Waldorf Chicken Salad

Waldorf Chicken Salad-Blue Ribbon Favorites

1-2 Cups cooked chopped or shredded chicken (can be rotisserie)

3/4 Cup red grapes washed and halved

3/4 Cup-1 medium Honeycrisp apple

3/4 chopped celery

1/2 Cup toasted chopped pecans

1/2 cup mild shredded cheddar cheese-optional

1/2 Cup good Mayonnaise (I used Duke’s)

1/4 Cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, lemon zest

1 tsp Dijon mustard 

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Prepare and set aside first five ingredients in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, red wine vinegar, seasonings and brown sugar.

Pour sauce over waiting chicken, grapes, celery, apple and optional shredded cheese and pecans. Stir and refrigerate chicken salad until ready to serve. Serve on croissants, small rolls, crackers or in a lettuce leaf.

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 375 degree oven for about 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. ;)

Pineapple Coconut Cake

 

Pineapple Coconut Cake

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

***

3 large eggs- room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pineapple emulsion  (LorAnn brand) (it’s like a pineapple extract but better)

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, WITH juice

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 

***

1 cup vegetable oil

½ cup buttermilk- room temperature

***

Pineapple Filling:

1 (20 ounce) can of crushed pineapple in juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch 

Instructions:

Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper; lightly grease. Set pans aside.

Measure the oil and buttermilk in one medium liquid measuring cup- set aside,

Be sure to give it a quick stir before adding to the batter.

Stir together first 5 (dry) ingredients.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar,  then add the pineapple with juice and pineapple extract. Mix at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. 

Add ¼ of the flour mixture alternating with the oil/buttermilk mixture until all of the ingredients are used. Scrape the sides, making sure all the flour is incorporated. Fold in the shredded coconut. 

Divide batter evenly between 3 prepared pans. 

Bake at 350° on middle rack of a preheated oven for about 22-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out cleanly. Tops will be golden, and the cake will spring back from a light touch. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans: run a paring knife around edges, invert onto a cooling rack, remove pan AND remove parchment paper.  Let cool completely on wire racks. 

Pineapple Filling

In a small saucepan add pineapple with juice, brown sugar and arrowroot. Stir and on medium heat bring to a boil. Mixture will thicken as it boils. Allow mixture to boil for 1 minute stirring continuously.  Allow the pineapple filling to cool completely before filling the cake.  To speed up the cool down process-transfer mixture to a heat proof bowl and refrigerate until cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

2 stick of butter softened (16 TBS)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

(If frosting is too thick, Add I tsp of cream or milk to frosting at a time to yield desired texture)

Once cakes are room temperature, spread frosting between layers, adding a generous 1/2 cup of pineapple filling between the two bottom layers. Frost the top and sides of cake. Use shredded coconut to coat the sides of the cake.  Refrigerate the completed cake overnight, up to 24 hours and then serve.

For garnish-use candied pineapple chunks.

For cupcakes:  Fill cupcake liners half-full with cake batter.  bake 350 degrees, center oven rack for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly from the center of each cupcake.