BBQ Chicken Salad and Asparagus, Potato, Leek Soup

BBQ Chicken Salad

If you have leftover chicken you can start with that or bake chicken in oven with salt, pepper (or Borsari seasoning) and top with BBQ sauce.

Cut up chicken into pieces and put in a bowl with spoonful or 2 of mayo, 1 tsp of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, sprinkle of dried onion flakes, 1 tsp relish, and 2 tbsp BBQ sauce. Mix all together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Served over salad with avocado, tomatoes and cucumber dressed with olive oil, chardonnay vinegar, and Borsari seasoning.

Asparagus, Potato Leek Soup

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, cut lengthwise and chopped

5 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced

1 bunch of asparagus (weighed almost 1 pound)

6 cups chicken broth

2 celery sticks, cut in half lengthwise and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup whole milk (or heavy cream)

Trim the attractive tips from the asparagus. Cut the woody stems from each spear (or bend the asparagus towards the end and it should snap off.) Cut the remaining middle pieces of asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.

Bring to a boil 4 cups chicken broth, add woody stems and simmer for 25 minutes.

Pull stems out with a slotted spoon and discard. Next add the asparagus tips to the broth for 1 minute. Pull them out with a slotted spoon and put in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain them and set aside on a paper towel. Save the asparagus infused chicken broth for later.

Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil in medium pot. Add celery and leeks sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic sauté for 1 minute. Then add asparagus pieces, potatoes, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp pepper, 4 cups of the asparagus infused broth and 2 more cups of chicken broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 12 minutes or until asparagus and potatoes are tender. With an immersion blender (or food processor), blend until smooth. If serving right away, add milk (or cream).. if not, wait until just before serving, add asparagus tips and milk while heating soup up.

Adult Review: Soup was good, very flavorful. And salad was delicious! (Dressing was light and perfect compliment)

Kid Review: only ate veggies that we put on our salad and chicken salad- ate everything without complaints, didn't serve them soup.