cookbooks 4 and 5: salad and chicken

Years ago, Jacob and I started to take salads for lunch at work.  Sometimes I'll use recipes, but more often they are just a green salad with assorted veggies.  The biggest issue is time; if they take some time to make, I need to plan to make them the night before.  Getting up extra early to make salad doesn't usually work for me.


I found a salad for today that I was able to make this morning without too much trouble.  From Fast, Fresh & Green, I made "Spinach and Snow Pea Salad with Cashews."  In addition to the ingredients mentioned in the title, it also had napa cabbage (although we were out at the Co-op, so I used Savoy instead), apple cut into matchsticks and an apple-ginger asian-style dressing (that is the best way I can think to describe it).


The result was really tasty; when Jacob says that I should make it again and doesn't suggest any changes, that is a sign of a great salad!


Dinner tonight came from Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland.  I had some chicken I needed to use as well as some pre-cut squash (I love that the Co-op offers some pre-cut veggies, especially squash!).  I discovered a recipe "Chicken Breast Saute with Seasonal Variations" and the fall version used both the chicken and the squash.


The chicken and squash are cooked with onions, garlic, rosemary and a sauce of chicken broth and orange juice.  The combination of the orange juice and rosemary was unexpectedly good and a different flavor for the chicken.

The recipe suggested serving it with some grated smoked mozzarella, diced red pepper and walnuts.  Jacob felt that next time it only needed the walnuts as a garnish. Annika liked the chicken - no complaints from her! I served it with rice and steamed green beans.