Cha Cha Chicken Salad

I unmolded it on my crystal cake pedestal that I received as a gift.

This recipe has been in my stash for a long time!  I have a confession to make.  I am a hoarder...not of "stuff", but of recipes.  I have been saving recipes since I was in high school.  I would, even back then, cut recipes out of the newspaper.  I still do this.  I'll save them from magazines, copy them at the hair salon, etc., etc.  This is one of those recipes!!  I made it the other night because I had some leftover chicken.  Everyone thought it was a dessert when I put it on the table.  Really, it's that pretty!  I loved it and thought it would be perfectly wonderful for a ladies luncheon.  My DH sometimes hates it when I change things up. As for  me, I LOVE trying new things.  If you're like me and want to try a new chicken salad, I hope you try out this Cha Cha version!!

My "new" snack sets I got @ 4 for $5.00!! Fun for serving berries in the cup !
I bought these at a once- a- month Trade Days we have near us.

Recipe is from Southern Living, June 2007

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 (I used plain)
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 (See NOTE); 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.   I used blackberries around the outside and some basil and a red raspberry on top.

NOTE:  I made 3/4 of this recipe and it completely filled my 8" cake pan.  If you make the whole recipe, you may need a 9" pan or even a springform pan.

How about a glass of Apricot Lavender Iced Tea
from my pink depression glass pitcher?

I am sharing this with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Your Cozy Home Party
Tasty Tuesday                                                                    
The Bunny Hop
Let's Dish!
Tablescape Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Link 'n Greet Party
Seasonal Sundays

Saucy Minute Steaks

I had some minute steaks in my freezer, which one of our friend's had given to use.  I believe that they are actually round steaks that have been tenderized.  Here's the recipe that I used for them.

4 minute steaks
1 egg
2 t. water
pepper to taste
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 T. butter or oil
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

Stir together the egg, water and pepper and set aside until later.

Mix together the panko bread crumbs and the cheese and spread out on a plate. Now, dip the minute steak into the egg mixture and then the crumb mixture.

.

 Fry the minute steaks until brown on both sides in a skillet with the butter . After, the steaks are brown add the marinara sauce, cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. 

Serve with pasta.

I am sharing this with:
Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Your Cozy Home Party
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Fixing Nicks in Tile Floors

 Big gouge in floor (BEFORE)

Do any of you have nicks, gouges, etc. in your tile floor??  Working in a  kitchen, especially, things drop, for goodness sakes!!  I was frustrated by this and even went to my local Lowes to ask what to do.  No one seemed to  have an answer besides replacing the tile. Well, I decided to take things into my own hands.  Here's what I came up with....CRAYONS!!  I picked out two that I thought would work and boy, oh boy, they really did the trick!  In fact, the crayon kind of fills in the hole and STAYS there!  I actually had to dig out my worst hole in order to show you and I had fixed it months ago.  In that accident, I dropped a favorite rectangular platter that I won, years ago,  at a Taste of Home cooking show.


                                                                          AFTER

The nick is between the crayons, filled in and barely noticeable!!

Hooray, even if it washes out over time, I'll fill it in again.

I am sharing this with:

                                                                Metamorphosis Monday
                                                                Mix It Up Monday!
                                                                Your Cozy Home Party
                                                                Cowgirl Up!
                                                                Wow Us Wednesday
                                                                Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits