Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Chicken a la King Nests for Spring

 
Kathleen's party theme at cuisinekathleen.com/ for the month of April is Birds, Bees, Flowers or Trees.  I decided to set my table amongst the trees, with different flowers on all my hand painted plates and matching teacup and saucers.  Go check out all the pretty settings at Kathleen's
 
 
An oversized bird is perched on my crocheted table covering, with a birdhouse and my handmade bird nest.  The directions for the bird nest were from
 
 
I have six different flowered plates that were hand painted by my Great Aunt.  The sterling flatware was also hers.  All it says on the back is "Lunt". 
 
 
 I made some spoon napkin rings from  $1.00 spoons that I've been collecting at our local monthly Trade Days.  My hubby had flattened them for me when we were going to make spreaders.  I decided instead to bend the spoons to make napkin rings.  I saw some similar ones at Stein Mart, but I was too frugal (cheap!!) to buy them.
 
 
 
Sandi, at Rose Chintz Cottage always shares some wonderful recipes.  When she made her Chicken a la King recipe at her HOME party, I knew that I wanted to make it. The puffed pastry shells remind me of little nests and I thought would be perfect for my outdoor Spring theme.   Isn't it nice how bloggers inspire each other?  For Sandi's version, and to pay her a special visit, click here. 


Here's my version of Chicken a la King, which is very similar to Sandi's:

Pepperidge Farm  Puff Pastry Shells, baked according to package directions. You can make these a day ahead, cool and then put in a food storage bag. Re-heat the shells for a few minutes in the oven, before serving.

Basic White Sauce:

2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 cups milk (or chicken broth, or 1 cup milk and 1 cup broth, which I like to warm for a minute in the microwave)
1 t. salt
pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the flour and cook for1 minute (this gets rid of the raw flour taste).  Slowly add the milk, or broth, or the combo.  Cook on medium-low heat until it thickens.

Add to  the White Sauce:

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken is great for this)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, cleaned and taken off the stems
1/2 cup frozen peas (I omitted because I was serving fresh green beans)

Add the ingredients and heat through.  Serve in the Puff Pastry Shells. 



I have an Old Bird Inn, where the rooms are "cheep"!
 

We have a Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal that come visit our yard everyday.  Aren't they sweet? 

 
Of course the birds and I love sitting by our little waterfall.  It's a little piece of heaven!
 
 I'll leave you with a little Haiku that I wrote:
 

Spring is in the air

Birds, bees, flowers and the trees

Wake up our senses!

I am sharing this with:
 


Thank you for your visit!  It is truly appreciated.  xo
 


37 comments:

  1. I love everything about this spring look! It certainly says "Spring is in the Air" :) ~Angela @hickorytrailblog.blogspot.com

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  2. Your pictures are so pretty and your dishes are just lovely! The food looks extremely tasty too :)

    Hugs to you,
    Stephanie

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  3. Loveliness, Kitty!

    Oh how divine to ever eat outdoors - love your woodsy outdoor theme, and yum-oh to Chicken a la King birdsnests, I LOVE that dish - one of my mom's favorites. Maybe I will make that tonight, I have all the ingredients. It's cold and grey and raining up a storm here today, it is a great comfort food!

    Big hugs.

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  4. Your table is beautiful Kitty..there is nothing better about spring than eating outside....and those little chicken a large king nests are perfect...
    Love, Mona

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  5. Beautiful! Pinning the puffed pastry! I want to make that. Looks delicious! I also have to find your hash-brown quiche! YUM!
    Karen

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  6. Spring has sprung by you, Kitty, gorgeous. Those plates are so gorgeous and a family heirloom. I think Lunt is a very good name in silver. And the recipe is delicious. xo

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  7. The table setting looks so beautiful. The food looks very delicious.
    Oh, red cardinals, I'm soooo jealous!! We don't have them in The Netherlands and I think they are such pretty birds. The waterful is gorgeous. I could sit there for hours !!
    Have a great day.

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  8. Hi Kitty,
    How lovely to eat outdoors! Your bird's nest is so cute and I LOVE Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal. I wish we had them here. Your Chicken a la King looks delicious and yes, very similar to my own recipe. I'm glad I inspired you, a wonderful cook in your own right. It is you who usually inspires me! Thank you for sharing at my HOME today and enjoy the rest of your week, my friend.

    Blessings & hugs,
    Sandi

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  9. I love your pretty flower plates Kitty and the napkin rings are too fun! How neat to get a pic of both male and female cardinal together, I don't see that often here-enjoy:@)

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  10. Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe!! It takes me back to my grandmother. We would go out to her ladies luncheon group on Wednesday and I would always have these sweet puff pastry cups with a chicken/mushroom ragout in them. They were divine. Oh the memories you have brought back!!! I hope you an hear your lovely waterfall from your table. So pretty in your backyard. Love the crochet tablecloth. It's so perfect with the handpainted dishes. Lucky you! Lundt sterling and it's sooo gorgeous. Your table makes me want to pop over! Inviting and charming and so pretty. xo marlis

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  11. Your table is adorable Kitty, I love your birdhouse and the big fat bird! I bet he has trouble squeezing into those little holes after dining on the chicken a la king! Such fun!
    Jenna

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  12. Kitty, I love the flowered plates that your Great Aunt painted! What a treasure! I haven't had Chicken a la King since I was a child, and I bet my mom would enjoy it if I made it. Thank you for this recipe!! I would love to sit with you near your lovely waterfall. Love the crochet tablecloth, and a reminder that I should use one on my outdoor table. xo

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  13. What a pretty setting for your beautiful table!! I love the birds nest. Your backyard looks like a very peaceful retreat!

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  14. Everything is so pretty and the meal looks so good! I need to make it for a Tea one day! Love your yard with the cardinals and pond! Beautiful!
    Hugs...Nancy

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  15. You have a beautiful garden setting for this Spring table. The hand painted china is a true family treasure as well as the silverware. I love how you created the bird nest and placed the bird house in the center of the table. Your fountain is very pretty. I really enjoy all your postings!

    Pam

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  16. Do your cardinals dive bomb your windows? I have a Mr. & Mrs. who routinely dive bomb my office window, a window in the library, a single kitchen window, and the glass storm door. I don't know what this is all about! It's like they're on crack! They just keep butting, and butting, and butting away at it! They're cool to look at, but they are wreaking havoc on our windows!!! We just got new windows put in today, and I don't want them ruining them with their icky beak juice!!! I'm going to capture them and send them to visit their relatives living in the tree in your yard! :-)

    You set a BEAUTIFUL table, Miss Kitty!!! You took it outside where birds, bees and all things natural hail from, and it looks fantastic! Your bird nest turned out great!!!

    I have never made chicken a la king with puff pastry. Hmmmm...I have some puff pastry in the freezer and just thawed some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I think I know what's for dinner tomorrow! :-)

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  17. Kitty, I keep seeing your name here and there and thank you for visiting my blog. I love your blog! The graphics are just too cute and charming. Love your table setting and the recipe looks yummy. Sandi is such a sweetie.
    Linda

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  18. Kitty, this s great! I love hand painted china and your aunt's pieces are lovely. That recipe sounds yummy and elegant. Cannot wait to try it!

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  19. Your beautiful al fresco makes me yearn for warmer days...soon...soon The hand painted plates are charming. I know that yur aunt is emailing. Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay

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  20. What a lovely setting with the waterfall, Cardinals, etc. The handpainted china is gorgeous! I've always liked that and once thought about doing it, but never did (regret it now!) Great idea with the bent silverware for napkin rings, thanks for sharing that idea! The Chicken a la King looks delicious!

    Katherine

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  21. What a cozy spot in a beautiful garden!
    Lovely clicks!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  22. Kitty, I bet your Old Bird Inn has no vacancies! What a cute house and wonderful setting near your water feature! Love your table with your aunt's painted plates! I haven't had Chicken a la King in ages, it looks delicious in the puff pastry shells!

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  23. Very petty! Your tablescape in the yard with all the birds looks wonderful and delicious too! I was a manager at SM and know exactly how frugal and smart you were to make your own napkin rings. I love yours, and each one is unique which makes them even better imop. Have a great day!

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  24. Your hand painted plates are a treasure! Love your napkin rings too, as well as your waterfall and azalea. A pretty place to enjoy lunch and a cup of tea.

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  25. Love your birdhouse! I have quite a collection and yours would fit right in. The plates are wonderful. As you might have guessed from some of my posts I'm crazy about using pieces with different designs.

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  26. Wow! You've displayed so much talent in this post, Kitty. Your tablescape is beautiful. Those hand painted plates are so pretty, and even more special because your aunt painted them. You made such pretty spoon napkin rings. The Chicken a la King looks wonderful, and I'm saving that recipe. And to finish it all off, you've written a lovely Haiku. What talents! laurie

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  27. Kitty, your aunt was very talented, those plates are beautiful. Great idea making napkin rings out of old silverware.
    Your yard looks so peaceful.

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  28. Hi Kitty,
    I love your outdoor setting it looks so inviting. Your recipe is fabulous and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great weekend and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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  29. Hello, my name is Silvia and I am knowing the blogs with common interests and I can try to write English because I am Brazilian, (my English is not good but I try)
    I love kitchen is the heart of my house and give food for my family is my passion. I'll make some recietas their step and then to tell you?
    I love my family, lavenders, birds and cooking, that's me.
    A big hug
    Silvia

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  30. Came back to check on a comment I had made earlier. I am having trouble with the computer eating my comments again. (It's always somethin'...!) I really love this table and want to make some of those napkin rings in a big way. I'm so drawn to the baskets and bins of flatware at antique and thrift malls.

    I love this table! Those blue plates are my (second) favorite part of it. They just say "spring" to me.

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  31. This is so beautiful, Kitty. I love everything about it. I love the natural surrounding too. Your centerpiece looks fabulous....Christine

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  32. I love your outdoor tablescape. Your napkin rings and chargers are my favorite.

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  33. So pretty, Kitty. Your nests for the entrée are perfect for a spring supper. Love the pond and waterfall!

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  34. What a beautiful post! Love all your settings..and spoon napkin holders too! That recipe looks OO LA LA yummy! Thanks so much for sharing at Weekend Potluck!

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  35. Kitty, love your sweet spring tablescape. I pinned Sandi's Chicken ala King but haven't made it yet. Love how you thought of them as nests. Thanks for giving us a little peek of your lovely garden. Love seeing you at SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  36. What a lovely setting for a delicious brunch! It looks so peaceful!
    Thanks so much fot taking the challenge at Let's Dish!

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