Chicken and Chickpea Salad

En Español

This is an awesome and filling salad that I got out of a High-Energy, Low GI cookbook. I made a few changes and served with some toasted casabe to add a little bit of Dominican flavor. Thisi s a Deliciously Nutritional Salad!

Chicken and Chickpea Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

14 oz. canned chickpeas. Drained and rinsed 

3 ½ oz. canned red kidney beans. Drained and rinsed 

(I prefer fresh beans so I boiled some until tender and rinsed with cold water to stop the cooking process)

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, torn

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

A small bunch of chives, finely chopped

8 oz. grilled chicken breast, chopped

8 oz. very ripe cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small cucumber chopped

Fresh Parmesan cheese shavings

(Optional) Serve with warm pita or toasted casabe, see note at the end of recipe

Dressing:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2-3 garlic cloves crushed

1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

To make the dressing: Mix oil, vinegar, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and stir until the mix turns a pale yellow almost white in color. Mix the chickpeas, kidney beans, onion and herbs. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to let the flavors infuse.

Right before serving, add the chicken, tomatoes and cucumber to the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Sprinkle with a few shavings of Parmesan and serve with warm pita or toasted casabe.

Variation:

Replace the chicken with grilled turkey breast and the parsley for fresh cilantro.

[Casabe - crispy flat bread made from cassava (yuca) flour. It can also be toasted in the oven and served with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil]

Read 
Casabe and its history click: Casabe.
How to toast casabe instructions and another recipe click: Algo Taíno con Algo Mediterráneo.
Recipe for: Ensalada de Bacalao.

The rose is a special add-on, since my beloved husband has given me a bouquet of roses in this day and I wanted to share it and at the same time save it along with this recipe.

"A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones."  Proverbios 12:4

Wicker Basket Cake and Decorated Flower Cupcakes

For all of you who love cakes, here are two delicious recipes: Wicker Basket Cake and Flower Cupcakes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and that you make it for this holiday or for Mother's Day.

Para ver esta receta en Español clic aqui.


Mari's Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups of flour (450 gr)

2 tablespoons of baking powder (24 g)

3 sticks of butter = 3/4 lb. (335 g)or Margarine

2 cups sugar (402 grams)

4 eggs

1 cup of milk or pineapple or orange juice (237 ml)

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract or almond (15 ml)

1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest (optional)

To Decorate:

Suspiro (Meringue) or Buttercream
Filling of your choice ( I used Strawberry Jam & Meringue)

Decorating Bag and Tips:

#7  o # 22 (any star tip)

#4 round

Basket Weave Tips #48 y #46

# 2ª Wilton's (If you do not have this one you could use a sleeve with coupler and no tip on).

Preparation: 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. (175 C). 

2. Cream the butter and sugar until you get a pale yellow color and creamy texture. Take eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. 

3. Start to pour the mixture of flour and baking powder already sifted, alternating with the mixture of milk and vanilla and ending with flour. Beat only until incorporated well. 

4. Pour the mixture into baking pans previously greased and lined with wax paper (fills two 9 inch round pans or two 8 inch Square Pans).

5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. It’s ready when inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

6. Let cool completely before placing on decorating dish, filling and decorating.

See recipe for: Dominican Frosting / Suspiro  

See recipe for: Buttercream

This basket could be done with the following tip #48 or #46. Please note that these tips could be use in two different ways as you will see in the picture. (by #4 I meant #46)

  

Instructions to make the (Mums) Flower Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• Ready to decorate Cupcakes
• Mini Marshmallows
• Suspiro (Meringue), Buttercream or Marshmallows, Whipped Cream
• Sparkling Sugars
• Gold and Silver nonpareils or mini chocolate chips

Preparation:

Spread frosting on the cup cakes (enough to hold marshmallows pieces).

Then cut the marshmallows in half diagonally.

After you have cut the marshmallows, rub cut side down, which is sticky into the sparkling sugar.

Place them in cupcakes like you see in the pictures.

Finally, in the small space left in the center place mini chocolate chips or gold and silver nonpareils.

I saw these cupcakes in Fancy Flour and I tried to make something similar. I what do you think of my decorated cupcakes? If you want more information on these cupcakes you can find it in the book, What’s New, Cupcake? by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

Wish you a Happy ande Blessed Weeknd in the love of a Living Christ!

 "and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." - Ephesians 5:2 

 I invite you to visit my Christian blog, Living in God's Grace, where I share biblical verses that I like and that have changed my life.

 

Gravy Recipe, Easy, from Scratch

 

Elevate your culinary creations with this Herbed Brown Gravy recipe, a delightful twist on the traditional pan gravy. Infused with a blend of aromatic herbs, this savory delight adds an elegant touch to your dishes. Ditch the canned gravies and experience the richness of homemade goodness. 

Receta de Herbed Brown Gravy en español.

Once you savor the unique flavor, you'll never go back! Commonly paired with pork, chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, meatloaf, American-style biscuits, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and sandwiches, this versatile Herbed Brown Gravy is a must-have in your repertoire. 

Homemade Herbed Brown Gravy 

Gravy Recipe, Easy, from Scratch

Enhance your culinary experience with this Herbed Brown Gravy, turning every meal into a memorable feast. Unleash your creativity by experimenting with different herb combinations to suit your taste buds. Elevate your cooking and bid farewell to store-bought gravies forever!

Ingredients: 

For Chicken Stock: 

Back and wing tips reserved from a chicken or turkey

1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped 

1 onion, quartered 

3½ cups cold water 

For Herbed Brown Gravy: 

2½ - 3½ cups of prepared broth (above) or broth from a baked chicken or turkey.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon of each: thyme, rosemary, and parsley  

Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions: 

1. Chicken Stock: 

• In a medium saucepan, combine chicken wing tips and the back parts, chopped celery, sliced onion, and water. 
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. 

• Strain the stock into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Skim off any fat. 

• Reserve for future use or proceed with the Herbed Brown Gravy recipe. 

2. Herbed Brown Gravy: 

• In a saucepan melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour, cooking and stirring constantly until the flour turns a chestnut brown in color. 

• Remove from heat. Add 2½ cups of the prepared chicken stock, mixing well with a whisk. Bring to a simmer while whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. 

• Reduce heat, and season with thyme, ground rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper. 

• Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

• Serve this delectable Herbed Brown Gravy with chicken, mashed potatoes, or biscuits. 

For a perfect pairing, check out our Buttermilk Biscuits recipe. 

Notes:

a) To ensure a smooth, silky consistency in your gravy, strain it if there are any lumps from the flour after adding the broth and whisking. Cook over low heat until it reaches the desired thickness, keeping in mind that it will thicken further as it cools.

b) Store any leftover gravy in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you need to thin the consistency, simply add more broth or water and heat through before serving.

The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, - Nahum 1:7

If you liked this, you may also enjoy:

Baked the Perfect Chicken or Turkey

Corn Pudding Southern Delight