Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Chicken Salad

 A wonderfully fresh and easy to pull together winter salad that makes a great weeknight dinner.  It's bursting with the flavors of lemon and rosemary which make for one heck of a flavor combination! 

Yum

Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Chicken Salad

If you're in a pinch and need a quick meal I've got one for you.  This wonderful salad is bursting with bold flavors.  Meyer lemons and rosemary are the stars here but they also have some help from earthy radishes, slightly bitter escarole, and delicate shallots.  Meyer lemons can be found during the winter months, are less acidic and a little sweeter than regular lemons.  They are wonderful in this salad.

This is the perfect salad for lunch or a light dinner.  Serve it alongside some crusty bread, pita, cornbread, and even a bowl of soup if you would like.  This salad can be made from winter through summer using regular lemons.  It's full of protein, very satisfying and can be done in under 30 minutes.  We simply loved it!  

What is the best time for this salad?

• Meyer Lemons are available beginning in November and run through March.  This is a great winter salad
• Perfect for lunch or a light dinner
• Serve for a Garden Party
• A bridal shower
• A Ladies Tea
• Girls Night In
• Hectic family nights
• Weeknight meals
• Whenever you are short on time

What do I serve with this salad?

• One hour dinner rolls
• 7-Up Biscuits
• Simple Garlic Cheese Bread
• Simple Cheddar Biscuits
• Mom's Cornbread
• The Best Herby Bread
• 3 Ingredient Gnocchi Soup
• Homemade Minestrone Soup
• Tuscan White Bean Soup
• Easy Tomato Soup

What Ingredients do I need?

• Meyer Lemons (found in the Winter months)
• Shallot
• Escarole
• Chicken Breasts
• Fresh Rosemary
• Radishes

Substitutions and Variations

• Substitute regular lemons for the Meyer lemons
• Try navel or Cara Cara oranges for a different take
• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts
• Use Italian kale or spinach instead of escarole
• Use Easter radishes
• Use jicima or parsnips for the radishes
• Try to stick with fresh rosemary as it will provide you with the most pungent flavor, however you can use dried rosemary if necessary

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Chop your ingredients before you start, to cut down on overall time
• Slice chicken breasts horizontally to make thin cutlets
• You can buy thin cutlets if you prefer
• The recipe can be enlarged or decreased as needed easily
• Oil the chicken breasts so the herbs adhere and stick to the meat while cooking
• Meyer lemons are found during the winter months - substitute regular lemons if unavailable

Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Chicken Salad


servings: 4


2 Meyer lemons
1 small shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 8 ounces chicken breasts, halved horizontally
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 head escarole, trimmed and chopped - about 4 cups
4 – 5 radishes, thinly sliced

olive oil for cooking

Prepare the dressing:  Juice 1 lemon into a small bowl.  Stir in the shallot, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add the olive oil and which until emulsified.  

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with rosemary. Lightly douse the chicken with olive oil. Grill 5 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Turn; cook 5 to 6 minutes more or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Meanwhile, cut thin slices from the remaining lemon.  Cut those slices in to quarters.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Add the chopped escarole and radishes. Toss with enough dressing to coat.  You may have extra.  Place dressed greens on a platter and arrange chicken on top.  Drizzle with a little more dressing. 

adapted from bhg.com

Sweet and tender Sugar Cookies are the base for every holiday occasion with good reason.  They can be rolled out and cut into whatever shape you desire and decorated to your heart's content!

Classic Sugar Cookie Recipe

Everyone needs a Classic Sugar Cookie Recipe and this one, from my mom's recipe collection, is one we've made for years.  While the recipe has stayed the same I have adjusted the method over the years to yield the best results.  I dare say this is one of my favorite cookies of all time.

Just in time for Christmas, this cookie is easy to make and creates a tender sweet cookie that holds it's shape.  Perfect for cutting out cute Christmas shapes as I have done here and leaving on a plate for Santa this Christmas eve.

What can you use sugar cookies for?

• Perfect with dessert served with milk
• Eat them plain or decorated
• Use them for ice cream sandwiches
• Dunk them in milk
• Perfect for any holiday celebration, Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Valentine's Day, Birthdays, Halloween, Graduation
• Serve them at a Tea Party
• Serve them along with an ice cream parfait, or pudding

What ingredients do I need?

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• sugar
• butter
• egg
• vanilla

Substitutions and Variations

• Substitute almond extract for the vanilla
• mix-in can be added such as sprinkles, flavored chips (chocolate, white chocolate, cinnamon etc), or chopped candy bars
• Make drop cookies or form cookies by hand
• Decorate with Royal Icing, sprinkles, sanding sugar, frosting, pretzels, chopped nuts, oreo crumbs, chopped dried fruit

Kitchen Notes and Tips

• Bake on parchment paper so they don't over brown
• Remove from the oven just when the edges start to brown
• Roll out the dough evenly so the cookie all cook at the same rate.
• Splurge on a good pure vanilla extract
• Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading.
• Keep you working surface lightly floured - too much flour will create a dry cookie.
• Measure flour the "right way" - loosen the flour by giving it a good stir with a spoon or whisk. Next, spoon the flour into a measuring cup until heaping (piled beyond the rim of the measuring cup) and then level with the flat side of a knife. 

Enjoy!

Classic Sugar Cookie Recipe

makes: 2 dozen 4" cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To a large bowl add flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add in the flour mixture a little at a time.  Remove dough to a board and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, until soft enough to roll. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. 

Cut out cookies using desired cutters or templates. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll out scraps, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Chill cookies until very firm, about 15 minutes,

Bake cookies until edges just start to turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes then remove to cool on wire racks. 

Holiday Best Snacking Board

For a weekend or a pre-holiday meal, enjoy my Holiday Best Snacking Board with savory dips, a variety of dippers, along with some nuts, fruits, and sweets.  

Holiday Best Snacking Board

What better way to get people to join you at the table than with a wonderful snacking board that holds a plethora of delectable goodies.  A snacking board is the ultimate and easy way to gather.  They are great for parties when we can all have them, but for now they are the perfect way to bring the family together.

With some help from Trader Joe's I was able to pull together two outstanding snacking boards.  You don't have to make things homemade all the time, so take some help from some special gourmet items and put together a spread that's healthy, appetizing, and filling.  

The first board is full of toppings and dipping vessels.  From hummus, to a goat cheese log, to crostini that you put together your way with a variety of toppings.  The second board is full of finger snacks.  From dried fruits, to various nuts, and some sweets thrown in the mix.  This is definitely a sweet & salty board.  

All together we have one decadent meal ahead of us!

When would you use a snacking board?

• Family get-togethers
• Game night
• Girls night
• Pre-holiday meals
• Holiday snacks
• New Year's eve
• An appetizer party
• Movie night
• Weekend Brunches
• Snacking Lunches
• Cocktail parties
• Pool party

What ingredients do I need?

For the:  Finger Food and Dipping Board

• Mango Salsa
• Crumbled Feta Cheese
• Trader Joe's Spicy Hummus Dip
• Homemade Bruschetta (recipe below)
• Homemade Butternut Squash Crostini (recipe below)
• Homemade Crostini (recipe below)
• Tortilla Chips
• Trader Joe's Pistachio Pomegranate Crisps
• Trader Joe's Brioche Toasts
• Carrots
• Cucumber slices
• Bell pepper slices
• Trader Joe's Cranberry Chèvre Fresh Goat Cheese

For the:  Fruit, Nuts, and Sweets Board

• Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Stars Shortbread Cookies
• Trader Joe's Candied Pecans
• Dried Apricots
• Marcona Almonds
• Walnuts Halves
• Pecan Halves

Substitutions and Variations

• For the dips try pico de gallo, tzatziki, white bean dip, other flavored hummus, spinach & artichoke, jams, fruit salsa
• For the dippers try pita bread, pretzel chips, bagel chips, or pita chips, 
• For the vegetables try celery, broccoli, endive, and snap peas
• Don't like nuts, do an olive tray, or a sweets only tray
• Add more fresh fruits such as strawberries, grapes, and sliced apples
• Add other dried fruit such as apples, pineapples, figs, and dates

Kitchen Notes and Tips

• Use a large wooden tray or platter as your board
• Make sure your tray is food safe, otherwise line with a piece of parchment paper
• Arrange big items first on your board and fill in with the smaller items
• Use most of the space on your board for an abundant look
• Dips and spreads should be placed in small bowls and spread out in different areas on the board 
• Fill in the spaces under the dips and spreads with the dippers. 
• Fan pieces for a nice look
• Groups similar items together for impact

Butternut Squash Crostini

cubed butternut squash (store-bought)
olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic powder
ground sage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the cubed butternut squash into small bite sized pieces.  Place on a large rimmed sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil.  Season well with salt, pepper and garlic powder plus a small sprinkle of ground sage.
Toss to evenly coat and roast about 25-30 minutes or until the squash is fork tender but not too soft.  To serve use place feta cheese and some squash on a crostini.

Bruschetta

2-3 ripe Roma tomatoes seeds removed, finely diced, and gently patted dry 
3-4 fresh basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Combine diced tomatoes, basil, and minced garlic in a bowl.  Drizzle olive oil enough to coat.  Stir to combine and allow to rest for flavors to develop 30 minutes.   Place in a small bowl to serve.

Crostini

1 baguette, cut into 1/2" slices
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
flaky kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly coat both sides of bread with olive oil and arrange in single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until golden and slightly crisp. Sprinkle with salt and serve.