Chicken Salad with Apricots and Avocado

The Sweet-tartness of apricots is an appealing foil for chicken and avocado

3 cups cubed cooked Chicken

1 1/2 cups slivered Apricots (unpeeled, pitted)

1/3 cup thinly sliced Celery

1/4 cup thinly sliced Green Onions

1/3 cup each Mayonnaise and Sour Cream

1 tblsp Dry Vermouth1

/2 tsp grated Lemon Rind

1/8 tsp ground Nutmeg

1 Avocado (peeled, seeded, and sliced)

1 tblsp Lime or Lemon Juice

Boston or Butter Lettuce Leaves

1/4 cup toasted sliced Almonds

Lightly mix chicken, apricots, celery, and onion.

In a small bowl mix mayonnaise, sour cream, vermouth, lemon rind, and nutmeg until smooth. Combine with chicken mixture, mixing lightly until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours to blend flavors.

Brush avocado slices well on all sides with lime juice. Line 4 plates with lettuce leaves; divide chicken mixture among the plates. Garnish each serving with a fourth of the avocado slices. Sprinkle with Almonds.

Serves 4

Mushroom Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 ripe, large tomatoes, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 oz. (1 1/4 cup) button mushrooms (finely chopped)
2 Shallots, (finely chopped)
1 clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons fresh wholewheat breadcrumbs
1 oz. (1/4 cup) almonds (finely ground)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
Sea Salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely grated jack or swiss cheese.

Slice the top off each tomato and carefully scoop out the seeds.
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the mushrooms, shallots and garlic for a few minutes.
Add a couple small dashes of sea salt.
Stir in the breadcrumbs, nuts, herbs, seasoning and cheese.
Fill the tomatoes with this mixture and replace the tops and cook at 350 degrees F, for about 12 to 16 minutes.
Serves 4.

Basil Vegetable Soup

Perfect for those cool Fall and Winter days!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (15 ounzes) Cannellini or Great Northern beans, undrained

1 pckg (9 ounzes) frozen cut Green Beens

3 medium Carrots, thinly sliced

3 medium Zucchini or Yellow Squash, cut into thin slices

2 quarts Beef Broth (Chicken Broth may be substituted)

2 cloves Garlic, minced

Salt & Black Pepper to taste

2 to 3 ounzes uncooked Vermicelli or Spaghetti

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh Basil leaves, finely chopped

Grated Romano Cheese

Combine Beans, Vegetables, Broth, and garlic in stockpot or Dutch Oven.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low.

Cover and simmer until Carrots are tender.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Add Vermecelli; bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to low. Simmer until pasta is tender, but still firm. (Pasta may be cooked separately; add to soup just before serving.)

Add basil; simmer until basil is tender.

Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.