Chicken Salad and Alpacas

I spent this past Saturday with a few people for a "Forever - Whatever" party. It's a session devoted to those projects (knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, etc.) that have hung around "forever" and need to be worked on. We met at an Alpaca Ranch - the owner has more than 2 dozen alpacas, most of them are rescues. She also has a shop there, selling alpaca fleece and yarns. The alpacas had just been shorn, so they looked crazy skinny, and were enjoying the beautiful mid-70s sunny weather. She turned on a sprinkler and they played in it like little children. It made me want to run through a sprinkler too!

Anyway, it was a beautiful June afternoon in the Pacific Northwest - sunny, warm, a little breeze. I made a cold chicken salad to share with everyone. It is my World Famous Chicken Salad - so easy, so versatile, and so yummy! I always get requests to bring it for parties and potlucks. Here's the recipe:

Cindy's World Famous Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 or 2 chicken breasts
2/3 cup chicken broth
7 ounce box Creamette macaroni salad rings *
2 stalks celery
1 cup mayonnaise **
2/3 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing **
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 - 3 hard boiled eggs

*   I import my pasta rings from Minnesota; if you can't find them, substitute any
     tiny macaroni, such as tiny shells, bow ties, etc.
** I like this combination of mayonnaise and salad dressing; if you prefer, you can use all 
     mayonnaise, all salad dressing, or mix it in whatever proportions you prefer

Optional:
Chopped seedless grapes
Chopped apples
Chopped pecans or walnuts
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 -3 radishes, sliced thinly
1 green, red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

Instructions:

1. Poach the chicken breasts in chicken broth
2. Remove chicken skin and bones, if any and discard; shred chicken and refrigerate to cool
3. Prepare the macaroni according to directions; drain and rinse under cold water; place in large bowl and refrigerate to cool
4. Dice the celery and combine in large bowl with shredded chicken and macaroni rings
5. Fold in mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, and white pepper
6. Fold in chopped hard boiled eggs
7. Fold in any of the optional ingredients, if desired

This salad is especially good served with cantaloupe, watermelon, or red ripe tomatoes