SANDRA’S CRAZY-DELICIOUS GRILLED CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD

This recipe was derived from

ingredients I had on-hand today,

and I must say, “This is one impeccable salad!”

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Grill: 5 Mins. (In batches)

INGREDIENTS

Creamy Honey Poppy Seed Dressing: (Yields 1 cup – Prep 5 Mins.)

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

¾ cup mayonnaise

Pinch of fine-grain sea salt

Salad:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut crosswise into ½” thick slices

6 cups of a combination of both romaine and iceberg lettuce

½ cup goat cheese crumbles

½ cup dried cranberries (craisins)

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

METHOD

Preheat indoor cast iron grill or skillet to medium-high heat.

Whisk all dressing ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside ¼-cup of dressing separately to baste grilled chicken.

Creamy Fireweed Honey and Poppy Seed Dressing

Spray hot grill, and cook chicken slices in separate batches so as not to overcrowd, by grilling the first side without disturbing (to form proper grill marks) for 3 minutes while brushing tops of chicken with the ¼-cup of dressing.

Flip chicken pieces over and continue grilling the other side for 2 minutes.  

When each batch has finished grilling, remove chicken slices to the plate, and then continue on.  

Toss any of the remaining ¼-cup of dressing used to baste the chicken.

When all chicken slices have finished grilling, divide lettuce among 4 plates. Top each serving with grilled chicken slices, goat cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, and toasted pine nuts.  Lightly drizzle your desired amount of the reserved ¾-cup of dressing over all four salads, then serve. ~ Enjoy!

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Tips:  Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat, just until light golden brown and slightly fragrant.  Also, feel free to store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

SANDRA'S HOMEMADE ALASKA FIREWEED and CLOVER HONEY

A very fulfilling recipe that's so fun to prepare
and you'll be thankful you did over the long winter months...

Yields: [Appx. 8 (½-pt.) jars]
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook: 10 Mins.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

--3 large pots
--Sterilized canning jars and lids, with rims. (boil for 10 minutes, and air dry on a clean towel)
--Cheesecloth

INGREDIENTS:

30 pink clover blossoms, (1” in diameter)
20 white clover blossoms, (1” in diameter)
25 fireweed blossoms, (the fuller, darker, and richer looking the better)
1 teaspoon alum
5 lb. bag white sugar
3 cups boiling water

METHOD:

Begin by boiling 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan.

Meanwhile, remove stems from fireweed, reserving just petal shoots. Gently rinse all blossoms in colander with cold tap water.

Wild Alaska Fireweed Blossom

Place all ingredients except boiling water into a large heavy-bottom pot. Pour the 3 cups of boiling water over ingredients, and let steep for 10 minutes. Turn heat on under large pot to high, and bring to boil, and then let it continue to do so for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, get another large pot and secure cheesecloth over the top (I do so by tying it to the side handles, or secure it with a large rubber band). Carefully pour the mixture, straining it into another large pot. Gently twist the top of the cheesecloth to get any excess honey out, prior to tossing residual blossoms.

In another large pot, begin boiling enough water to submerge honey jars to sterilize [you can do so in batches if your pot is not large enough to hold 8 (½-pt.) jars at once].

Wild Alaska White Clover Blossoms

Gently ladle hot honey into canning jars. Clean rims of jars of any drips, and secure rims and lids (finger-tight only). Once water is boiling, carefully place jars into water bath, and once boiling continue to do so for 10 minutes.

Remove jars using tongs onto a clean, dry towel to cool, and then tightly secure lids after 30 minutes of cooling (you should hear 'pings' when they seal). Once cooled, ‘label and date’ the jars of honey and place in pantry – enjoy as you would any other store-bought honey product!