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Author, Simply Salads, (Thomas Nelson 2007)
Graduate, Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, France and BS, Finance, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Opened Cheffie’s Market & More, Memphis, TN (1999 - 2002)
Full-time mother of two
Freelance magazine and newspaper writer
CBN.com – Jennifer went to college to pursue a finance degree. “I was good with numbers but I liked creating things,” says Jennifer.
She found herself participating in special events, like homecoming and planning parties, while at school. After college, Jennifer worked for a large special events company. “But I found myself in the kitchen with the caterers!” she says.
Jennifer decided to go to culinary school and moved to Paris, France in 1993, where she attended Le Cordon Bleu for a year and a half. She graduated at the top of her class with Le Grand Diplome and a Mention Tres Bien in Pastry.
After culinary school, Jennifer moved to D.C. and worked for a caterer where she gained a lot of experience. Then, she thought it was time to open her own business and in 1998, decided to open Cheffie’s Market and More in her hometown of Memphis, TN. Their establishment was voted Best New Restaurant in Memphis and received much acclaim and many awards.
Jennifer married Paul in 1997 and started their family in 2000. One and a half years later, they had their second baby! The restaurant hours were not conducive for Jennifer to commit quality time to her children so they closed their business in 2002.
Jennifer continued to have the “itch” for the food business. She started writing a food column as a freelance writer, which soon expanded to several magazines. When the opportunity came for her to write her first cookbook, Jennifer jumped at the chance.
Prepackaged salad blends have changed the way we eat salads. “There was nothing that focused on bagged salad greens, which is something that I eat every day,” says Jennifer. “Being a mom who works part-time, it’s hard to get dinner on the table. And not only get it on the table; but make it healthy, too.” Dozens of pre-washed salad blends allow a home cook the convenience of picking the perfect mixture without all the hassle.
To turn a simple salad into a spectacular gourmet meal, just add your favorite ingredients including a protein. Jennifer says she makes a homemade dressing from scratch 99 percent of the time. The ingredients have a long shelf life. “Why buy bottled dressing when it’s so easy to make your own? They taste better, are healthier (no MSG like bottled dressings), they are economical and most importantly, inexpensive,” she says.
"Don’t feel guilty about using bottled dressing. Packaged salads are about conveniently putting a healthy, delicious meal on the table,” says Jennifer. “Use your favorite bottled dressings. And yes, I have one I keep in the fridge for that 1 percent of the time!”
Jennifer says when choosing bagged salad greens to be sure to check the “Best When Used By” date. Try to buy the greens at least 3 days prior to that expiration date. Make sure the salad looks fresh. Store leftovers in original bag in crisper, squeeze out excess air and seal tightly. Use within 2 days.
FEATURE RECIPES FROM SIMPLY SALADS
(Makes 6 appetizer or side salads)
Barbara Hanemann, my wonderful mom, serves this sweet and savory salad for her investment club get-togethers.
Ingredients
For the Blush Wine Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the salad:
1 bag (8 ounces) Mediterranean salad blend
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
2/3 cup red grapes, halved
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (preferably Maytag)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Method of Preparation
For the Blush Wine Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Slowly add the oil in a stream, whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the salad:
In a large salad bowl, toss together the salad blend, strawberries, grapes, scallions, almond slices, and crumbled blue cheese. Add the dressing to taste and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: Mix and match this colorful salad using your favorite ingredients. Try substituting spinach or using green grapes or dried cranberries.
( Makes 6 side salads)
Fruity, colorful, lots of flavor….those are the best words to describe this yummy side dish.
ingredients
For the dressing:
4 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons juice from the mandarin orange slices (available jarred or canned)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the salad:
1 package (10 ounces) Shredded Red Cabbage
1/4 cup sliced scallions
2 carrots, peeled and shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup drained mandarin orange slices (available jarred or canned), juice reserved
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Method of Preparation
For the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, vinegar, and mandarin orange juice until the sugar has dissolved. Slowly add oil in a steady stream, whisking to emulsify.
For the salad:
In a large salad bowl, toss together the red cabbage, scallions, carrots, cranberries, mandarin oranges, and pine nuts. Add the dressing to taste and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Tip: Canned or jarred mandarin orange slices are slices from small, seedless Japanese Satsuma oranges.
For more recipes and info about Jennifer Chandler, check out the Simply Delicious Summertime Salads factsheet.
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