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Napa Turkey Salad

By Eliot, on March 30th, 2014

I count the days until spring every year.    The count down starts in August.

Softball season starts and merges with football season.    In November—no more Friday nights standing in the cold. Then, Thanksgiving is here and basketball season begins.   Winter Break comes and goes and we are still playing roundball.   Sometime in middle to late February, the season is over.   Then baseball starts but that is a little more laid back.    (No, I am not a sports fanatic, but as a high school administrator I have to be at all the home games and about half the away games.)

Finally, Spring Break arrives and I always think we’re on the down hill slide.   Not quite so busy.  Summer is in sight. Easy times.

Then, how-oh-how did I miss the Secret Recipe Club sign-ups for March?????

Secret Recipe Club

I totally spaced and didn’t even realize it until I began wondering why I didn’t get an assignment email.   I was bummed.

But, maybe it is another happy accident because apparently there were a lot of orphans in Group C during March. I was happy to step in.

I was even happier when Debbi sent me Veronica’s My Catholic Kitchen.  I try to stop by Vonnie’s blog as often as I can and I have made a few of her delicious recipes.   Way back in 2011, I was a SRC secret pal of Vonnie’s and made her Pesto Swirl Bread.   Her Strawberry and Banana Bundt is more than worthy and I have made it many times.   But, I had my eye on her Best Napa Chicken Salad Sandwich NOT from Panera Bread  for a long time.  I hate that Veronica was an orphan this month, but I was selfishly happy that I was able to post one of her recipes today with Group D.

So, I derailed from my New Orleans fanaticism just long enough for a trip (if only in my mind) to Napa.   Thanks, Vonnie.

Napa Turkey Salad
ever so slightly adapted from The Best Napa Chicken Salad Sandwich NOT from Panera Bread

1/2 c. olive oil mayonnaise
1/2 c. lite sour cream
1 T. dried tarragon
1 1/2 lb. rotisserie turkey breast, cubed
1 c. small diced celery
1 c.  green grapes, halved
1/2 c. sliced roasted almonds
Spring salad mix

In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream and tarragon. Whisk until smooth. In a large bowl, stir together turkey and mayo/sour cream mixture. Carefully fold in celery, grapes, and almonds.

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Serve on spring salad mix.

To make this simple and delicious salad even easier, I bought a rotisserie turkey breast from the deli case and swapped it in for plain chicken.   Then, it was as simple as doing some chopping.

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Because the rotisserie turkey is seasoned, I omitted the salt and pepper. If using poached chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper prior to mixing in the dressing.

The addition of the tarragon is genius.   This ingredient adds just a bit of herbaceous sweetness and plays well with the grapes and celery.  In fact, I now really want to try roasting grapes with tarragon.    A family favorite of ours is Granny’s Chicken Salad which is quite similar to this recipe but I am emailing my MiL as soon as possible to tell her to throw in some tarragon.

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Napa Turkey Salad

Not only did Veronica hit the Panera Bread chicken salad recipe, this come remarkably close to Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe Chicken Salad if not only for the addition of some sunflower seeds.

Thanks to our SRC hosts Jane,  Sarah, Suzanne, and the fabulous Group C host, Debbi.  They do a super fantastic job keeping us all organized, informed, and on track!   Thank you, ladies!  Now, could somebody remind me about signing up after reminder emails?  🙂

(For all my past SRC posts, click here. )

Thanks to Judi and Group D for allowing me to post with you today.

Please stop on Wednesday for the next installment of our New Orleans adventure.

 


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