Tuesday, July 6, 2010

COOKING WITH CLORIS--SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD

Want to know the secret to stretching your food dollars? Plant a zucchini. Even I, the woman who can kill a plant with a glance, can grow an abundance of zucchini from one little seedling. No matter what garden pest you have -- squirrels, rabbits, neighborhood dogs -- they’ll all steer clear of that zucchini plant. Zucchinis withstand anything, and they keep producing until the first killing frost. One investment of less than two dollars will supply you with zucchini out the wazoo. And the zucchini is the most incredibly versatile plant. Remember that long litany of shrimp dishes from Forest Gump? Zucchini has shrimp beat by a marathon.

My one zucchini plant has already started producing, so Cloris has been supplying me with zucchini recipes. Look for lots more in the next couple of months. -- AP

CLORIS’S SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD

4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 cup zucchini, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
2 T. cream cheese, softened
2 T. red wine vinegar

In medium bowl mix chicken, zucchini, cranberries and onion powder. In small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, cream cheese, and wine vinegar. Add to chicken mixture. Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Serve with side salad and French bread. Serves 4.

Have a summer salad you'd like to share? Post a comment this week to be entered in the drawing for a free book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP
at

3 comments:

  1. Kathye QuickJuly 6, 2010 at 12:32 PM

    zucchini - Even I can't kill that one!

    I have a few starting in the garden. let's hope they make it

    ReplyDelete
  2. ANASTASIA POLLACKJuly 6, 2010 at 1:39 PM

    A few zucchini plants??? Kathye, I hope your neighbors have big mailboxes for you to sneak zucchini into in the dead of night because you're going to have zucchini out the wazoo. I look at plants, and they give up and die, but zucchini is the one exception. It's the veggie that keeps on giving. And giving. And giving. And giving...One plant keeps us in zucchini year round.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joanna AislinnJuly 6, 2010 at 10:49 PM

    Hubby plants a garden every year and zucch leads the way. NOTHING beats a freshly pulled garden-grown zucch in any of the following: zucchini parmigiana (a light, yummy take on the eggplant variety); breaded and baked zucchini sticks melt in your mouth--texture is king! Zucchini pie is sweeter than any you'll ever have when compared to one made w/a store-bought one in winter. I also do the Italian thing and make awesome fritters with the plethora of zucch and pumpkin flowers we gather every morning (recipes for pie and fritters at my website (www.joannaaislinn.com/Recipes.html). Oh, and once the plant is done with flowers and fruit, my mom cuts the stalks and some of the leaves, boils and seasons them with olive oil and salt, much like she does her escarole.

    Yes, Anastasia, that sinlge plant does give and give in so many ways. Between pumpkin and zuch my yard is crawling with vines! One pumpkin climbed into our apple tree and grew itself a fruit amid the branches! One quick things to consider: don't grow the zucch into a Bam-Bam club (gets seedy and not as sweet).

    Joanna Aislinn
    NO MATTER WHY
    The Wild Rose Press
    www.joannaaislinn.com
    www.joannaailsinn.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete