Janelle Maiocco

Hi.

Welcome to my blog. I live in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle on an Urban Farm (w/ five laying hens and a huge garden). I am a trained chef (w/ a certificate in food preservation), taught at a cooking school & like to share 'kitchen hacks' - culinary tips that save time, money & maximize flavor. If that isn't enough, I also run a food+tech startup called Barn2Door.com - a platform to help everyone easily find & buy food directly from farmers, fishers & ranchers (from CSA's to urban farm eggs to 1/2 a grass-fed cow).

chicken salad recipe with raisins

chicken salad recipe with raisins

chicken-salad-@talkoftomatoes-2.jpg
raisins from www.talkoftomatoes.com - 148
raisins from www.talkoftomatoes.com - 148

Ants on logs? You should offer this 'snack' to your kiddos if just for their reaction. When I was young, ants on logs was the descriptor for celery piped with peanut butter topped with raisins. I picture the clever mother who coined the term: a tease or dare to get her little ones to reach for a healthy snack. A handful of my friends and I have been playing with our food. Specifically we have been inserting 'ants' (raisins) into everything from Gluten Free Chicken Tagine to balsamic & raisin glazed salmon to DIY granola bars (here is  great round-up from Relish Magazine)*. On this blog over the past few months I have ants prancing through [my killer] granola, into pumpkin bread and frequently folded into chicken salad (recipe follows).

paula, janelle, susan at CRMB www.talkoftomatoes.com - 2
paula, janelle, susan at CRMB www.talkoftomatoes.com - 2

When I fabricate a chicken, I use the bones/carcass for stock and cook the thighs, legs and breasts separately. I slice or shred the cooked meat, then use it to make chicken enchiladas and chicken salad. Please know that I don't use a formal recipe to make my salad---and you don't need to either. It is all about mixing it up, tasting and adjusting. This is what might go through my head while I am tasting: does it need a little more salt? pepper? It tastes a little heavy on the mayo, so I will add more acid (lemon or vinegar)... not sweet enough: more raisins or apples. It needs more crunch: sliced almonds or more celery. Got it? Easy as raisin pie.

chicken salad recipe with raisins
chicken salad recipe with raisins

Chicken Salad serves 2-4

approx. 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken 1/4 mayonnaise (give or take) 2 tsp Dijon or specialty mustard 2-3 tsp lemon juice (OR apple cider vinegar) Coarse/ground pepper/salt 1/4 raisins 1/4 cup sliced celery 1/4 cup  diced red onion 2 T minced flat-leaf parsley Optional: small handful sliced almonds, diced apples, 1-2 tsp curry, etc.

*I am a Blog Ambassador for California Raisin Marketing Board. My recipes, incessant chatter and penchant for snacking on raisins are my own.

raisins from www.talkoftomatoes.com - 126
raisins from www.talkoftomatoes.com - 126
Orcas Island: Smugglers Villa, Cascade Lake & Red Rabbit Farm

Orcas Island: Smugglers Villa, Cascade Lake & Red Rabbit Farm

asparagus recipes & asparagus health facts (plus: applause for seasonal eating)

asparagus recipes & asparagus health facts (plus: applause for seasonal eating)