A Rather Jazzy Recipe

Yes, as neither chef nor celebrity, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up a little when I realized that I was three days away from posing as both. What's a girl to do? I thought, standing in my single girl's kitchen. After a day of Googling and another of shopping . . . lightbulb . . . it was over the river and through the woods I go.

Grandmother's house! Honey and Tonya (my Aunt) offered advice, tricks & tools, and support. It was a rather unorthodox Girl's Night Out, but I had a blast. And my version of Spanish Praline Chicken Salad got rave reviews! Here's the recipe.

Spicy Walnut Praline

1 1/3 cup Walnuts, chopped fine

2 tsp salt

1 generous teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1 cup of Sugar

Stir the sugar with a fork over medium heat for what seems to be an eternity. Just when you are ready to poke your eyes out it will begin to melt making little clumps in the pan. Then it goes more quickly. Continue stirring until it's all liquid and then loose the fork and shimmy the pan until the liquid is golden brown. Then add the walnut/salt/cayenne mixture and toss. Spread the mixture on wax paper, let it cool and chop it up.

Chicken Salad

6 lb Chicken

16 Slices Applewood Smoked Bacon

2 cups Cabrales, Roquefort or Stilton (as available) crumbled

Poach the chicken. This doesn't mean that you shoot in in someone else's yard. You learn something new every day! After the chicken cools, you'll cube it - meat scissors make this daunting chore a dream. Then cook and crumble the bacon. And toss the praline pieces, chicken, bacon and blue cheese together in a big ass bowl. Coat with half the dressing and refrigerate overnite. Then toss in the remaining dressing just before serving over a bed of lettuce.

Dressing

6 tsp Dijon Mustard

3/4 cup Sherry Vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Voila!

I pinned one of my Great Grandmother Dessie's Camellias in my hair and tucked another in the ice chest for my co-Toast's lapel. Then boogied on over to Cherokee so that my stylist, Madame Esser, could deck me out in a vintage apron.

Peaches, Pecans & Pralines was delightful. My favorites . . . the Jones' pork in croissant, Vicki & Rocky Mills' "Girlfriend Cheese" and sweets from "Polly Long Denton": Mousse Towers and Cheesecake with Praline crust AND garnish.

The rest of the weekend was like a full-bellied holiday-snooze sort of dream. Something special happened in Macon this weekend. New York Jazz transported us, ever so magically, to another place and time. And it was perfect.

aS


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