Chinese Chicken Salad

This evening my husband and I enjoyed Chinese chicken salads. Earlier today I marinated some chicken in a combination of soy, teriyaki and sesame ginger dressing. The chicken was cooked slowly and then served atop a hearty mixture of cabbage, lettuce, and scallions. A few almond slices, craisins, and chow mien noodles topped it all off. I love Chinese salads because they contain both chewiness from the craisins and crunchiness from cabbage and chow mien noodles. It was simple yet delightful.

Food is a definite passion of mine even if I'm not the best cook in the world. I am quite ashamed to say that, although I was born in a coastal Southern town that takes pride in its shrimp and grits, I don't really like shrimp or oysters or clams. I know, for a coastal girl, that is practically a sin. This past weekend I was at a friend's house where Seafood Gumbo was on the menu. I examined it fearfully, swallowed hard and then served myself a small amount that didn't contain any actual shrimp or oysters. As I started eating I realized that my dislike for most seafood really has nothing to do with the flavor. It's all about the texture! I loved that seafood gumbo! It was absolutely delicious. It was the thought of biting into a shrimp or oyster that was utterly disturbing to me--not the flavor. My husband on the other hand, who generally loves shrimp, has never been thrilled with gumbo. He can't get over the okra.