Curry Chicken Pasta Salad

I had this way cool pasta

and needed something to do with it.

I also had some cooked chicken breasts and time.
So scouring the internet I devised
this little concoction:

Most curry dishes have you add chutney or raisins
or some other sweet component,
I didn't have either but I had some apricot preserves.

I also didn't have any curry powder
but was pretty certain Indra had told me years ago
that curry powder was a misnomer,
there is no ONE curry powder.
Every cook has his or her own blend.

To the internet!

And here you have my creation!

The salad is made up of:
slivered almonds
diced celery
peas
pasta
diced chicken.

The dressing is:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour  cream
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

The curry powder:
1 tablespoon turmeric
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons coriander
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 whole clove.

You toss this all in a dry skillet
over medium heat and
toast them for 5-10 minutes and then grind it all.

The most surprising part isn't that this turned out great.
The most surprising part is that I
didn't have curry powder
yet had that preceding list of spices!

S'mores Bars

 Michelle sent this recipe to me and I had every intention

of making them Mother's Day weekend 

but things got away from me. 

They do sometimes. 

A lot of times.

But I did manage to make them for

Memorial Day weekend.

In theory they sound great, basically a

Rice Krispy treat make with Golden Grahams 

and chocolate chips on top.

The originator suggested putting the chips on after

it cools a bit so they don't melt. 

The only problem with that is that 

the chips then fall of as you try to bite into them.

I kind of solved that problem by serving them in 

cupcake liners.

The other problem was that they got rock hard

in 24 hours, so make them 

right before you want to eat them. 

Other than that, they were a good

alternative for a bunch of 

people who were not inclined to 

stand out in the rain and toast 

marshmallows for S'mores.

Southwestern Chopped Salad

I've been waiting to write about this until

I could remember to take a picture. 

I finally did!

This is a great salad for the summer.

It's pretty hearty and so goes well

with a simple 

chicken breast or piece of salmon.

In fact you could probably add in some

chopped chicken and call it a meal.

It's black beans,

bell pepper,

corn, 

cherry tomatoes, 

green onions

and a head of romaine.

The dressing is lots of cilantro, 

so if you don't like cilantro

maybe some store-bought 

southwest-type dressing would work. 

Here's the link for the dressing.
She suggests trying avocado instead
of the greek yogurt.
That sounds really great and I may try it next time.

http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2013/04/creamy-cilantro-lime-dressing.html

Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day.

This and Veterans Day 

always make me think of my dad

and the life he lost because of his service

to his country.

He earned the 

Bronze Star

and the

Purple Heart.

He also earned my mother's heart.

He didn't die in the war but he did

lose his life.

Mom says he came back different.

This was the time between the terms

shell shock

and 

PTSD.

My dad fell between that crack.

I have to believe he tried  

and I know for

certain my mother tried to help him

but he was a broken man.

I am lucky, I am the baby of the family.

I have some fond memories of my dad.

My siblings may not be able to make that statement.

I am thinking and praying for all the 

soldiers who have fought 

to protect the life I have and in 

the process lost theirs.

God bless them and the 

ones who love them.

Pretty Food

Paella 

Just try looking up this word when you

don't even know where to begin.

Viki's mom was in from Florida.

She didn't start out in Florida.

She started out in Spain.

Score!

Lighting Bug

I saw these at the garden center 

last weekend and I thought, 

Hmmm, wonder if I can make one of those...

Turns out I can.

Just another good reason to keep that big box

of dead lightbulbs.

I Like To Put Things On Maddie's Head 5

Nothin' but cheeks.