The Cook's Corner - Blueberry Chicken Salad

Welcome to the Cook's Corner!

It's been a while since I've shared a recipe with you so today I will share a brand new recipe from my cooking club. During the hot, lazy days of summer I like to eat cool, crisp salads. I can salad everyday! The key to not getting bored with "rabbit food" as my husband calls it, is to mix it up and try different variations. There's an old saying about eating a "rainbow" in your diet. The more colorful your fruits and veggies are the more nutrients, expecially antioxidents, that you are consuming. Of course with all the health awareness about antioxidents we all need to get more of this healthy, disease fighting nutrient.

Today's recipe is BLUEBERRY CHICKEN SALAD.

Let's take a look: This recipe can punch up the creamy goodness of the ordinary chicken salad by adding a sweet-tart burst from fresh blueberries. Here's what you will need -

Blueberry Chicken Salad

1/2 cup light mayo - I use Hellman's.

3 tablespoons light sour cream - I use Breakstone's

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice - squeezed fresh

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (or you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts grilled)

1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts (love the crunchiness they add!)

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup diced celery

2 cups blueberries (rinsed and dried very well)

4 cups of torn tender salad greens (I like to use Bibb or Butter Leaf)

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

Combine the first six (6) ingredients in a large bowl. This forms your dressing.

Stir in chicken, water chestnuts, green onions and celery.

Gently fold in blueberries (make sure you have dried your berries very well, otherwise they will water-down your dressing mix and make it runny)

Serve over salad greens. Top with toasted almonds.

This salad is so yummy! Rich in protein, low in carbs! Cool and crisp - the perfect summer salad. I hope you enjoy it! Until I see you again,

Happy Cooking!

~Alisa

Relaxed Summer Style

Summer! Lazy days of summer!

Something about summer makes all of us long for a slower pace, more casual surroundings and bright, crip colors. This week I will be adding relaxed summer style to some spaces in my home. I'm going to start with my sunroom and deck. These two areas will get a lot of use over the next few months especially with the kids home from school. Pulling a little inspiration from Pottery Barn, I think I will be off "shopping" the house and the garage later today to see what I come up with. Red, white and blue is a classic color scheme but for my house these colors won't work. So, I am going to modify them to a color pallette of orange, cream and turquoise. All of these colors are just various hues of the primary basics. Let's look at some pictures from my idea file. While these aren't the colors I will use, the look and style is what I'm going for.I'm going for a similar look with the mix-n-match pillows in my sunroom. I love the stripes, floral and geometric prints combined. Shopping the house for the right mix will be fun and challenging! I love the pop of sunny yellow thrown in the mix.

I have several pieces of older wicker. The plan is to paint it chocolate brown. My BFF, Bella~Mella, recently painted a wicker piece an espresso brown at my suggestion. After seeing pictures, I loved it so much that I think I'll take my own advice and paint my pieces. In the picture above I love the mix of wicker with metal folding chairs. The mix of pattern again caught my eye. I think mixing up patterns has a natural casual appeal perfect for the hot, sticky days of summer.

The bright navy blue of this umbrella is what drew my eye in this photo. I guess it's my association of blue with water that makes me lean towards shades of blue during the warm weather months. I have three umbrellas in the garage. A leopard print, a terracotta floral print and a solid golden yellow. Depending on what I pull together from my "shopping" trip, will determine which one is featured in the months to come.

I would LOVE to have an outdoor sectional like this! The whole set is just perfect for entertaining outdoors. Cushions so thick you can just sink down and daydream the day away.

Oh, to have a functional outdoor kitchen! We would eat every meal outside! This kitchen is covered by a porch. Whenever I get around to designing an outdoor kitchen, it will need to be weather proof since we have an uncovered deck.

At the end of a long day, to lay and relax on this summery chaise lounge would be perfect. Especially if your back yard bordered a lake or the coast.

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Well, I better get going if I'm going to get a start on that deck today....

Until I see you again,

Happy Decorating!

~Alisa

Patriotic Decor & Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! I hope you are having a wonderful day with family and friends and have taken some time to remember the fallen soldiers who have given their lives to ensure our freedom! I am so thankful for their sacrifice! There's just something about Summer and Red, White and Blue! It just goes together like peanut butter and jelly or ketchup and fries. I find myself automatically reaching for clothes in my closet in these shades from May through July 4th! Adding a little patriotic flair to our decor during this season seems pretty natural too! From the weeks leading up to Memorial Day to the fireworks finale on the Fourth, we Americans just seem to gravitate to the classic of all classic colors schemes - Red, White and Blue! Here's a little home tour to give you some inspiration for adding American Spirit to your summer holidays!Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved patriotic buntings! They look so festive and regal! Paired with Old Glory, the front of the house is all decked out and can stay that way through Flag Day in June to Independence Day in July!
Love this family room! The white slipcovered sofa is just the right backdrop for displaying these Flag pillows. Wanna know a secret? The reverse side of the pillows are a floral print that the homeowner simply turns around when the summer holidays are over.

A light filled dining room painted white is the perfect setting to showcase this red, white and blue tablescape. I love the fresh blue and white ginham check napkins and the punch of red Gladiolas.

Glorious color, beautiful frabic and crip white wicker makes this sun room by the sea the ideal place to lounge during the hot days of summer. The only place more perfect would be by the sea shore itself. I love the use of blue and white stripes paired with the red rose chintz.

Kick back and relax with your family and friends at the end of the afternoon on this All-American screened porch. A collection of mismatched furniture gets a "pulled-together" look with lots of blue and red paint and fabric. You just can't go wrong! Various shades of blue paired with red, tan and white lends a preppy panache to a family friendly space that can be enjoyed all summer long!

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I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday! Be safe! Until I see you again,

Happy Decorating!

~Alisa