North Shore Chicken Salad and A View of the Lake Book Review

Split Rock Lighthouse, Minnesota's North Shore

North Shore Chicken Salad

Cook's notes: The original recipe came from a church cookbook and was supplied by Rita.   

A few adaptations were made. The chicken salad with a vinaigrette is a nice change from usual mayo base. The salad serves 4.  As a time saver purchase a rotisserie chicken from the deli and make the wild rice up a day ahead. Refrigerate rice in a zip loc bag. 
Salad Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups cooked wild rice
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 large chicken breasts, cooked
• 1/2 cup diced green onions
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• 2 oz.(1/2 package) sugar snap peas
• 1-2 ripe avocados, skinned and diced
• 1 cup red grapes, cut in half or 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• romaine lettuce or mixed greens

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/4 tsp. roasted garlic powder
• 1 TB. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper 
• 1-1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

• Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend thoroughly.
• Toss warm rice with lemon juice. Cool.
• Mix salad ingredients except avocados and pecans with dressing, Refrigerate 4 hours or more. Add avocados and pecans just before serving. Place chicken on mixed greens or chopped romaine.  

"A View of the Lake" is a collection of essays that chronicle the joys and challenges of moving from a city to a rural town and finding one's place.  The book will resonate with anyone who dreams of downsizing and picking up to live alongside a lake. Each chapter captures the nature of the North Shore and the ways in which everything and everyone is shaped by the Big Lake.

Beryl Singleton Bissel is the nationally renowned author of "The Scent of God". See book review http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-scent-of-god.html

Bissel's latest book shares her personal experiences living on Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. Bissel's prose paints a picture of a beautiful landscape full of endearing characters that surround her in small town life. I could imagine myself being in the midst of all the places the author mentions. Her writing is vivid and the stories and anecdotes are simplistic yet profoundly meaningful. She brings her readers into a world where humanity and nature become one. And one needn't live on the North Shore or be a good Minnesotan to cherish her insights about life. 
Check out her blogsite. http://www.berylsingletonbissell.com/blog.htm
Her blog postings are reflective, thoughtful, spiritual and insightful.  

It's the perfect lunch read enjoying North Shore Chicken Salad.