Monica’s World Famous Chicken Salad

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This chicken salad has been in the making for quite a few years now.  When I worked in downtown Miami, many years ago, our offices use to order most of our catering with Perricone’s Marketplace & Café. 

And my favorite sandwich in the menu was their World famous Chicken Salad.  Their version is prepared with golden raisins, roasted pine nuts, granny smith apples, basil, poached chicken breast and a touch of mayo.

When I moved away, I always missed the sandwich and so, there was nothing to do but try to duplicate it.

And as cooks we know that unless you know the actual recipe, duplications may work against you or for you.

In this case, Perricone’s recipe was a jumping point for my own world famous chicken salad.

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Salmon and Asparagus party Sandwiches

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The last couple of weeks I have been dealing with some health issues and while everything turned out better than expected, there have been some adjustments, and cooking has been very low in the priority list.

That is why Sweetbites has been a bit “dark”, as they say in the theater.

Then I took a quick little weekend trip to NYC, to meet up with “my people” to do some major wedding planning.

Happy to say, that we accomplished tons in 4 days.  Colors are down, flow of event, flowers, décor, wedding dress! Hair, makeup and all the stuff that you think do not take time, until you actually start to talk about it.  We had a conversation about cake for hours.  Especially when I announced that I did not want one.

I had a major revolt from everyone in the room.  Which then erupted in cries that I was crazy and “how I could possibly NOT HAVE CAKE at the wedding”.  My MOH even went has far as telling me that she would not attend unless I had cake.

I had no choice guys.

I gave in.

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Italian Rustic Herb Bread

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I’m a bread snob.  Just like I’m picky about the type of chocolate I eat (the dark kind) I picky about the bread that I use to make my sandwiches.

My preferences always turn to anything that has a crust that is darker brown and a creamy inside.  If it’s right out of the oven, it’s a bite of heaven - especially, if it’s use to carry things like a good piece of cheese, salami or my all time weakness – Prosciutto.

Whoever eats prosciutto in soft sandwich bread should be shot in the spot. (I seen it and I have died a little too).

You may think I’m talking specifically about French bread.  And while I adore French bread, this is not the only type of artisan bread that I love.  Give me a good Ciabatta or a round crusty sourdough and I’m a happy camper.

So when I was planning our Christmas day meal and my mother offered to bring a selection of cure meats and cheeses to munch on while we waited for the Paella, I jumped at the chance to offer to make the bread for it.

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