Autumn Roasted Chicken Salad with Maple-Dijon Dressing

Autumn Roasted Chicken Salad with Maple-Dijon Dressing 

Karri Perry|Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Ingredients:

2-3 cups cooked chopped or shredded chicken (about 2 breasts)  (can be rotisserie)

1 cup rinsed red grapes

1 medium sweet potato-peeled and cubed

1 cup chopped celery 2-3 ribs

1 cup chopped onion-1 med

1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

Salt/pepper/olive oil 

Maple-Dijon Dressing

1/4 cup good Mayonnaise (I used Duke’s)

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard 

3 Tablespoons maple syrup 

3 Tablespoons olive oil 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Toast pecans in oven for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before chopping. (Set aside)

Cut celery and onion into about 1-inch bits-it will shrink in the roasting process. Rinse and pat dry red grapes.

On a large sheet pan add the 

chopped sweet potato, onion, celery, and grapes.

Sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Roast for 40-50 minutes, give a little stir after 20 minutes to get uniform browning.

On a second sheet pan, roast the chicken, add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, garlic powder, add olive oil drizzle, bake about 30 minutes or until chicken breast reaches 165 degrees.

Allow both pans to cool down. 

Chop the cooled, roasted chicken into bite-sized slices or shred (directions below) In a medium bowl add the chicken, the cooled roasted grapes, celery, sweet potato, and onion, add the toasted chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Mix together.

In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, and seasonings. (Refrigerate if making ahead)

Pour sauce over waiting chicken, grapes, celery, apple, onion, pecans, and sweet potatoes. Stir and refrigerate chicken salad until ready to serve. Serve on a croissant, a pretzel roll or add a scoop to a bed of lettuce.

Tip: use a mixer, a stand or hand mixer-to make quick work of shredding the chicken.  Place cooked and cooled chicken breasts in a large bowl. Use the mixer (regular blade) to shred chicken.  The longer you mix, the more fine the shred will become. 

**I use baked chicken breasts for this recipe. I bake in a shallow casserole. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of: garlic salt, smoked paprika and pepper. Drizzle each breast with 1-2 tsps of olive oil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees.  

Cool before shredding with a mixer.

***If your prepared chicken ends up being more than 2 cups worth—consider doubling the dressing so the chicken salad is well coated with sauce. A dry chicken salad is never a winning dish. ;) 

Apple-Cinnamon-Cardamom Crumb-Bottom Coffee Cake

Apple-Cinnamon-Cardamom Crumb-Bottom Coffee Cake

Karri Perry|Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Makes two, 8-inch round coffee cakes

These coffee cakes have a buttery-caramel-pecan top, with a crumb bottom, filled with a delicious apple-cinnamon-cardamom dough.

Dough Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast - (I used Platinum Red Star brand in a packet)

1/2 cup warm (100-110 degree) water + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 cup buttermilk-room temperature or slightly warmed

3 TBS Sugar

5 Tbs softened unsalted butter

3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour + a little extra for rolling

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coffee Cake Filling Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups finely chopped and peeled apples(about 2 apples)

1 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)

Crumb-Bottom Mixture: 

¼ cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 

8 Tablespoons melted butter

Mix well, using a fork and a small bowl.  (Crumb topping when combined should resemble coarse sand, with pea-sized butter bits) (set aside)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare pans: Butter two 8-inch round cake pans.

In the bottom of each pan, sprinkle 3 Tbs of sliced butter, sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of chopped pecans. Set aside.

Dough:

Make Yeast Mixture: using a bowl, add one packet or 2 1/4 tsp of instant-rise yeast.

1/2 cup of warm water-not hotter than 110 degrees

2 tsp granulated sugar

Give the mixture a little stir

Let yeast/water/sugar mixture sit for 3-5 minutes, yeast will begin to bubble.

In a stand mixer:

Add the salt and the sugar, room-temp buttermilk and softened butter, then add the yeast/water

Add 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, one cup at a time until a dough forms. Dough should be soft-but not sticky. If needed add 1/2 cup more flour to bring dough together.

Once combined, let the dough rest in a greased bowl, covered for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Be sure the dough is resting in a warm, draft-free location.

After the dough has risen (doubled in size),

Turn the dough out onto a floured piece of parchment paper.

Roll the dough using a floured rolling pin.  

If the dough is sticky, add flour, a little at a time until the dough is workable.

Roll into a large 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick rectangle

About (9"x 12")

Coffee Cake filling:

Spread 4 Tablespoons of softened butter over the rolled dough using an off-set spatula.

Mix together the sugar, salt and spices. Sprinkle the butter with the sugar/cinnamon/cardamom/salt evenly. Add the prepared apple, and pecans if using -spread evenly over surface.

Roll up the dough into a log.  Use the floured parchment to help roll the log evenly.

Cut the log in half—for two coffee cakes. 

Cut each log-half into randomly sized 2-inch bits. Fill the prepared cake pan with the dough bits. Repeat for the second coffee cake.

Top the dough with half of the prepared crumb mixture in each pan.

Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven on the middle rack

for 30-35 minutes or until the golden and puffed. 

Let cool for only 2 minutes and then quickly invert pans onto a large plate or platter to remove coffee cakes from the pan.  

• Important: do not leave coffee cakes in the pan to cool, or they will not release.

Let coffee cakes cool before serving.

Crumb Top Cherry Pie

Crumb Top Cherry Pie

Karri Perry|Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Baking temp: 375

Time: 60 minutes

Yields: 9-inch pie

Getting the pie filling just right with cherry pies can be tricky.  By pre-cooking the filling on the stovetop we have the opportunity to cook off excess liquid and manage the flavor and thickness.

I typically use frozen cherries for this recipe. If I know I plan to make the pie, I let the cherries thaw before using them-it cuts down on the bake time. 

When I’m pre cooking the filling-use the thawed cherries and their juices.

If I use canned cherries I drain them and discard that juice-because -it’s way too much liquid.

If you use fresh cherries, remember to pit them-pre cooking the filling can help you navigate the pie filling thickness and flavor.

Pie Dough

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp shortening -either butter flavor or original is fine

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 tsp white vinegar 

¼ cup cold water-using just enough to bring dough together.

Crumb Topping

¼ cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 

8 Tablespoons melted butter

Mix well, using a fork and a small bowl.  (Crumb topping when combined should resemble coarse sand, with pea-sized butter bits)

Cherry Pie Filling

5 cups mixed cherries

 (I buy Seasonal Costco Brand Frozen Michigan Tart/Sweet/Sour Mix or Kroger Frozen Mixed Cherries 24 ounce) OR use about 1 ½ cup each of sour, tart and sweet cherries- if canned/drain

1/8  teaspoon salt 

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup arrowroot (Bob’s Red Mill is the brand I use)

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon almond extract—and not a drop more---be careful measuring

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Step 1: Make the crumb topping: Mix together the first 6 crumb topping ingredients. Melt the butter. Drizzle over the mixture, stirring until pea-sized bits form and when pressed together the mixture clumps. Do not over mix into a paste, we want a crumbly texture. Set aside until ready to use. Can be refrigerated. 

Step 2: Filling: Mix together the sugar, arrowroot, almond extract and cinnamon in a large sauce pan then add the cherries salt. Cook the mixture over medium low heat stirring frequently. Stir for 3-5 minutes as the cherries begin to thaw and release juices.  Continue cooking until mixture thickens and bubble, the cherry juice will go from cloudy to clear and thick, turn off the heat, add the zest, and lemon juice, let the mixture cool.  (It is ok if the cherries are not fully thawed- they will thaw during the bake)

Step 3: Pie Dough: Mix together flour, sugar and salt, set aside.  Make pie dough by using a pastry blender by hand or a stand mixer-with regular blade on low. Cut in the butter, and shortening into the flour, sugar and salt.  Mixture will resemble coarse sand with small pea sized bits of butter and shortening. Add vinegar, and then cold water a little at a time…Once dough comes together stop mixing. (It will look shaggy, but hold its shape when pressed together.

Step 4: Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, fill pie plate.  I like to roll dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, remember to flour the rolling pin too. Fill the pie plate with the dough and crimp the edges. Set prepared pie dough in the freezer for 15 minutes. (Or longer-you can always make the crust ahead)

Step 5: Fill the prepared pie shell with the cooled cherry mixture.  

Top the cherry mixture with the prepared crumb topping. 

*Optional: Add a few dough cut-outs in decorative shapes using leftover pie dough- to the top of the pie if desired, OR apply a full top crust—you’ll need to make more pie dough if you want a top crust. Top crust pies need to be vented by making 4-5 slits in the pie dough.

Step 6: Bake in preheated 375-degree oven, on the lowest rack for 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden. 

*After 20 minutes of baking check on pie and add a piece of foil to shield edges if necessary.

**Use a pie drip catcher or line a rimmed baking sheet with foil to catch drips—place pie on the pie drip catcher or lined baking sheet before baking on the lowest rack.

 Allow to cool before serving.

Tips:

Pie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for 3 days.

Filling can be made ahead. Allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

Pies need to bubble from the center (not just the edges) this tells us the pie is cooked to the center.

Pies need to cool completely for great pie slices-flavors build and the filling isn’t loose. Baking pies 24 hours before you plan to serve them is a great option. 

Cooked fruit pies with crumb or pie crust tops are safe to store at room temperature for up to 3 days-cooled and covered.

If you wish to serve a warm slice of pie, allow pie to cool and set up- then gently warm pie in a low 200 oven for 15 minutes before serving.

Happy Baking!!