I love the idea of blogging and reading all the blogs out there! I love anything kitchen related (well, duh... you are posting recipes here...) and always have the best of intentions to post the new recipes up here... If only I could remember to take pictures of the things I make too so you can actually see what I'm talking about when I post something...
So many intentions, so little time! Life is crazy and exciting at the moment! There is curriculum to rewrite, grad school classes coming up (not so thrilled about sitting still, but oh well), an apartment to clean and organize as well as a move to make... The new place has more natural light so hopefully taking pictures of food will be a bit easier and less of a daunting task leading to more regular posts...
One of the best things about this crazy life of mine are the people that I get to spend time with! A few girlfriends and I will occasionally go to a place called Scrap Inn in Rockford, IL where we get to spend the whole weekend scrapbooking and crafting :) It's the best way to unwind and just get lost in the memories again while getting some girl time in. They provide all your meals and places to work on one's various projects, bed and breakfast style, so no work like that while you are there! If you are near that area and want to check it out - the website is http://www.scrapinn.com/
One of the best things that they serve while you are there is the Scrap Inn Chicken Salad which is this amazing dish and light on the mayo (I am not the biggest fan of the stuff). I'm not going to post the recipe here since I don't have permission to do so, but I am going to post one that it inspired!
It's another Chicken Salad recipe that is light on the mayo, but has so much flavor! If you are a die-hard mayo fan - you aren't even going to miss it! It's perfect for outdoor concerts etc served on bread, lettuce or tortillas. One friend likes to spread Trader Joe's Honey Goat Cheese (a new favorite of mine!) on the tortillas then add the chicken salad, another likes to eat it with tortilla chips - the possibilities are endless...
BBQ Chicken Salad
serves about 8-10 hungry adults
2.5-3 pounds cooked and diced chicken breast (I use a NuWave oven to roast it, but grilling, baking etc works)
6-8 green onions, chopped
1 can corn kernels, drained (I use the sweet white)
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and chopped (I use a black pepper bacon and cook it in whole slices first)
5-6 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 cup light mayo (don't go for the olive oil stuff)
1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
salt and pepper to taste if you would like
Combine the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl (just stir it all together gently) and set aside. In a smaller bowl, combine the last three ingredients and stir well. Then add the dressing to the larger bowl and mix gently. Once all is mixed together, chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Enjoy!
