Welcome to Mountaintop Quilting Studio

This is where you find me exploring a variety of creative adventures mostly about but not limited to quilting. I'm a firm believer that one increases their creativity by being open to and playing with a variety of cretative endeavors ... at least that my excuse for today. Enjoy your sourjourn through my studio playroom. May you find encouragement and inspiration, and on occassion, a little pin-prick that may be thought-provoking or spark your imagination. Thank you for stopping by.

I'm always on the search for or trying to come up with gluten-free recipes for my husband Mike and my daughter Eryn. I think I've hit on a new "house favorite" with this salad. The crunch of the fresh jicama, the celery, and the nuts; the tang of the dried cranberries and the little oranges (you can use fresh oranges when they're in season) with the bite of the green onion ... and ... you'll have to read on for the secret ingredient!

Chicken Chop Salad
(a gluten free delight)
Ingredients:
1 can Mandarin Oranges, drained & set aside
A large serving bowl full of roughly chopped Romain lettuce and fresh spinach (4-5 cups loosely packed)

Add the following to the salad greens:
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium jicama, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, cooked and chilled (seasoned with salt & pepper)

And the secret ingredient ... 1/2 tsp dried Tarragon (If using fresh tarragon, I would probably use 1-2 tablespoons depending on how much you like the taste.)

Toss all ingredients together until well-mixed. Leave in the refrigerator overnight or for 2-3 hours for the flavors to meld. Toss in the Mandarin Oranges just before serving. Dress with your favorite "fruity" dressing (I like Poppy seed) or serve naked. I like to serve my salads with several dressings options on the side to meet the needs of the diners.