almonds Archives | Stills and Spills

Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad

September 3, 2015
Allison
No comments
Recipe
almonds, celery, chicken, chicken salad, grapes, lunch, sandwich

Meal number two from the chicken stock post! This lasted four days and it was so good I could eat it for breakfast… and I may have. What really set it apart from other recipes were the perfect grapes I found. They were sweet and crisp and exactly what I needed to sweeten something that’s usually pretty savory. I pulled inspiration for this from a deli in San Francisco that makes its chicken salad with almonds and grapes and I fell in love with it.

I’m spending this week in New Jersey visiting family and friends and I plan on making this at home and seeing if I can convert my parents into liking this kind of chicken salad. Fingers crossed — or maybe not, if they don’t like then more for me!

Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad
Meat from one whole chicken (2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 thighs)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
3 stalks celery
2 cups grapes, quartered
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring large stock pot of water to a boil. Add chicken and reduce to a simmer. Cook until chicken is done, approximately 40-45 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken and shred apart with two forks. Remove the skin and use only the meat.

3. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add to the chicken.

4. Combine chicken with grapes and celery.

5. Top with slivered almonds and carefully toss.

6. Enjoy at the beach!

Homemade Granola

May 26, 2015
Allison
No comments
Recipe
agave, almonds, berries, breakfast, cinnamon, coconut oil, flax seed, granola, recipe, sunflower seeds, yogurt

I’ve been buying granola at the farmers market the past few months. It’s a nice addition to my work-breakfast routine of greek yogurt and berries. The only downfall is that it’s fairly expensive and a little too sweet sometimes so I decided to make it at home this week! This is a great base recipe for you to add any nuts, dried fruit, sweetener, or oil. Mixing and matching encouraged.

Homemade Granola
3 cups gluten free oats
3 Tablespoons flax seed meal
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almond slivers

1. Mix oats, flax seed, and cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mis the agave nectar, vanilla, and oil. Combine the two until all of the ingredients become moist. Add in the seeds and almonds.

2. Spread granola mixture on a cookie sheet in a thin layer.

3. Cook in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes until golden brown, tossing every few minutes, ensuring the granola doesn’t burn or stick.

4. Enjoy with greek yogurt and berries!

Lemon Squares

February 28, 2015
Allison
No comments
Recipe
almond meal, almonds, crust, curd, desserts, food, lemon, lemon curd, lemon squares, recipe, shortbread, squares

This recipe came from my cousin, Meghan. She sent it to me saying I would love it, and she was right! These are absolutely delicious. I tend to gravitate toward chocolate desserts but I have a soft spot for lemon-related things too. Jason said he’d prefer more shortbread crust to the lemon, but I like them as they are. Next time I might 1.5x the crust ingredients and see how it goes.

Lemon Squares
(Recipe credit to thekitchn.com)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour (or regular flour)
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest from 5 to 6 lemons
3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (from 5 to 6 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″x8″ or 8″x11″ baking dish with parchment paper (allowing it to go up the sides, not just the bottom).
2. To prepare the crust, beat together the butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) on medium-high speed until they are completely combined and resemble creamy frosting. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed while mixing.
3. Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt to the bowl. Beat on low speed just until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture comes together into a dough.
4. Press the dough into the baking dish and make as compact as possible. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges of the shortbread turn golden-brown.
5. To prepare the lemon curd. Whisk together the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a small (2-quart) saucepan, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to form a smooth mixture. Set a small strainer over a mixing bowl and place next to the stove. 6. Place the pan with the lemon mixture over medium heat. Stir continuously for about 8 minutes until the mixture thickens and registers about 155°F.
7. Strain the heated mixture into the bowl, removing the zest and any clumps from the curd. While the curd is still warm, stir in the butter. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
8. When the shortbread crust is ready, remove it from the oven and pour the curd over top. Bake at 350°F until the edges of the curd are set, but the middle is still jiggly, 10 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

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