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People are always asking me what it was like to live, cook and work at the Manor. I thought I would do a post today about that experience in my life. To be honest, it was, to a humble girl from a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, a bit of a dream come true!
When I was a child I used to dream of one day living in a pretty cottage in the English countryside, but I never ever thought that this would be a dream of mine that would come true. When I moved over to the UK in 2000 that dream came a little bit closer to coming true for sure, but it still seemed to be pretty remote to someone like me.
I decided to go to culinary school when I first arrived in the UK. This was something which I had always wanted to do, and the time seemed right. I was an empty nester without any obligations, and so I took the courses I needed to take in order to be able to work in the food industry. I had always been a very good cook, and I had run my own coffee shop at one point in my life, and I had, in fact, worked as a pastry chef (sans training) when I was a very young woman.
After I graduated from Culinary school, I started looking for a job. I did not want to work in a restaurant. At the age of 46, I reallyfelt that was too old for the fast pace of restaurant work. Restaurant work is a young person's game.
There is a magazine in the UK called The Lady. It is one of the primary places that wealthy people advertise to recruit staff. I decided that I would try to find a job working for a private school or a family cooking on a much simpler and easier pace. I began looking at adverts in the magazine and applying for jobs.
I received call backs from several positions but there was one job in particular that appealed to me. and so I went down to Kent for an interview. It was to work as a Chef for an American family living in the U.K. Kent is one of the most beautiful counties in England. It is known as the Garden of England and is host to a lot of beautiful little villages.
I went down by train for the interview from Chester where I was living at the time. This was just about the longest job interviews I have ever had. I was there for the most part of the day. I was given a guided tour of the Estate and of the cottage that would be mine.
By the end of the day I was told that I had the job, which would include a decent wage along with the cottage, which was situated just down the lane from the main house which you see above.
It was a very lovely cottage and would be my home for as long as I worked at the Manor. It was cozy and comfortable and well situated. We had a large eat in kitchen/family room down stairs, a laundry room, and a walk in larder. There was a circular staircase leading upstairs where there was a reception room, two largish bedrooms, a room we called the library/office and two bathrooms.
This was only a small portion of the kitchen downstairs in the cottage. It was quite large, with loads of cupboard and counter space.
My job at the Manor entailed cooking for a family on a daily basis, five days of the week, breakfast, lunch and supper. I got weekends off and bank holidays, unless it was a special occasion and of course I needed to work extra hours when they were entertaining.
As well as cooking, I was responsible for cleaning the kitchen, larder and conservatory.
There was a huge larder just off the kitchen which had slate shelves. It was lovely and cool in there. Stored in there were a variety of specialized dishes/platters/etc. which would be required for specific occasions.
There was a small wine/alcohol section, an area with tinned/packaged goods, and an ice machine. There was also another refrigerator which came in very handy to store things when a dinner party was planned.
The kitchen was huge. I had access to a large sink with a garbage disposal a professional sized electric/gas stove, a gas burning AGA and every electrical appliance you can imagine. On the other side of the cooking area was also a dining area which was never actually used for eating for the whole time I worked there, but served as an area to provide welcome drinks when guests were arriving for a luncheon or brunch.
There were a multitude of cabinets, some of them glass fronted, which held a variety of silver and china, crystal, etc. I was also responsible for the maintenance of these. The ceiling was oak beamed. The walls were lined with copper utensils. I was also responsible for polishing all of the silver and copper. There was not only silver in the kitchen, but a huge cupboard across from the laundry room that was filled with it from the floor to the ceiling.
Working there cured me from ever wanting to have any copper, silver, or crystal for myself. It was a lot of work keeping these things up to par, and during those years I did enough of it to last me a lifetime.
Everything was beautiful however and I have to say it was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to work in a beautiful environment with some of the finest equipment and ingredients.
Every day meals were quite ordinary. Much the same as anyone would eat. In the mornings I would make breakfast for the Mr. who usually had toast and jam, coffee, juice. The Mrs. would have 3 mini bran muffins, a glass of my homemade fruit smoothie and 2 prunes. The recipe I used for the bran muffins was this Refrigerator Bran Muffin recipe. I kept a big jug of that in the refrigerator at all times.
It was only ever very occasionally that they would want anything else for breakfast. Occasionally he would like some scrambled eggs and toast, and if they had guests I would cook full breakfasts to order. Bacon, eggs, sausage, etc.
Lunches were also very simple affairs. He might ask me to make him a sandwich, or sometimes I would make a pizza and have it in the refrigerator that he could eat whenever he wanted. A tray of Deviled Eggs was kept in the refrigerator at all times and I would often make a homemade soup for him to enjoy with his sandwich. He also liked to munch on cold chicken and there was also always a tray of crisp vegetables with homemade dip in there for snacking.
Every day suppers were also very simple. Usually just some sort of protein with some vegetables on the side. They did not eat carbs such as rice, pasta or potatoes on a regular basis. Dinner would be simply some beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish (usually salmon), and 3 or 4 simply cooked vegetables as well as a salad. Dessert was also not an every day thing, although the Mr. did like me to cook my Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudge Walnut Brownies on a regular basis.
On Chocolate Chip Cookie days, all the staff made a visit to the kitchen. They all adored my cookies, and would pop into the kitchen, one at a time for a freshly baked cookie.
The Ladies' Luncheons were a different matter. These were much more involved and required a lot of work in preparation. The Mrs. would entertain ladies for luncheons several times a month. They would consist of drinks served in the kitchen upon arrival, usually Elderflower cordial as well as an assortment of finger foods. Not too many, only one or two because the ladies were always watching their weight. Small nibbles only.
There would usually be a soup course to begin, with perhaps some cracker breads or tiny muffins on the side. It would only be a simple soup like Potage Crecy.
The soup was often served in these vegetable shaped ceramic soup dishes which each had their own lids to keep them warm. They were all different shapes and very pretty.
The main course would usually be a salad of some sort, sometimes grilled chicken with a few vegetables, or salmon. All very dainty, and of course, beautifully presented.
There would be a dessert to finish. A favorite of the ladies was the Frozen Lemon Souffle which would have been prepared by myself as small individual souffles and served with some berries or a coulis.
There would be iced water and a variety of wines to serve with each course and chocolates and coffee to finish.
I loved doing the luncheons. Sometimes they would be held outside on the patio, but more often than not they were held in the conservatory, which was just off the kitchen. (See photo above.)
I did all of the planning, shopping, prepping, cooking and serving. I was also responsible for setting and dressing the table, an example of which you can see above. Plus all of the clean-up afterwards. I tried to pick dishes that I could do in advance for the most part for the first and dessert courses. That way I had only to really concentrate on the main course on the day.
They involved long hours of preparation, and many hours spent on my feet on the day, but I loved the challenge of being able to pull it all together and I can tell you, they were always very happy with what I had prepared. I was right in my element, and, as tired as I would be at the end of it all, I always felt a great sense of accomplishment when it was done, and really enjoyed all of it. They were considered to be quite casual affairs.
As fun to plan and prepare as the luncheons were, the dinner parties were what I loved doing most of all! I planned, cooked and served dinner parties for as few as 6 or 8 people and as many as 25. Usually six courses, including the coffee's and chocolates afterwards.
Dinner parties were always quite a bit more elaborate and involved a lot more in terms of preparation and effort. They were silver service and consisted of appetizers and drinks upon arrival, usually served in the main reception room. I would usually prepare 3 to 4 different appetizers. Some favorites were this delicious Smoked Salmon Spread with crisp breads, boiled Quails Eggs, Toasted Cheese Rounds, Smoked salmon on little rounds of brown bread with lemon, etc.
Another favorite were these Stilton and Walnut Shortbreads which were served spread with cream cheese and topped with a dollop of Mango Chutney and a toasted walnut half. Real party fare.
Following the appetizers and drinks there would be a first course. (This photo above is of the dining room, but dressed for a luncheon rather than a dinner party. Dinner parties were always silver service.) The first course was usually a soup dish or a fish dish. She was very fond of stacked salads. I had special rings to stack things up in. You would set the salads up in the rings, on plates, and then once they were set remove the rings for service. Things like this Layered Cobb Salad would be a prime example.
Following the first course (starter) there would be a main course. This could be any number of things. Lamb, Beef, chicken, fish, etc. Accompanied with a variety of vegetables and of course the special dinner rolls that I would have baked earlier in the day. This recipe on Cooking Classy is very similar to the party rolls I used to make for the dinner parties.
I plated everything very judiciously. Small dabs of each thing, artfully placed, so as not to overwhelm appetites. It took some getting used to. I was used to family service prior to working at the manor and had to really learn to restrain myself when I was plating up. With five or six courses being served they didn't want overly large helpings of anything.
They really were very elegant affairs.
Following the main course there would be a dessert course. Typically I would prepare two to three different desserts. Usually a chocolate one, a light one and then a cake of some sort. I tried always to pick desserts that I could make well ahead of time that I wouldn't have to do for when it came to the actual day. These Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes were very popular.
Lemon Possets were another favorite.
After dessert there would be a cheese course. Prior to cooking at the manor I had a very timid cheese palate. I soon learned that in order to put together a delicious cheese tray I needed to know what I was doing and so I learned to love cheese.
I would prepare a large silver tray holding a variety of cheeses and fruits with special silver scissors meant to be used to clip off little sprigs of grapes. Normally there would be a hard cheese, some semi hard cheese, a soft cheese, a conversational cheese and a variety of fruits. Perhaps some wedges of apple, grapes, ripe figs, etc.
A silver biscuit barrel would also be passed at the table for the guests to enjoy a variety of crackers and biscuits with their cheeses. Small bread and butter plates with special silver knives would have been laid for them to spread their biscuits, cheese and fruits on.
As they were enjoying their cheese course I would be preparing the coffee course.
We always used a large wooden antique tray for this with handles. A hand crocheted antique lace cloth would be places over top and then the coffee things would be placed on top of the cloth. Small demi-tasse cups with silver spoons, and a silver basket covered with a doily and filled with a variety of quality chocolates.
By that time my work would have been almost done for the day. I would be busy clearing, cleaning and washing up. Leftovers, if any, would have been covered and refrigerated. The silver and crystal hand washed and put away and the dish washer would be humming.
Normally I would clean up the coffee things the next morning. That way they were free to socialize as they wanted and I could go home and get a well deserved good night's sleep before work the next day.
All did not always run smoothly. I remember the first Thanksgiving dinner I cooked, the turkey burned. It was a really large turkey and I had it in the electric oven. I went back to our cottage for a wee break and when I returned it was to discover that the bottom of the turkey was burning. It was so large that it was too close to the bottom element . We quickly ran to the shops, picked up two smaller ones and the first one was used as a show piece (elaborately garnished with plenty of parsley) and the guests were served meat from the other two. We did have a great laugh over that one.
The Mrs. said that it wouldn't be Thanksgiving if nothing happened to the turkey!
All in all I really enjoyed my years working at the Manor. I got to work in a beautiful environment with the finest equipment and ingredients. I got to stretch and expand my culinary skills more than I had ever thought myself capable, and I left there with a really good reputation intact.
So much so that a few years ago, they contacted me from their home in the Bahamas asking me could I come to work for them again. They said I had been the best Chef that they had ever had working for them. The offer included a cottage on the beach, etc. I had to turn it down though. I was very content now to just do what I am doing and to be near my family. I do admit I was very flattered to have been asked to return, however, and I was really chuffed that they thought so highly of me.
It really was a great experience and one that this simple girl from rural Nova Scotia had never thought that she would ever get to live. Living and working in a beautiful spot in the Garden of Kent. If I had my life to live over again, this experience would always be a part of it. Through it I learned a great deal about fine cooking and dining, proper service, and entertaining on a grand scale. This I will always be grateful for.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
My Todd is a real meat and potatoes man. He doesn't care what else is on the menu, as long as it contains some meat and potatoes somewhere along the line. He will tolerate rice every so often instead of potatoes, but a hefty plate of mash is his first love . . .
I think he loves chops most of all when it comes to meat meals . . . lamb chops are quite tasty, but he especially loves pork chops! The Waitrose in Chester is a small shop, but it sells very tasty Hampshire bred rack pork chops and the flavour is just wonderful. Succulent and meaty. We both love them . . . they're the best!
There is something very comforting and homey about a breaded pork chop. When I was a child my mom would sometimes treat us to "Shake & Bake" pork chops. We loved them. (Shake & Bake is a North American Crumb mixture that you can get for pork, chicken or fish. You just dampen the meat, and shake it in the plastic bag included to coat with the crumbs, also included.)
These delicious pork chops are a thousand times better. Tender and tasty and coated with a delicious sage and Parmesan flavored soft bread crumb mixture. Ohhh . . . these are some good. The crumbs get all crispy and golden brown . . . the meat stays succulent and moist beneath that golden crust . . . nothing on earth tastes better . . . truly . . .
Well . . . applesauce is mighty good with them . . . mighty good, all tangy and sweet at the same time . . . just perfect . . . especially if it is made with fabulous Bramley Apples, which are fabulous this time of year and cook up so fluffy. If you really want to impress, with just a tiny bit of extra effort, you can make a tasty chutney to serve with them!
A tangy, sweet and spicy Cranberry Chutney on the side makes this a really special dinner. You don't even need to have any fresh cranberries around, coz this chutney is made completely out of dried fruit! I always have dried cranberries, sultanas and apples in the larder. They come in ever so handy! You just never know when you are going to need a handful or two. Your family will love this meal. It's special enough to make them feel like they are having a real treat . . . and special enough to feed to company!
You will end up with about 2 1/2 cups of the chutney, but I am sure you will find it so delicious that you won't have a problem using it all up. It is great with pork, ham, chicken or turkey. Try it as a tasty relish in sandwiches!! Stir it into some chicken salad for a wonderfully scrummy sandwich filling. It's also quite, quite special served with a good white farmhouse cheddar and a crusty loaf for a deliciously different ploughman's lunch!
*Sage Pork Chops with Cranberry Chutney*
serves 4
Printable Recipe
Mmmm . . . comfort food at it's best. A tasty crumbed pork chop, tender and juice and accompanied with a tasty Cranberry Chutney.
75g plain flour (3/4 cup)
3 large free range eggs
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
4 to 6 sage leaves, finely chopped
50g fresh bread crumbs (scant cup)
100g fresh finely grated Parmesan Cheese (generous 1/2 cup)
4 good quality pork chops
60ml vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
For the chutney:
250g sweetened dried cranberries (1 2/3 cup)
375ml boiling water (1 1/2 cups)
25g of dried apples, diced (about 1/4 cup)
25g of sultanas (about 1/4 cup)
1 TBS minced crystalized ginger
85ml white wine vinegar (generous 1/3 cup)
3 TBS sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp of ground ginger
2 heaping dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam or red plum jam
First make the chutney. Put the cranberries, apples, sultanas and crystalized ginger into a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and let sit for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes, combine the vinegar, sugar, cayenne, allspice, cinnamon and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Add the berry mixture. Bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the jam and remove the mixture from the heat. Cool to room temperature. (You can even do this the day before if you wish.)
Put the flour for the chops onto a flat plate. Beat the eggs and worcestershire sauce together in a shallow pie plate. Combine the sage leaves, bread crumbs, and Parmesan together in another shallow pie plate. Trim the fat from the pork chops and season them well all over with some salt, pepper and garlic powder. Press a pork chop into the flour, coating the meat evenly and shaking off any excess. Dip the floured pork chop into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Press the egged pork chop firmly in the crumb mixture to coat evenly all over. Repeat with the other 3 chops.
Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, in a heavy bottomed skillet large enough to hold all four chops. Once heated add the chops and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, so they gently sizzle in the oil and a golden crust forms. Flip them over and cook for an additional 5 minutes on the other side.
Serve immediately with some of the chutney on the side of each portion of pork.
It goes without saying the Toddster likes plenty of potatoes with his, mashed, baked or fried. He's a happy camper just so long as he's got some potato to go with his chop!
I am one of those people who never minds paying full price for a good roasting chicken, and that is because, with all of my years of cooking experience, I have mastered the art of making my chicken pay for itself.
How do I do that you might well ask, and today I am going to show you how. Let me set the scenario.
You've cooked your Sunday Roast Chicken, fed it to the family, and have cleared up all of the dirty dishes and pans. You may even have stripped the carcass of all of the meat and are sitting there staring at the empty bones. You feel like throwing them away, and maybe you do, or maybe you carefully wrap them up and stick them in the refrigerator, where, just a few days later, you end up tipping them out because you failed to use them when you should have done.
To my way of thinking a good roast chicken is something which can give to you again and again and again. I always, ALWAYS get at least three meals from my roast chickens. It's just a matter of thrift, ingenuity, and planning.
I don't mind spending fifteen or twenty dollars on a good fat roasting chicken because I know that in the long run that chicken is going to help me feed four people at least three meals. Even at twenty dollars, that amounts to roughly six dollars and a few cents per meal. Probably even less than you will pay for a pound of hamburger.
Today my goal is to show you how to eke as much out of that Roast Chicken you thought was so expensive that you can. With only a few simple steps you, too, can make your chicken pay for itself!
STEP ONE - This begins right at the store. Buy the largest, fattest, best chicken that you can afford. I usually buy one that is at least 2 1/2 to 3 pounds in weight. I like free range chickens, because I think they taste better, and I like to support good animal husbandry. I will also buy an organic, or free-from (no anti-biotic) chicken, and air-chilled if I can.
STEP TWO - Roast your chicken using a reliable recipe that will give you optimum flavor, without drying out the bird. I can highly recommend any of my Roast Chicken Recipes. I know I am a bit biased, but, my goal here in the English Kitchen has always been share the best with you.
STEP THREE - Prepare plenty of sides to serve with your chicken. In my home it is usually potatoes or rice of some sort, and two to three vegetables. Sometimes I even roast the vegetables with the chicken. That way when it comes to serving up your chicken, you can be generous with the sides and serve smaller servings of the meat and nobody will feel that they have been cheated.
I can highly recommend the following sides:
Of course, you don't have to make all of your sides fancy. Plain steamed vegetables are always good, just don't be stingy with any of them. Let your family and or guests fill up on the vegetables, not the chicken. A good GRAVY also helps.
This way you can give each person a reasonable serving of the roast chicken without going over the top. Aim to eat only half of the chicken on the day you roast it and then you will have the remainder to use on another day.
STEP FOUR - When you are stripping your chicken after the meal, set aside a good amount to use for another meal, such as a casserole, salad or sandwiches, hot or cold, or even a pot pie. You don't need a lot of chicken to put in a pot pie and if you have been careful enough to make LOTS of gravy, your family won't even notice that their pot pie isn't loaded with chicken.
Don't strip the bones down until they are bare, leave some meat on them. I usually save the wings and then the whole carcass with a fair amount of meat on it to make soup. It's okay if you don't feel like making soup right away. Simply wrap the bones up tightly and freeze them for later on in the week.
Here are some really fabulous ways to use up some of that cooked chicken meat:
.JPG "HOT CHICKEN SALAD")
STEP FIVE - Use those bones and the carcass to make a delicious soup. It's not really hard to make a basic stock or delicious chicken soup and your family will always appreciate it. Even if you only use the bones to make a delicious stock and then freeze it, you have created the barebones of a fabulous risotto or a soup, and they will not have gone to waste.
Here are some of our favorite chicken soups:
There is a wonderful old saying that when you eat a pig you should eat everything but the squeal, I would like to switch that out to say when you eat a chicken you should eat everything but the cluck! I think that if you follow my tips and suggestions, you can feel proud that you have done just that, using up every scrap of the yard bird and in the most delicious ways! Effectively, you have actually made your Roast Chicken pay for itself, and in these modern times when money is tight, don't we all need to be able to do this?
I'll be back tomorrow with something new!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!!
With Valentines Day coming up this week, and my stove being out of commission, I thought it would be fun to do something different and create a delicious picnic for my sweetie pie and I to share for the occasion. Its really fun to do and really doesn't take a lot of work.
The weather has been right miserable lately, but that doesn't mean we can't still enjoy a picnic. Some of the nicest picnics can be shared right within the four walls of your comfy home!
The centre piece of my picnic was a delicious Buffalo Chicken Salad that I threw together. You will find the recipe below for a basic chicken salad and 10 variations. This is just one of them, and I can tell you it is really tasty!
I had a good old rummage around the refrigerator this morning while my husband was out and by the time he came home, I had a picnic feast for two more than ready.
We had some leftover potato salad and coleslaw from the other day, so that was packed into a container for sharing . . .
I always have lots of cheeses on hand, chutney's and crackers and so I did up a small cheese tray for us to enjoy. I used some vintage white cheddar, Danish blue, wensleydale with cranberries and boursin cheeses.
I put the chutney into a small Bonne Maman Jar and an assortment of crackers and some butter for spreading in a sandwich container. Be sure to include a knife for cutting up the cheeses and a spoon for the chutney.
You will want a toasted baguette or crisp breads to have with the chicken salad, or even some salad greens. My husband isn't one much for salad greens, so I had soft baguettes for him. No toasting today as there is no oven.
There was a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie in the refrigerator (his favourite pie) and some cheese and onion rolls, so I added a container with them, as well as some English Mustard for him to enjoy with a slice of pie. I also had some black and green grapes, so I washed some of them and put them into another container.
Something sweet is always welcome, so I added a container of his favourite biscuits/cookies and some fruit yogurts.
I also added the required cutlery, dinner plates and glasses, along with some tea light candles (for romance), a blanket to sit on, a book of poetry to share with each other and a fun game to play.
A bottle of sparkling apple juice was the finishing touch. I then packed it into our picnic basket . . . its a red metal one with chrome handles that I bought several years back.
I think its really pretty, although in all truth a wicker one is better as this one is quite heavy once you get it packed. It didn't all quite fit inside, but no matter we weren't going very far . . .
And with there being two of us, we carried the juice separately along with the bread, games and poetry.
As I said, we did not have far to go!
My husband was pleasantly surprised when he got home. I put some nice music on for us to listen to and in all truth, we sat at the table . . . these old bones of ours are not fond of floor sitting, not anymore . . .
It was a really nice spread . . .
I had my chicken salad on salad greens . . . my husband, of course, did not. Oh well . . .
The star of course was the chicken salad. I did the Buffalo Chicken version and it was absolutely fabulous.
The recipe comes from a magazine on chicken that I bought at the grocery store the last time I was visiting Canada. Its a lovely basic recipe . . . .
And then of course there are ten different variations . . . sure to suit every taste!
This really was a lot of fun! And it didn't really take a lot of effort on my part.
It made a change from the usual Winter bill of fare . . .
And injected a bit of sunshine and romance into what was simply a cold, blustery, rainy day!
Yield: 4
Chicken Salad with variations
With a few flavourful additions and basic ingredients you need never have boring Chicken Salad again.
ingredients:
For the basic salad: (see variations below)
- 1/2 pound cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, chopped
- 2 thinly sliced spring onions (scallions)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
- or salad dressing
- 1 tsp snipped fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp salt
instructions:
- Combine the chicken, celery, spring onions in a bowl. Mix together the mayonnaise, basil, lemon zest and salt. Fold dressing into the chicken and vegetables gently, to combine well. Cover and chill for 1 to 4 hours. Serve on bread, crackers, or salad greens.
Variations:
- 1. Buffalo Chicken - Omit Basil, stir in 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce.
- 2. Hawaiian - Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pineapple. Just before serving, stir in 1/4 cup chopped toasted macadamia nuts.
- 3. Mediterranean - Omit celery. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts and 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese. Top with shredded basil.
- 4. Grape-Nut - Stir in 3/4 cup chopped seedless grapes. Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts.
- 5. Bacon-Egg-Tomato - Stir in two chopped hard boiled eggs. Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes. Top with crumbled cooked crisp bacon.
- 6. Spicy Chili - Omit Basil and lemon zest. Stir in 1 to 2 tsp mild chili powder. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.
- 7. Cashew Curry - Stir in 1 to 2 tsp curry powder. Just before serving stir in 2 TBS chopped roasted cashew nuts. You can also add 2 TBS mango chutney with the mayonnaise.
- 8. Cucumber/Melon - Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup chopped cucumber and serve on melon wedges.
- 9. Coriander Lime - Omit basil and lemon zest. Stir in 1 TBS snipped fresh coriander (cilantro) and 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest. Top with toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander.
- 10. Apple Pecan - Stir in 3/4 cup chopped fresh eating apple. Just before serving, stir in 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecan nuts.
Even if you don't want to do something like this for Valentines Day, it would be fun to just do it on any day to help chase away the Winter doldrums's and blues.
Happy Sunday and Bon Appetit!
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