9.29.10 Works Chinese Chix Salad & Choc. Souffles!

Oh how I love this salad....we've made it several times lately...it's based on my mom's recipe...I use her dressing recipe with a small addition of a splash of sesame oil...just a splash makes all the difference.

Scott thought we should make an addition recently of roasted pumpkin seeds, which we'd purchased at Central Market...a day which started out with a great chiro adjustment from the fabulous Dr. Matt...and ended with Scott having a torn off toenail from a grocery cart at CM..:(  where we got the pumpkin seeds, roasted and seasoned with a little tamari :)...we add avocado (Scott's contribution also), a sweet bellpepper (red, yellow or orange please).  Well it is just one of our favorite meals ever...and is nostaligic for me...mom made it a lot as a kid...what a great momma I have!

I imagine I've posted the recipe before...the dressing is the most important part and I often make extra.

• 1/4 Cup oil (olive or neutral oil like Canola)
• 1/4 Cup sugar ( you can fiddle with subbing some artif sweetner to lessen the sugar content)
• 1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp or so of sesame oil (optional...recommended)
• good dash/pinch of salt...big grinding of black pepper to taste...a squirt of mustard (helps emulsify)...shake like crazy.
• Chix (equivilent of a small roasted)...several roasted breasts, a few cans if your really short on time...or a rotissiere stripped and shredded....
• A good handful of sesame seeds, and a lot! of slivered or chopped almonds (and pumpkin seeds)...toasted in a dry pan or oven till you can smell em and they have a good browning.
• chopped veggies such as bell pepper, cucumber, tomato
• a medium or two small avocado (optional, if in season)
• whatever you want!
• crunchy asian noodles...a couple big handfuls of pre made ones....or do like Momma did and fry up a batch of bean sprout noodles...like in Mr. Mom! 
• drench chicken and vegies in dressing...pre-marinate if time allows, covered and in fridge...then add a large (or several) head of lettuce...mom used the classic, crunchy iceberg...but we often use romaine in addition
• toss with lettuce, noodles, nuts & seeds...eat with great crunchy crackers (like Market Streets everything crackers, or great bread/breadsticks...enjoy!

Since this is such a light and pleasing meal.... I was craving something sweet for dessert hours later...and had all the ingredients for Chef John's choc souffle (almost....used almond extract instead of liquor out of sheer necessity and greed)...so yummy!  I made like a 3rd of the recipe...enuf for 5 (one was frozen)...and we both ate two!  :) :) :) :) :)