Watergate Salad

Happy Easter Monday!  It's warm enough for tea and treats in the garden today. My lady vase is sporting some pansies from my window box, along with some Dusty Miller.  Being not ready to put my Easter decor away yet, my rattan bunny has joined the table. 

Isn't this tea set with the pansies on it, and the sweet message, perfect for Springtime?  it was sent to me from a dear friend awhile back, and it has another teacup with it.

Yield: 8-10

Author: Kitty, but recipe came from a friend

Watergate Salad

This recipe is more like a dessert, and is quite retro. A bit of information was found on seriouseats.com on how the recipe was named. It seems that Kraft Foods introduced pistachio pudding in the 1970's and promoted a recipe called Pistachio Pineapple Delight. However, a food editor at a Chicago newspaper reprinted therecipe, but named it "Watergate Salad", and the name stuck!

Ingredients

• 1-3 oz. pkg. pistachio instant pudding mix
• 1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple, not drained
• 1-8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Instructions

1. Mix the pudding mix into the pineapple.  Fold in whipped topping, and add the marshmallows and nuts.  Chill.

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Quick and Easy Egg Salad from the Instant Pot

 How're you all doing during our Shelter in Place?  I've been in my kitchen a lot these days.  Would you like to join me for a cup of tea and some egg salad? 

 You can use my pretty Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz teacup, if you'd like.

 My Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are happy that you've stopped by.  I made this bunny couple probably  over 30 years ago, but updated their outfits several years  ago.

 I tried this new way of cooking eggs in the Instant Pot, whereby you crack them into a bowl.

 You place them inside the IP on the trivet, with water below.

 Voila!  Hard cooked eggs without having to peel!

 The eggs slide right out onto a cutting mat.

 You then chop them up and you're ready for egg salad!  I used a pizza cutter for quick chopping.  What do you use in your egg salad?  Mine is pretty basic.  

 

Stay well and stay safe, while we keep the Faith, Hope and Trust!

Yield: I used 5 eggs, but you can use whatever amount

Author: Made in Kitty's Kitchen

Egg Salad from the Instant Pot

Even though making hard cooked eggs in the shell is super easy in the Instant Pot, cracking them first into a bowl makes it even easier!

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs (but use however many you like)
• chopped celery
• finely minced green onion
• salt and pepper
• sometimes I squeeze a slice of lemon for some bright flavor
• Mayonnaise

Instructions:

How to cook Egg Salad from the Instant Pot

1. Spray a glass bowl that is safe to use in the Instant Pot.
2. Crack your eggs into the bowl.  I always crack the eggs into a small bowl, one by one first just in case of getting a bad egg.
3. Put 1 cup of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot, then place your trivet inside , making sure that the handles are up along the sides.
4. Place the bowl with the eggs into the Instant Pot, on top of the trivet.  There's no need to cover the eggs with any plastic wrap.
5. Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure that the steam release handle is in the "sealed" position.
6. Select "pressure cook" and set it for 10 minutes.  After the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 5-7 minutes, and then do a quick release, if needed.
7. Open up the Instant Pot and using mitts, lift the bowl out of the Instant Pot.
8. Slide the eggs onto a cutting mat.  You may need to blot the top of the eggs with a paper towel, and them chop up the hard cooked eggs.
9. I add some chopped celery, minced green onion, mayo and salt and pepper. 

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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

 Won't you join me for some Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad today out by my waterfall?  It's finally sunny here in Texas, after so much rain, and it's nice to enjoy the sunshine.  I love the old fashioned look of peonies that I remember so well from my aunt's garden in Pennsylvania, with the rows of pretty peonies.  I also remember how much the crawling ants liked them, too!  My peonies had to be purchased from Trader Joe's, as I've never seen any grown here in Texas.

 I'm using the trio set that is one of six that my late Great Aunt Kitty painted for me.  The pretty flowers are the same color as my store-bought peonies.  

The inspiration for this dish came from www.Allrecipes.com, but my adapted version uses feta cheese and ranch dressing in place of the blue cheese dressing.   I also used more dressing because I don't like a dry pasta salad.   Here's my version, if you'd like to give it a try.  It makes for a great summer salad.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad -inspired by Allrecipes

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta (I used penne)
1 packet of Ranch Dressing mix, mixed according to the back of the packet
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

2-3 cups of leftover cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced 

about 1/2 cup or more of feta cheese, plus extra for garnishing

parsley, dried or fresh, for garnish

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the pasta, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
2. Stir together the ranch dressing,  buffalo wing sauce, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, bell pepper, red onion,  cooked pasta, and feta cheese,  and toss to coat with the dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving. I sprinkled a little parsley on top for color, and extra feta cheese.

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Shrimp Remoulade

For our tea today on the patio, I'm fixing a salad that was in the Parade magazine, a supplement to the Sunday newspaper. Sunflowers in a mason jar add a bit of late summer cheer to the table.  The sunflower plate always makes me happy!

This fruity teapot looks like the lid is topped with a sunflower and looks pretty with the dishes. 

I know the flowers aren't sunflowers on the teacup, but I like the way they blend with the other dishes.  This is another teacup that my friend Rosie gifted me with, from her Mother's collection, and it's by Royal Minster.  It's very vintage, don't you think?

This salad is a nod to Antoine's, a New Orleans' landmark restaurant.  I made half the recipe, but included the full version.  It was very delicious, cool, and refreshing, and perfect for the heat that's still hanging around Texas.  

Shrimp Remoulade

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Creole mustard (or whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced green onion

2 teaspoons minced celery

1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 1/2 lbs cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp

6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (I used Romaine)

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Combine first 10 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add shrimp, tossing gently to coat.  Divde lettuce among six salad plates.  Top with shrimp.  Garnish with eggs and parsley.  

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Shrimp and Pasta Salad

 Today for tea on the patio, we are having this wonderful shrimp and pasta salad. With our 100 degree days here in Texas, something cool and refreshing is especially needed.  I saw this delicious recipe last summer at Cathy's blog Wives With Knives.

Somehow this Royal Vale takes me away to a cool summer cottage in England.  A girl can certainly dream, can't she?

 

For Cathy's original recipe, check it out here.

I made half of Cathy's Shrimp Louie Dressing to try on the salad this summer.  I loved this version, but both are so good, and if you love shrimp, I encourage you to try this!

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

1 lb. shrimp, cooked and cooled  (for an easy way to cook shrimp, check here)

8 ounces macaroni, cooked according to package directions, drained, and cooled

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons red onions,chopped (I used green onions)

5 hard cooked eggs, sliced (check out here for a great way to cook them)

Mix all the ingredients together, saving 2 of the eggs for garnish.  Mix the dressing ingredients together (below) and add to the bowl.  Stir together and then garnish with the 2 additional eggs.

Dressing  

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons green pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.   Add to the shrimp/pasta salad.  

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Candied Spiced Sliced Almonds

 Today is another beautiful day in Texas and I'm having my favorite salad with a sprinkle of candied spiced almond.

 This cheerful teacup is one that my sister found in a thrift shop in Columbus, Ohio.  It's a cup that was made in Bavaria, Germany, but it's signed by Flossie Umberger, in gold paint.   I'm thinking that Flossie possibly painted the design onto the cup and saucer at a later time?

 Here's a salad that I fix everyday for lunch.  I've shown this salad before, but I vary it with the toppings.  I love the crunchiness that the sliced almonds give.  You can find my favorite Balsamic Salad Dressing recipe here.

I like to make a quantity of these almonds and keep them in a quart jar in my fridge.  These will last me several weeks.  If you like a little crunch in your salad,  I hope you try these these soon.

Candied Spiced Sliced Almond

3 cups sliced almonds

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large nonstick skillet melt the butter and then add the sliced almond.  Sprinkle on the sugar and all seasonings on and stir.  Toast the almonds over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep the almonds from burning.  When the almonds are a golden color and toasted, turn off the heat and let cool.  Stir the almonds to avoid clumping and store in a container in the fridge.  Serve on your favorite salad.

News on my Son:

Some of you know that my son, Mike, who has been here with me for the past two years, went in to have the "trial" spinal cord transmitter implant,  last Friday.  It was about an hour procedure and then an hour in the recovery room and then home.  He is learning how to tweak the remote to change settings for the pain in both of his legs.  Hopefully on Wednesday, he will have the wires removed and then make an appointment with a surgeon to have the actual wireless transmitter implanted.    Thank you for all your well wishes, concern,  and prayers.  They are much appreciated!

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My Favorite Salad

 For my tea time I am having my favorite salad, which I eat almost every, single day for lunch.  Do I ever get tired of it?  I have to admit that, no, I don't! One other thing that I'd like to share is that at Super Target deli, if you buy a 1 and 1/2 lbs. of sliced Archer Farms or Columbus lunchmeat, they give you 1/2 lb. of your choice of cheese for free.  That's a deal!

 This teacup, which is Olde English Countryside by Johnson Brothers, is another favorite of mine and is holding some cranberry tea. Countryside scenes and transferware just warm my heart. Recently I read an article on drinking something warm after eating a meal.  The article stated that drinking something ice cold is actually like putting out the fire in your digestive system.  It makes sense to me!  What do you think?

This salad is just a mixture of fresh spinach, strawberries, sliced almonds, turkey breast and some cheddar cheese.  Normally I add some avocado, but I was out at the time.  Here's the recipe for the dressing:

Balsamic Dressing

1 tsp.  mayonnaise or dijon mustard

1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

1 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

A couple of packets of sweetnener, if desired

Put the mayonnaise or dijon mustard in a bowl.  This acts as an emulsifier.  Slowly whisk in the vinegar and then the oil.  Add your s & p and sweetener, if needed.  Store in the fridge.

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Spinach Salad with Watermelon and Feta

 Kathleen is having a "Summer Whimsy" party at Let's Dish! and Sandi is having a "Savour the Summer" Tea Party at Rose Chintz Cottage and I wanted to use one of my favorite teapots that I recently found in a storage box.   The sweet Joan Walsh Anglund doll that's sitting on a wicker chair, belonged to my daughter when she was a little girl.  My "summer" blocks were a gift from my sister and actually have a watermelon paint design and a tiny watermelon on top.  

 I had to add my favorite lady vase to the setting.  She always stays on my kitchen sink area all year long.  My Mikasa Berry Delight dishes blend with my teapot.

What could be more perfect for my summer theme than a watermelon and feta salad? 

My youngest daughter-in law made a version of this fabulous salad, but she used arugula. I had some spinach at home and decided to use that instead. It's a refreshing  salad for summer and has the coolness and sweetness from the watermelon and a slight bite from the feta. I love this combination and I think you will, too. I hope you try it at your next outing.  You could also add some blueberries and have a red, white and blue salad.  

For the Salad

Spinach or arugula

Watermelon, seeded and cubed

Red onion, sliced

Feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all the salad ingredients in whatever portion you like. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing and toss. Enjoy!

Balsamic dressing

1/2 cup oil (olive oil or canola)

1/4 c. Balsamic vinegar (I used white balsamic this time)

1 T. sugar (I used 2 packets of Splenda)

1/4 t. salt

freshly ground pepper

Combine oil and remaining ingredients in a jar.  Covers tightly & shake.  Pour over enough to coat your salad; save the rest for another time.

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Egg Salad

 

For today's tea on my coffee table,  I've made some egg salad and I'm having Blueberry Herbal tea, which is delicious!   I'd love to share some with you.

 My Mom gave me this beautiful Bavaria china teacup, which I believe belonged to my late Great Aunt Kitty.  The cup is signed "A. Marshall" on the side, behind the handle,  and I'm wondering if my Aunt's china painting teacher painted this design on a plain Bavaria tea cup??  It's a mystery to me!  The bottom of the cup reads, PT Bavaria Tirschenreuth Germany. 

 My Mom also gave me this unmarked plate, which looks like white violets painted on.

This egg salad recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated. I cut some homemade bread into pretty shapes and toasted them.  The bread recipe comes from a starter that someone gave me about 11 years ago.  The starter is supposedly from the Civil War and I have been making it faithfully since I received it.  I add oats and ground flax seed for an additional nutritional boast when I make it.

6 eggs, large
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red onions, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon table salt
ground black pepper

Directions:

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Remove pan from high heat. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.(This cooks the eggs perfectly without the ugly green ring around the edges.)

Fill a medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray of ice cubes.

Transfer eggs to ice water bath with slotted spoon and let sit 5 minutes. (I like to roll the eggs first to crack the shells).

Peel eggs and dice medium.  (I use a pastry blender to quickly chop the eggs.)

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl, including pepper to taste. Serve or refrigerate overnight.

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Lemony Grilled Chicken and Quinoa Salad

 

Ohhh my, when my  ingredients arrived from Michael Lee West of Rattlebridge Farm and her son, Tyler, aka Bandwidth, I was so excited!!!  They both co-host Foodie Friday and it was the very first linky party that I ever attended.  Michael Lee is a novelist, baker, and a blogger, and is currently renovating her home at Rattlebridge Farm. 
  I'm participating in Foodie Friday and The Mystery Ingredient Club.   Those who chose to participate,  received Farmhouse Lemons, Preserved Meyer Lemon in Olive Oil and a gift of Citron Lemon Cyprus Flake Sea Salt, as well as some other salts.

Thank you, Michael Lee and Bandy!!
 

 

 

Hmmmmm....I put on my thinking cap and quickly channeled my inner Ina Garten!  I  thought that grilled chicken, using this wonderful Preserved Meyer Lemon in Olive Oil would be fabulous!

 

 

I used bone-in chicken breasts with the skin on.  Next I loosened the skin and spread some of the Preserved Meyer Lemon in Olive Oil under the skin and added a sprig of fresh Rosemary.  I then put some more of the Preserved Meyer Lemon on top of the skin and sprinkled with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  I grilled the chicken, searing on both sides and then placing the breasts, skin side up,  on the back of the grill, where the burner was turned off and leaving the front two burners on.  The chicken took about 40-45 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

I have to tell you that these breasts turned out so juicy and with just the right touch of lemon!!

 

 

 

My next dish is a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, which complimented the chicken so well.  Here's the recipe, which was inspired by www.kitchenscoop.com and changed by Kitty's Kozy Kitchen:

 

 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad:

 

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup diced cucumber

1 cup fresh tomato, chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped flatleaf parsley

1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4-1/3 cup Preserved Meyer Lemon in Olive Oil

3/4 t. salt

3/4 t. ground pepper

 

Bring the broth to a boil; add the quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low and steam for 15- 20 minutes. 

 

While  the quinoa is cooking, add cucumber, tomato (and fresh juices), parsley, olives, onion and cheese to a medium bowl.  Set aside. 

 

Turn the quinoa onto a large plate and fluff with a fork and spread out for maximum exposure.  Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to cool.  When cool, combine with the vegetables.  Add the Preserved Meyer Lemon in Olive Oil, along with the salt and pepper, and toss.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

 

May be served chilled or at room temperature.   I served the quinoa salad in some red cabbage leaves for a pretty presentation.  The meal was a success!

 

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