Charlie's first Cruise

Ah yes~ Cooking. Such a frightening ordeal to some and yet a flavorful and rewarding nom-nom for others. Cooking's always been perceived as such a daunting task. I never really got  that. Cooking's easy. Prepare the ingredients, combine them in the proper order, and voila! Instant gratification! Not only can you enjoy the fruit of your labor, you'll also have your belly full. I come to the blogosphere as a means of reaching out to people who've never held a raw vegetable, fruit or meat in their hand, or even to those who have never even boiled water. I'm here to convince everyone imaginable that cooking IS easy.

Grab your knife noobie. No cooking needed in the first recipe.

Chicken and Orange Salad on Baguette

Ingredients:

3 cans chicken chunks (drained then flaked) OR 1/3 lb boiled chicken breasts
1 small can of Mandarin oranges (grab them from an Asian store)
1/2 cup of walnuts (chopped coarsely)
1 cup celery, sliced
1/2 cup low-fat mayo (regular fat also works)
3 tablespoons of all-purpose cream (don't use whipping cream, too light)
4 mini-baguettes (or 2 regular sized ones cut in half)
lettuce leaves (as much as you want)
salt, pepper and sugar to taste



Procedure:

1. In a bowl, combine the flaked chicken chunks, half of the Mandarin oranges, walnuts and celery. Set aside.
2. Prepare the dressing by mixing the mayo, cream and seasonings (season according to your taste. REMEMBER to taste it as you go)
3. Toss the dressing with the chicken mix and chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
4. To make the sandwich, slice the baguettes in half crosswise. Lay some washed and dried lettuce leaves on the baguette, then stuff with the chicken filling. Top with the remaining whole pieces of Mandarin oranges, wrap in brown paper or plastic wrap to avoid any messy undertakings.
5. Nom to your heart's delight.

Serves about 4 regular people or 2 people who really likes chicken.

The sandwich is quick and easy to make. It's not very far from your momma's old chicken sandwich, but it gets you in the right direction of trying out to cook / prepare food for yourself.