Chicken Mac Salad

yummyaddiction.com.....there are no rules for this salad – you can always add more of any ingredient if you feel there isn’t enough. Just have fun playing around with the flavors!

Heartweed": you know we are wheat free around here so there are some in this recipe about options. :) 

For the salad:

• 2 cups (8 oz. or 225g) dry elbow macaroni (Hw-: I have been using a rice flour pasta -tinkyada that taste better -to me-than wheat based) There are also  buckwheat options. 
• 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
• 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 1/3 cup diced dill pickles (hw: most pickles contain wheat based vinegar -caution) 
• 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup finely diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped black olives

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hw: I make my own) 
• 5 tablespoons milk (HW: probably could omit for dairy free option or use canned coconut milk)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (Hw: white vinegar is made from wheat, I would suggest coconut or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (Hw: Eden foods make a yummy apple cider based dijon) 
• 2 teaspoons sugar (Hw: honey, maple syrup) 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste

1. Cook pasta. Drain. 
2. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth.
3. Place cooled macaroni in a large mixing bowl, pour dressing and toss. Stir in chicken, carrots, chives, pickles, bell pepper, celery and olives (you can always add more of any ingredient if you feel it's needed). Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!

heart emoticon CONNIE'S DANISH HEIRLOOM LAYER CAKE heart emoticon

Heartweed: a recipe I need to convert! 

You can Freeze the layers easily and have a picture perfect cake ready at the drop of a hat!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup of sugar
pinch salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pint whipping cream - whipped and sweetened with 1 Tbsp. icing sugar
1 - 2 pounds sliced slightly sweetened strawberries - or fruit of choice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together with a whisk or wooden spoon, yogurt, sugar, sour cream, egg, salt, baking soda, baking powder. Add flour and vanilla.
Grease or spray 3 - 9" layer pans and divide batter evenly between pans. (the batter will seem skimpy....but spread as evenly as you can with a spatula in each pan - layers will rise on baking).
Bake at 350 oven (325 if using Convection oven 325 oven) Bake for only 10 - 12 minutes....till Very Light Brown. Cool on racks...and remove from pans with a plastic spatula onto racks to finish cooling as soon as you can handle the cakes.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT over bake!! If not using immediately - put wax paper between layers, cover with plastic and refrigerate or freeze till ready to assemble cake.
Layer cake layers: 1/3 sweetened whipped cream and 1/2 sweetened sliced strawberries, or fruit of choice - then 1/3 sweetened whipped cream and 1/2 berries. Last layer - just sweetened whipped cream. Decorate with berries.
This cake tastes even better the next day and the day after that....if there is any left!! The Trick is Not to Over bake the layers...or it will be dry and not nice and moist.
This will soon become Your Favorite Family Cake too!!