Kara-Age Salad

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program I received a sample of Kikkoman's Kara-Age Soy-Ginger Seasoned Coating Mix.  To learn more about this products, as well as other Kikkoman products, you can check out their website!

The coating and salad were a huge hit on our dinner table, and I cannot wait to try other recipes with this mix!  Each package of Kara-Age comes with two pouches of seasoning, which makes it a great value, and two nights of dinner!  The coating has just enough ginger in it to be present without being spicy or over taking the entire meal.  I wanted to take this product and create a healthy Pan-Asian (if you will) dinner, and built a salad around that concept.  

The directions on the package call for the chicken or fish to be added to a bag with the coating and shaken until well coated.  Then fry the chicken or fish in shallow oil.  I did not want to spend extra time at the gym, and opted to try baking the Kara-Age coated chicken!   I was happy with the results of baking the chicken, but will definitely try frying next time to see how it comes out.

Kara-Age Salad 
Yields 3 large servings

Ingredients 
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
1 package Kikkoman Kara-Age Soy-Ginger Seasoned Coating Mix
1 cup water
1 bag (for shaking the chicken and seasoning)
1/2 cup Kikkoman Citrus Ponzu Sauce
1 tbsp honey 2 bags salad mix made with romaine lettuce, red cabbage, and carrots
2 cups shelled edamame
1 cup broccoli bean sprouts
1 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 cup sliced white mushrooms


To Prepare the Salad 
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dip the chicken in the cup of water and then shake them in the mix until well coated.
3. Spread the chicken out on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Flip the chicken and bake for another 10 minutes.
4. While the chicken is cooking, whisk the ponzu sauce and honey together.  
5. Pour the two bags of salad mix into a bowl and toss with the ponzu-honey dressing.
6. When the chicken has finished cooking, assemble individual salads using the lettuce, chicken, edamame, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and mushrooms.

Waldorf Salad Croissant Sandwiches

Waldorf Salad found its start at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC.  It was actually created by a maitre d'hotel in 1896.  The original salad contained apples, celery, and mayonnaise.  Later, walnuts were added to the mix, and it is most commonly served on a bed of lettuce.  Here at our house, we prefer our Waldorf Salad as a post-Thanksgiving treat served on croissants!  

I guess I need to preface the history of this recipe with the story of the 53 pound Thanksgiving turkey.  My mom decided to buy a fresh kill, never frozen turkey for the 5 of us and some guests.  Worried that a 25 pounder would not be enough to feed us all, plus have leftovers, she asked the farm to give us the biggest turkey they could find.  53 pounds later, we were all REALLY sick and tired of turkey leftovers!  In an effort to mix things up, she suggested a new spin on Waldorf Salad to put a dent in the leftovers.  It was an immediate success and we still enjoy it, even when we don't have turkey leftovers! 

Waldorf Salad Croissant Sandwiches
Yields 6 sandwiches

To Prepare the Salad
1. Break up 2 cups worth of cold, leftover turkey or chicken into a decent size bowl.  If you don't want to use leftovers, you can substitute this with canned chicken breast (the kind that comes like tuna).  Just be sure that you strain it of as much juice as possible!
2. Chop 2 cups worth of peeled apples.  I like to use a sweet apple such as a gala or honeycrisp.  I would avoid anything in the sour family!  Add these apples to the bowl.

3. Add 1/2 a cup of Craisins, and 1/2 a cup of raisins to the bowl. Sometimes we also add 1/2 a cup of chopped walnuts, but that is usually when I have leftovers from baking!

4. Bring everything together with 3/4 cup of mayo or light mayo.

5. Serve the salad in a croissant, or if you prefer, a super hearty multi-grain wheat bread.  I like to throw a side of baked potato chips on the plate too!