mixing well with a large spoon. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Shape the dough into 1″ balls with your hands, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Gently press a candied cherry half (red or green, or mix them up) or a toasted pecan half into the top of each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cookie won’t take on much color on top, but will be golden brown on the bottom. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.

Bourbon Fruitcake Cookies

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I’ll admit it, I think fruitcake is just plain disgusting, but fruitcake cookies are a whole different ballgame. These cookies have “just enough cake” to hold all the ingredients together. Be prepared.. mixing these cookies takes a strong arm because of the thickness of your “dough” but they are well worth the effort. This is also a “pricey” recipe to run out and gather ingredients for, so I usually start buying the ingredients as fall approaches and stores start stocking holiday baking supplies. I highly recommend trying this recipe if you have the time, or the desire. You can always give tins of fresh baked cookies as gifts to your friends and they are ideal hostess presents for any Christmas parties you attend.

  • 1 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup strong bourbon (I use 101 proof Wild Turkey)
  • 6 slices candied pineapple, chopped
  • 1 cup candied red cherries, chopped
  • 1 cup candied green cherries, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped dates
  • 1-15oz package of golden raisins
  • 7 cups chopped pecans

Combine the butter and sugar, mixing well. Add the eggs and beat well. Combine all dry ingredients; add the butter/sugar mixture to the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk and mixing well after each addition. Stir in the bourbon, fruit and the nuts and mix well to incorporate. Drop heaping teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies.