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.
Sounds like you had a wonderful lunch, and the food looks divine! Catching up with the girls is always a treat!
Kate
Everything looks so wonderful, thank you for sharing your day and the recipes. Love the black iron fixtures!
I love the idea of an “empty nest group” :-} It sounds (and looks) like you have a great time together. Thanks for the recipes! They look delicious.
Great weekend yard sale finds!!
Wow!!! That looks like a wonderful lunch! I especially am envious of the asparagus and tomatoes!! YUMMY!!! (And the roulage…yummy again!)
Wow, Rhoda, your lunch looks great! I’m definitely going to try the chicken salad and asparagus recipes. It’s so great you have found some good friends in your neighborhood. That’s a rare treasure indeed!
Love your yard sale finds, and the black outdoor light looks so much better than what you had before.
Hi Rhoda, the recipes sound delish and I love your friends screened porch.
Your “new” outdoor fixtures are pretty close to the ones we have. Only a subtle difference. Great buys and great looking!
I’m going to make note of the recipes.
We had a great extended weekend.
Pat
That looks like a yummy lunch!
You crack me up Ms. Electrican! You are really going right through all those ugly old fixtures. You must have been paying attention all those years. The new ones outside look great!
Donna
Rhoda
Wow…everything sounds and looked wonderful, especially the chicken salad. What a beautiful presentation. I must try this. Thanks for the recipe. Love the new light fixtures.
Hugs!
Kat
That Lunch looks Amazing. I am trying the Chicken Salad this week. Thank you Ladies for sharing. How Lucky you all get to get together. jamie
Rhoda…I’ll definitely try all the recipes!!!..but..I really love the idea of getting together with your group of ‘lady’ friends!!!…especially on a monthly basis…neat idea…love all your ‘finds’, too!!!..thanks for sharing…Lacy
I stopped just at the Chocolate Roullage…the saliva jambed the keyboard. That is some lovely living you are doing and I SO miss America, right now…Thanks for doing a wonderful blog and for the recipes!
Girlfriend lunches are the best. Enjoying each other’s cooking just takes it up another notch. I’d love to try the chicken salad recipe–very different. It was presented in such a pretty way. I need to remember that, too. Thank you for sharing, Rhoda.
The new fixtures looks great!
howdy rhoda! cross out the obe! and come and get back in touch! busy but here just trying to hide away a bit:)I’m slowly making my rounds to all of my pals blogs. I have slowly made some’ real live gal pals since moving, it has not been the easiest thing to do here..but it is getting better. great to catch up with you!
Oh my Rhoda!!!!!Thank you so much for those perfect SL recipes. Your pictures are simply beautiful!!!Thank You!!!!
Hugs,
Carol
Take a look at my 100th post on my blog for a little giveaway!!!
http://raisedincotton.typepad.com/
What a wonderful luncheon!
Thank you so much for including these delicious recipes!
I have a luncheon soon and these might just be the additions I am looking for!
Your new fixtures look so nice. I am looking for new front porch and black porch fixtures too and I so admire you doing it all yourself! You go girl!
Hugs,
Sue
I want to come (pouting, of course). Everything looks too good to eat.
Aren’t you sweet to share your wonderful lunch and time with us! Everything looks SO scrumptious! Girlfriend luncheons are THE sweetest! And I enjoyed seeing your latest finds – great scores again Miss Rhoda!!
xo,
Kim
Yum, yum and yum again!! What a sweet day 🙂 I might try this chicken salad. Love the SL serving dishes.
Rhoda!
I tried the Cha Cha chicken salad and it was YUMMY! The flavor is amazing. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. I have tucked away in my recipe book. Happy Cooking! Nicole