Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Baguettes with Chicken Salad, and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I've been trying some new recipes lately and having a lot of fun doing so. Last night I made homemade baguettes and used them to make chicken salad sandwiches. The chicken salad recipe was from my newest issue of Cook's Country magazine (June/July). The baguette recipe was from the book French Women Don't Get Fat, by Mireille Giuliano. I'm hoping to post a review of that book soon--I read it a couple months ago, but haven't had time to write up a review yet!

Here are the recipes:



Baguettes

1 t. active dry yeast
2 c. warm water
4 to 5 c. unbleached all-purpose white flour
2 t. Kosher salt (I just used sea salt, which is what I use for everything)
1 egg, beaten and mixed with 1 T. cold water

1. In a small bowl dissolve yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. Stir with a fork. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 c. water. Mix the dough until it is sticky enough to knead. On a lightly floured board, knead for 6-10 minutes; the dough should be sticky and smooth. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about one hour. (I mixed the dough in my stand mixer and I let the dough rise in the barely warm oven because it didn't rise very well for me at room temp.)
3. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each into a ball and shape into a baguette. Transfer loaves to a lightly greased baking sheet or baguette shaped baking pan and let rise until nearly doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 450º. Brush the baguettes with the egg-water mixture. Score the loaves diagonally across the top with a sharp knife.
5. Pour 2 c. of hot water into a pan and place in the preheated oven next to the baguettes to provide moisture. Bake the baguettes for 15 minutes and then lower the temp. to 400º and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a rack before slicing.

Yield: 4 large baguettes



Cobb Chicken Salad

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
2 T. sour cream
2 T. lemon juice
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
5 cups cooked chicken breast meat
Salt and pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Mix mayonnaise, cheese, sour cream, and lemon juice in large bowl until combined. Add eggs, avocado, and chicken, then toss gently until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Yield: about 6 cups, enough for 6 sandwiches

While I'm at it, here is another chicken salad we tried recently (from the same magazine). The recipe suggested serving this one on soft onion rolls, but we ate it wrapped in flour tortillas and it was yummy that way too.

Buffalo and Blue Cheese Chicken Salad

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4. c. crumbled blue cheese
3 T. hot sauce (use a mild type like Frank's)
2 T. bottled blue cheese salad dressing
2 celery ribs, sliced thin (I left this out)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine (next time I would grate it)
5 c. cooked chicken breast meat
Salt and pepper

Combine mayonnaise, cheese, hot sauce, dressing, celery, and carrot in large bowl. Add chicken and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Yield: about 6 cups, enough for 6 sandwiches



It had been a long time since I'd made a strawberry rhubarb pie! It is SO delicious. I added extra strawberries to mine. I believe I got this recipe from my mom.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Pastry for 2 crust pie
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour OR 3 T. cornstarch
2 c. cut up fresh rhubarb (or more)
2 c. cut up strawberries
2 T. butter

Stir together sugar and flour or cornstarch. Put half of rhubarb and strawberries in bottom pie crust in pie pan, sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Repeat layers. Dot with butter. Put on top crust, seal and flute edges, and cut several slits in the crust. Bake at 425º for 40-50 minutes, until juice is bubbling through the slits a little. Make sure to put foil or a pan underneath to catch any juice that bubbles over! Cover the edges of the crust with foil if necessary to prevent them getting too brown. Enjoy!!

8 comments:

Rachel said...

Hi Carrie,
My name is Rachel Feehan, a native Vermonter recently transplanted to Tennessee. I have "met" your mom through blogging and we have communicated back and forth at various times. I also noticed that you are a contributor to the Recipe Swappers blog on Alicia's page. I have met her through blogging also.
I love reading through your posts (if that is ok). I honestly don't know how you keep up with things! You are an inspiration to me to really keep up with things around the house:).
It looks like you have a ball with baking and cooking - just like your mom:). The baguette recipe looks divine and the photo is making my mouth water. I would love to try it sometime. As I have mentioned to your mom, my husband is a picky eater and I don't dare venture away from the things that he likes:). I need to regroup from our move and begin to meal plan again. Keep the recipes coming! Between you and your mom, I will be all set :). No need to respond, I just wanted to "stop" by and say hello.
Sincerely,
Rachel Feehan

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing the recipes! I'll certainly try the baguette recipe. And cobb salad is my all time favorite! I'm curious to know how that salad recipe keeps the avocados from turning black . . . I can't comment on strawberries and rhubarb, you're making me too hungry.

Carrie said...

Rachel, thanks so much for commenting! I must confess I have checked out your blog too (from the comments on my mom's blog), but have never yet commented . . . but I do really enjoy reading about your life. It is so neat to read how you are blooming where you're planted, even though it's a long way from your native VT.

I'm glad my posts have inspired you, but if you could see my house right now, you would know that I don't keep up with things near as well as I would like!! I've slacked off a bit since doing the spring cleaning . . . and I need to get organized, big time!!

I can relate to having a picky eater in the house. :) My husband has actually gotten a LOT more adventurous in his tastes since we got married, but he is still very much a meat and potatoes guy. He's just gradually been willing to try new things, and often has discovered that he likes them. One thing he was never interested in trying was blue cheese . . . and now, amazingly, he doesn't mind it mixed in with things such as the chicken salad. However, he still hates fresh tomatoes (cooked ones are OK) and I don't think that is something that's going to change!

I wanted to add that your dad's donut recipe you posted about on your blog sounds super yummy, and I hope to try it sometime. Deep frying intimidates me because I don't own a deep fryer . . . so I don't do it often. But I LOVE donuts! :)

Thanks for your comment--I'll try to leave one on your blog soon too.

Carrie said...

Alicia, glad you liked checking out the recipes! Sorry I was making you hungry, though! :)

I was wondering how the avocadoes kept from turning black, too. I have no idea . . . but they stayed pretty green. And the salad was very yummy! I have another Cobb Salad wrap recipe that's delicious, too.

Happy cooking!

Anonymous said...

Lemon juice may stop fruits etc from turning brown. I'm not totally sure though.

Carrie said...

Joanne, I bet you're right! I know that works for apples, bananas, etc., so probably does the same for avocadoes.

Mary Ann said...

The recipes definitely sound worthy of a try. I'm currently staying with my parents & they are in the process of remodeling their kitchen. Not a lot of cooking going on there so I'll have to wait awhile.
I have skimmed through that book, "French Women Don't Get Fat." I can't wait to hear your thoughts on your review.
Have a great weekend!

Carrie said...

Mary Ann . . . ah, what fun, a kitchen remodel! :) Well, not fun in the process, but the end result will be nice, I'm sure!

I'll try and review the book soon--hopefully next week. Hope you've had a great weekend, too!