A Southern Living Lunch with the girls....

Do you have some fun girlfriends that you really enjoy getting together with? I've managed to meet some really nice ladies since I've moved here who all live in the same neighborhood (Tricia, Maureen, Renee & Sandy) & they've allowed me to be part of their "empty nest" group (so dubbed by us!) & we try to get together for lunches & outings about once a month or so (that is when someone is not traveling). We went to the Street of Dreams last month. Last week, 3 of us met at Tricia's house for lunch. She told us she had a great Southern Living chicken salad recipe she wanted to try & so why didn't we all meet for lunch at her house. She definitely did not have to twist our arms! We were there with bells on. We all brought something & it was the most delicious lunch ever! The chicken salad was presented so prettily on a pedestal plate & was it ever so wonderful. We all raved about it & Tricia sent the recipe to us. She said it was from the June SL magazine & she has tried several recipes from that issue that were great. So, I'll share some of them with you in case you're looking for some new ones to try this summer. Here's the chicken salad, beautifully displayed. We ooohed & ahhhhd over how pretty it was & we didn't want to cut into it...but, we managed.

CHA-CHA CHICKEN SALAD
From June 2007 Southern Living

Ingredients:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
6 cups chopped cooked chicken (1 ½ rotisserie chicken)
8 oz. can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
2/3 cup orange-flavored sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup chopped roasted, salted almonds
Garnishes: fresh herbs, blackberries, raspberries, sliced peaches

Directions:
1. Whisk together cream cheese and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in chicken, pineapple, and cranberries just until blended.

2. If desired, spoon mixture into a plastic wrap-lined 8-inch round cake pan; cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Invert chicken salad onto a cake stand, and remove plastic wrap. Gently press chopped almonds onto sides of chicken salad. Garnish, if desired. TRICIA’S ASPARAGUS VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 T. capers, drained
1 T. minced onion
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ tsp. fresh tarragon or ½ tsp. dried
1 ½ tsp. chopped chives
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 ½ to 2 lbs. asparagus
optional (sliced tomatoes to go with the asparagus)

Directions:
Wash, peel, blanch and diagonally slice asparagus into bite-size pieces. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add asparagus and toss. Refrigerate for several hours. Yield: 8 servings

Tricia’s Variation: ( Two tomatoes and ¾ # asparagus) Prepare half of the marinade recipe. Blanch the trimmed asparagus in whole pieces. Place at one end a shallow rectangle dish. Slice two tomatoes and layer at the other end of the dish. Spoon the marinade evenly over the asparagus and tomatoes. Refrigerate for several hours. Yield: 4 servings
Croissants & sweet muffins finished it off.
Tricia's beautiful screened porch. We didn't eat out here that day, as it was a little muggy. Tricia has an absolutely beautiful home.
Renee brought the yummiest dessert ever, Chocolate Roulage, and she shared the recipe with us too! Every bite of this meal was just delicious. I got off easy & brought the croissants. Renee said that the Roulage is a little tricky, so it might be something you try for a special occasion. It was really, really good!

CHOCOLATE ROULAGE
(by Linda Campbell)

Grease jelly roll pan with margarine or Pam
Line with wax paper
Grease wax paper with margarine or Pam
Make sure to get in corners
Set aside
Spread tea towel on a flat surface & coat lightly with cocoa

Cake:
5 eggs separated/ 1 c 4x powdered sugar/ 3 T cocoa

Beat egg whites until stiff
Set aside
Beat egg yolks until pale
Beat in confectioners sugar & cocoa
Fold in egg whites
Spread mixture in pan
Bake about 16 min at 325
Cake will spring back when lightly touched
Do not overbake
Turn cake onto coated towel
Remove pan & wax paper
Roll up cake in the towel while hot
Set on wire rack to cool

Filling:
1 pt heavy whipping creamc 4x confectioners sugar 1 t vanilla
Whip together & set aside in refrigerator until cake is ready
When cake is cool, unroll & spread with filling
Reroll
Wrap in freezer foil
Freeze until ready to serve
Thaw at least 1 hour before slicing

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Weekend Yardsale finds for those who love the deals!

Black iron floor lamp - $3.00 - Don't know where I'll put it, but for that price was not about to pass it up. I'll probably use it somewhere & then put it on our porch when we eventually screen it.
2 More black iron fixtures to change out more ugly builder's brass outdoor lights....one will go on the back deck & one by the garage. I was so happy to find these at $3.00 each. They just need a little cleaning & up they will go.
In fact, I got busy Sunday & hung them both. Here's a before & after of one of them. Ahhh, isn't that so much better! The other one is on the deck.
Cute Express cotton top - 50 cents, looks brand new.
And, yet another Harolds skirt in my size for 50 cents. Can you believe all the designer clothes out there that people just get tired of?! It fits me perfect.

Hope you all had a great weekend & are ready for a good week! We are getting some much needed showers this last week & are very thankful for that.