Curried Chicken Salad

This is not a "new to me" recipe; it's one that I've pulled from my personal recipe box. In fact, this is based on my Uncle Eric's recipe, one that he served at a small coffee house/lunch spot (The New Leaf Cafe) that he used to own with my Aunt Nancy (his sister) in Springfield, Illinois, in the early 1990's.

My favorite photo of Eric, taken at his house in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina

I like this recipe so much that I asked him to make it for my high school graduation party. It's my favorite chicken salad, and during the summer I usually make it every couple weeks or so. Each time I do, I'm hit with a wave of nostalgia.

Curried Chicken Salad

Blueberry Lime Pie

Last Friday, we went to the St. Louis Art Museum's outdoor concert & film series for an evening picnic on Art Hill. The museum hosts this event every Friday in July, with music starting at 7:00 and a film starting at 9:00. My friends and I brought quite a spread, as usual...eggplant caponata, cheese, salami, chicken salad, hummus, olive tapenade, veggies & guacamole, and lots of wine.

For dessert, I baked a blueberry pie. I found an awesome-sounding recipe with lime zest & juice added to the berries and decided to give it a try...my first blueberry pie! (I'm rhyming. It's not easy. Sure, I make it look easy.)

Instead of rolling out a top crust, I rolled the dough bigger than I needed and folded the edges over the filling. Easy!

Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad

In an effort to be healthier (thanks to a slightly elevated cholesterol level), I'm eating more vegetables (less fat & carbs) these days.

That is to say: I'm totally food bored after two weeks of salads.

I've tried to mix it up; I've enjoyed Greek salad with spinach & chickpeas, tuna salad with white beans, curried chicken salad with grapes & almonds...but I'm finding that salads just aren't that satisfying to me. I'm still craving bread, pasta, and potatoes. *sigh*

And then I tried this...a stupidly simple salad that I can't seem to get enough of. It makes a lovely side dish particularly for BBQ or sandwiches (I ate it with a BLT on whole wheat toast). It holds up well, too, so it's great for picnics.

NOTE: I've tried raw Brussels sprouts salads before, one in particular was made with a lemon dressing, but they were always too bitter. This one, however, is just perfect with a hint of sweetness from cider vinegar and honey.

Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad

slightly adapted from Love & Olive Oil