Food and Recipes while under Coronavirus quarantine #5

[PayrollNerd]

I’ve been thinking of making either Curry chicken salad, or this hot chicken salad from the recipe below. I’ve made the hot chicken salad before, but the recipe was slightly different.

Hot Chicken Salad

Southern-favorite chicken salad gets an oven-baked twist in this delicious new recipe for Hot Chicken Salad.

www.southernliving.com

I remember crushed chips on casseroles when I was a teen. I could modify this and I’d probably eat it. I’d trade out the Mayo for sour cream. No almonds or pimentos for me. Sounds like it makes a lot.

 

[anneg]

I’ve been thinking of making either Curry chicken salad, or this hot chicken salad from the recipe below. I’ve made the hot chicken salad before, but the recipe was slightly different.

Hot Chicken Salad

Southern-favorite chicken salad gets an oven-baked twist in this delicious new recipe for Hot Chicken Salad.

www.southernliving.com

DH and I went out to eat with friends Wednesday. I had a curry chicken salad, and DH had a Cobb salad. Both salads were quite large. So Thursday we had more of our salads with some bread, and tonight there is enough chicken remaining that I'm going to turn it into another chicken salad and will add a little mayo, pecans, and sweet cherries and serve on arugula mixed with other greens. We're getting our money's worth out of those big salads!

 

[IceIce9]

I’ve been thinking of making either Curry chicken salad, or this hot chicken salad from the recipe below. I’ve made the hot chicken salad before, but the recipe was slightly different.

Hot Chicken Salad

Southern-favorite chicken salad gets an oven-baked twist in this delicious new recipe for Hot Chicken Salad.

www.southernliving.com

I used to make hot chicken salad frequently but I haven’t made it for quite some time. My recipe was very similar except no almonds, and more celery. Also I added some of the chicken broth to keep the chicken salad moist.

I used Hellmann’s mayo in all my recipes. Once of my relatives always made this recipe substituting Miracle Whip for the Hellmann’s, which changed both the taste and texture, and not in a good way.

I simmered whole chickens and made sure not to overcook so it didn’t get tough or stringy.

It really tasted great on nice fresh baked buns from the local bakery.

My sister in law and I once made a very large amount of this recipe for a wedding reception. IIRC enough for 200 - 250 sandwiches.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

DH and I went out to eat with friends Wednesday. I had a curry chicken salad, and DH had a Cobb salad. Both salads were quite large. So Thursday we had more of our salads with some bread, and tonight there is enough chicken remaining that I'm going to turn it into another chicken salad and will add a little mayo, pecans, and sweet cherries and serve on arugula mixed with other greens. We're getting our money's worth out of those big salads!

OT: Have you taken your trip to the west coast yet? While not entirely related to Covid, DH and I canceled our January 2024 cruise. Neither of us were truly committed to taking the trip, so we made the decision to cancel. Not sure whether we'll do something else this winter, but we are somewhat relieved that we won't be onboard a ship with 3600 passengers.

 

[IceIce9]

OT: Have you taken your trip to the west coast yet? While not entirely related to Covid, DH and I canceled our January 2024 cruise. Neither of us were truly committed to taking the trip, so we made the decision to cancel. Not sure whether we'll do something else this winter, but we are somewhat relieved that we won't be onboard a ship with 3600 passengers.

OT- I am taking a cruise in April 2024. I’ve never taken a cruise before because when I go on vacation I like to get away from people, not share my vacation with three or four thousand others, lol.

But this is a special circumstance, I want to be in Huatulco. Mexico for the total solar eclipse. I don’t think it is safe for me to travel alone through Mexico to get to Huatulco by car, so I am going on Princess’s solar eclipse cruise.

A 15 day cruise so I can experience 4 1/2 minutes of eclipse totality. And I talked three of my friends into going with me.

 

[anneg]

OT: Have you taken your trip to the west coast yet? While not entirely related to Covid, DH and I canceled our January 2024 cruise. Neither of us were truly committed to taking the trip, so we made the decision to cancel. Not sure whether we'll do something else this winter, but we are somewhat relieved that we won't be onboard a ship with 3600 passengers.

We did travel to Oregon as planned in July. We wore N-95 masks on the planes and in the airports, but not when visiting relatives or at DH's class reunion. We had a good trip and came home free of illness, I'm happy to say.

It sounds like canceling your cruise is the right thing for you at this time. I hope you'll be able to enjoy another cruise sometime in the future!

 

[IceIce9]

We did travel to Oregon as planned in July. We wore N-95 masks on the planes and in the airports, but not when visiting relatives or at DH's class reunion. We had a good trip and came home free of illness, I'm happy to say.

It sounds like canceling your cruise is the right thing for you at this time. I hope you'll be able to enjoy another cruise sometime in the future!

Glad you had a good trip.

Were most passengers wearing masks? I haven’t flown since February.

Before COVID I averaged four flights a week for work, but I seldom fly for work now. Instead of covering most of the states like I used to I now just train locations in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia. All locations I can easily travel to by vehicle.

 

[anneg]

OT- I am taking a cruise in April 2024. I’ve never taken a cruise before because when I go on vacation I like to get away from people, not share my vacation with three or four thousand others, lol.

But this is a special circumstance, I want to be in Huatulco. Mexico for the total solar eclipse. I don’t think it is safe for me to travel alone through Mexico to get to Huatulco by car, so I am going on Princess’s solar eclipse cruise.

A 15 day cruise so I can experience 4 1/2 minutes of eclipse totality. And I talked three of my friends into going with me.

How exciting! A total solar eclipse is well worth a special effort to see. DH and I drove to South Carolina (we're in NC) to see the 2017 total eclipse, and traveled to Mexico with a tour group to see the total eclipse in 1991.

I looked up the Princess eclipse cruises--there is a 10-day one that is sold out. I see a 15-day Princess eclipse cruise that goes through the Panama Canal after the eclipse--is that the one you'll be on?

 

[anneg]

Glad you had a good trip.

Were most passengers wearing masks? I haven’t flown since February.

Before COVID I averaged four flights a week for work, but I seldom fly for work now. Instead of covering most of the states like I used to I now just train locations in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia. All locations I can easily travel to by vehicle.

Thanks. Very few other passengers wore masks. It's nice that you can drive to your training locations these days.

 

[IceIce9]

How exciting! A total solar eclipse is well worth a special effort to see. DH and I drove to South Carolina (we're in NC) to see the 2017 total eclipse, and traveled to Mexico with a tour group to see the total eclipse in 1991.

I looked up the Princess eclipse cruises--there is a 10-day one that is sold out. I see a 15-day Princess eclipse cruise that goes through the Panama Canal after the eclipse--is that the one you'll be on?

Yes, it the 15 day “Panama Canal Ocean to Ocean with Total Solar Eclipse” cruise.

I had tried to get on the 10-day cruise but it sold out quickly.

My daughter-in-law and I drove to Casper Wyoming for the 2017 solar eclipse. My son had researched to find the area with longest totality and it took us to Casper. I flew from Indiana to Colorado where my son and daughter-in-law live, then she and I drove to Casper. My son had picked an ideal spot for us, a city park right on line of longest totality. We camped in the park overnight and then watched the eclipse the next day.

NASA was set up across from where we had camped and they let us look in their giant telescopes. It was truly awesome.

It was good that we drove there the day before because on the day of the eclipse there was a massive traffic jam, thousands of cars were gridlocked on the highway and watched the eclipse from their vehicles.

We drove home all the way from Cheyenne to Loveland Colorado on the backroads because the highway was still gridlocked. A lot of vehicles had run out of gas or overheated, and had to be towed. But we had both a Wyoming and Colorado Gazeetter so we were able to follow remote county roads and find our way home. There was no cell service and our GPS wasn’t able to get a signal either.

 

[anneg]

Yes, it the 15 day “Panama Canal Ocean to Ocean with Total Solar Eclipse” cruise.

I had tried to get on the 10-day cruise but it sold out quickly.

We'll have to start a 2024 total solar eclipse thread on WS, and people in the path can report about their experiences and post photos. Being in central NC, there's no convenient place we can drive to for viewing, unfortunately. We could visit our son in Vermont, but weather could be a problem.

Here's the path of the eclipse:

The path of totality through North America - the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024 | eclipse2024.org

Information about the total solar eclipse in North America on April 8 2024!

eclipse2024.org

 

[IceIce9]

We'll have to start a 2024 total solar eclipse thread on WS, and people in the path can report about their experiences and post photos. Being in central NC, there's no convenient place we can drive to for viewing, unfortunately. We could visit our son in Vermont, but weather could be a problem.

Here's the path of the eclipse:

The path of totality through North America - the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024 | eclipse2024.org

Information about the total solar eclipse in North America on April 8 2024!

eclipse2024.org

We are actually in the path of totally here in Indiana but historically we have a 70% likelihood of overcast skies in early April.

That is a great idea to start an eclipse thread. It will be nice to see photos from different places.

This is one of my 2017 photos.

 

[neesaki]

I always use a bit of cornstarch when I marinade beef for a stirfry I do. It also helps the soy sauce and other things I put in the marinade stick to the meat better.

Now that you mention the use of cornstarch, I recall asking the server at PF Changs (in Dallas area, and quite a few years ago) about the shrimp in their Kung Pao recipe.At the time I was on somewhat of a low carb diet and was avoiding heavily breaded products. He said that their shrimp in that recipe was very lightly dusted with cornstarch. Back then, this particular Changs Kung Pao shrimp was amazing. It was slightly crispy, and the sauce was reduced down, not thin and watery…. and so full of flavor.

As far as marinating the shrimp in it as well, I’m not sure that’s what he meant. So now I’m curious.

Admittedly, I haven’t eaten at Changs in a few years, so no idea if they have held that quality. And of course, quality varies from restaurant to restaurant as well. We have eaten at a couple in other cities that weren’t as good.

Thank you very much for that inspiration. Now I might try that cornstarch idea and try to make my own kung pao shrimp at home. Or even kung pao chicken.

 

[IceIce9]

Now that you mention the use of cornstarch, I recall asking the server at PF Changs (in Dallas area, and quite a few years ago) about the shrimp in their Kung Pao recipe.At the time I was on somewhat of a low carb diet and was avoiding heavily breaded products. He said that their shrimp in that recipe was very lightly dusted with cornstarch. Back then, this particular Changs Kung Pao shrimp was amazing. It was slightly crispy, and the sauce was reduced down, not thin and watery…. and so full of flavor.

Admittedly, I haven’t eaten at Changs in a few years, so no idea if they have held that quality. And of course, quality varies from restaurant to restaurant as well. We have eaten at a couple in other cities that weren’t as good.

Thank you very much for that inspiration. Now I might try that cornstarch idea and try to make my own kung pao shrimp at home. Or even kung pao chicken.

We make tofu recipes using cornstarch to lightly dust the tofu cubes or slices. And my mom used cornstarch in some of her recipes.

She also used arrowroot in gravies and to lightly coat beef before sautéing.

 

[thefragile7393]

I remember crushed chips on casseroles when I was a teen. I could modify this and I’d probably eat it. I’d trade out the Mayo for sour cream. No almonds or pimentos for me. Sounds like it makes a lot.

oh this looks amazing. I wonder if my family would eat it

 

[thefragile7393]

We make tofu recipes using cornstarch to lightly dust the tofu cubes or slices. And my mom used cornstarch in some of her recipes.

She also used arrowroot in gravies and to lightly coat beef before sautéing.

yesssss this is waht I do with tofu! I make my own tofu slices and roll them in cornstarch and some sort of cooking oil and bake them. Mix in some Penzey's Smokey or regular Seasoned salt and some other seasonings...nom

 

[anneg]

We are actually in the path of totally here in Indiana but historically we have a 70% likelihood of overcast skies in early April.

That is a great idea to start an eclipse thread. It will be nice to see photos from different places.

This is one of my 2017 photos.

Great photo!

 

[IceIce9]

Great photo!

Thank you! Looking forward to seeing the photos everyone takes next year on the eclipse thread.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

There is a partial solar eclipse coming up in just over two months. My community is within the narrow band of prime viewing range and we are also remote enough to be known for our dark skies. Anticipating a crowd which can easily overwhelm tiny towns, I don't look forward to that aspect, but since we are along the route folks take to get to Burning Man, we are somewhat used to the sudden influx of crowds. And, unlike Burning Man, the eclipse is something we locals can see from the privacy of our own yards, without needing to deal with the traffic or crowds.

2023 Annular Eclipse: Where & When - NASA Science

The Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.

solarsystem.nasa.gov

 

[IceIce9]

There is a partial solar eclipse coming up in just over two months. My community is within the narrow band of prime viewing range and we are also remote enough to be known for our dark skies. Anticipating a crowd which can easily overwhelm tiny towns, I don't look forward to that aspect, but since we are along the route folks take to get to Burning Man, we are somewhat used to the sudden influx of crowds. And, unlike Burning Man, the eclipse is something we locals can see from the privacy of our own yards, without needing to deal with the traffic or crowds.

2023 Annular Eclipse: Where & When - NASA Science

The Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.

solarsystem.nasa.gov

I am trying to make arrangements to get out west to observe this eclipse as well. I have been looking into flying into Denver then driving to Mesa Verde National Park but it is about an 8 hour drive from Denver.

How nice that you can view from your yard!