Sandy Shares a Popular Recipe From Louisiana

By Sandy Olson

When people think of Louisiana, they immediately envision Cajun or Creole dishes. They are there for sure, and they are wonderful. But sometimes dishes that are not highly spiced or blackened get forgotten. This recipe may be one of those.

Peggy’s Chicken Strata

8 slices day-old white bread

½ cup real mayonnaise, not “M’whip”

Real butter, softened

¾ teaspoon salt; dash of pepper

2 cups cooked diced chicken

½ cup shredded mild cheddar

½ cup diced white onion

1½ cups milk, not skim

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup chopped celery

1 can (10.5 oz.) mushroom soup bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle with ½ of the cheese. mixture on a rimmed plate. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, frost chilled cheese with avocado dip; then frost with a layer of picante sauce; top with shrimp. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with tortilla chips.