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.
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.
What a delightful lunch you all had! LOL, I never knew chicken salad could look so good! It all looked and sounded yummo. I felt as if I was there with you all. Fun post. And where in the world are you finding these three dollar finds?! Those black iron fixtures are beautiful. The first one you had looked fine, til you put up the new one. What a difference. And finding great clothes for 50 cents is my idea of a good time! Have a great day. 🙂
I remember seeing that Chicken Salad recipe in SL and thinking how good it would be. Thanks for putting yourself out there and trying it for me! I love the black light fixtures, what a big difference!
All that food looks so yummy and being with great friends makes it all that more special!
By the way, I’m so impressed that you know how to change out those light fixtures! I wouldn’t have a clue!
Good Morning Rhoda…..
Always fun to check in and see what you found on your “hunts” !!!
The fixture looks amazing..what a facelift.
Love Tricia’s porch…very homey.
Glad to hear you are getting rain..
Have a great week….
Kathy =)
Tricia has a gorgeous house and the food looked delicious! I met with some ladies from a local club last night for tea and sweets. I will post my recipe for mixed nut bars on my blog, which were my contribution. They were unofficially voted the best sweet there. Though I liked a white chocolate cherry dessert!
I might just have to start getting Southern Living Magazine. I always feel like I am not “allowed” because I am a northerner. My parents are from Missouri, is that southern enough?
Well – although living on a farm is 99% wonderful, having a lot of neighbors is not an option, so I envy you! I have one close friend who lives about a 1/4 mile down the road from me. Her name is Debbie and I adore her.
Your luncheon sounded so fun!!
I just want to know how you manage to stay so trim, sigh. Just looking at that scrumptious meal and I have gained three pounds…(and it’s only three because I got up and got on the ski trainer! 🙂 )
That chicken salad sounds yummy! I’ll have to give it a try.
I canceled my Southern Living this year~ I was tired of the same thing month after month. So thanks for sharing the recipe =D
You amaze me… that you do electrical work!
And thanks for the sharing the recipes! Southern Living has the BEST recipes! Can’t wait to make it!
Wow, what a lovely spread! It all looks so yummy! And Tricia’s house looks beautiful.
The black fixtures look great too…I’m amazed that you do your own electrical work!
Hi Rhoda,
Wow, what nice friends! The recipes sound great. I love to try new ones. What a lovely home too.
You are the queen of finding good things for very little money.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Rosemary
Rhoda, what a nice fun group of friends and neighbors you have. And that chicken salad looks delicious. And plated so pretty. Thanks for including us in the party.
Jenny
Sorry I haven’t told you yet, But I love the cross that I bought from you!! It’s awesome!! Thanks!! I look foreword to seeing some more things to buy!! I love to see all your neat stuff!! You must live in an area that has some good yard sales!! =) Take care!
Sounds like a great lunch and fun fellowship with your friends. I can’t believe the finds you score at yard sales. Especially the clothes. Once again I am impressed that you hang things involving electricity I am a chicken.
Blessings
Your lunch with your friends sounded like such a fun time, and with such yummy food, too! Thanks for sharing the recipes….I will definitely be trying those. Your friend has such a lovely home.
You did good on your sales, too! I wish we could go together!
Andrea
My goodness now I’m hungry. What a delicious and delightful lunch ya’ll had 🙂
What a delish lunch! The ingredients in the chicken salad sound yummy. Your light fixture looks amazing (I’m still amazed that you do the wiring yourself)!
Manuela
Yummy! I’m going to make that chicken salad – and the asparagus and tomatoes – and the dessert! On the dessert recipe, for the filling, how much confectioner’s sugar?
I love the light fixtures. The one you showed really looks nice – shows up so much better than the brass one. Good job!
Hey, Lynne, that line was sort of running together on the chocolate Roulage recipe, so I went back & separated it. It’s 1 cup conf. sugar!
I hope some of you will try that chicken salad. I’m definitely going to make it sometime…just the presentation is great, not to mention the taste!
xo,
Rhoda
What a pleasant lunch. We don’t have any neighbors where I am. I have missed out on that experience. The chicken salad sounds delicious. I will have to try it.