Summer Avocado Chicken Salad with Homemade Dinner Rolls

Come summertime 'tis time to put away the hot stew recipes and bring out the summer salads. Summer mornings are perfect for running, horseback riding, or swimming which always puts me in the mood for a light, fresh meal. Make yourself a plate of this delicious concoction and head outside with some iced tea for some good ole fashioned porch-sitting.


Avocado Chicken Salad


Ingredients:
2 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded and pre-cooked)
2 medium avocados, diced1 Tablespoon + 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (approximately 1 medium sized lime)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup (or less) finely chopped fresh cilantro (if you've never used cilantro, be warned that it is strong, so better to start off with less than more)
3 Tablespoons Miracle Whip

Directions:

1. Pull the rotisserie chicken off the bone. It will be shredded.

2. Dice the avocados into bite-sized pieces. Squeeze 1 medium sized lime. Toss 1 Tablespoon of the freshly squeezed lime juice with the avocados. Salt to taste.

3. Chop cilantro and green onions. 

4. Put all ingredients into a large bowl.

5. Mix the Miracle Whip into the mixtures and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of lime juice. Be sure to mix it thoroughly, so the dressing is spread nicely throughout.
 
6. Eat now or refrigerate for later.

Homemade Dinner Rolls 
*copied from Martha Stewarts No-Knead Dinner Rolls*

Pre-baking. These rolls are huge.

Ingredients:
2 cups of warm water
2 packages of dry active yeast (1/4 oz. per package)
1/4 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons of butter, plus some
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
6 cups of all-purpose flour


Directions:

1. Pour warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, eggs, and salt; whisk to combine. Add flour; mix until incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Brush top of dough with butter; cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
2. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface. With floured hands, roll dough into a thick log. Cut into 18 equal pieces (halve log, cut each half in thirds, then cut each piece into thirds again).
3. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. One at a time, flatten each piece of dough, then fold edges toward the center, pressing to secure, until a smooth ball forms. Place dough balls in prepared baking pan, smooth side up (you should have 3 rows of 6). Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.)
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove plastic wrap; brush rolls with butter. Bake until golden and rolls sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 35 to 40 minutes (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Pull rolls apart, and serve warm.

Enjoy this summer treat!


-Cara