Tea Room Recipe #12 - Glass Slipper Tea Cottage (Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.)

After visiting the Glass Slipper Tea Cottage in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. last week, I knew I wanted to make something from the tea room's cookbook for this week's Tea Room Recipe. And since Spring has just arrived, a light pasta and chicken salad seemed perfect! (Or at least it did for a brief few days before we had *snow* in the forecast!)

I'm so grateful to "tea friend" Sarah in Mississippi for sending me this cookbook and introducing me to this tea room. If you ever get there yourself, you will want to get the cookbook, I promise! Many of the recipes I enjoyed at tea are included, and I'm eager to try so many of these and the other offerings.

The first recipe I tried was this fruit-and-veggie packed pasta and chicken salad. It was easy to prepare, and the flavors melded together beautifully. Although I had a large portion of this for supper one night, it would be a great dish to serve at a luncheon, or at tea when served in a pretty little bowl or teacup. However you serve it, I can promise you it's perfectly delicious!

Cashew-Curry-Chicken Salad

12 ounces (4-1/2 cups) uncooked rotini
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups halved red seedless grapes
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 oranges, peeled and chopped
1 cup cashew halves

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook rotini according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl (and I had to use the largest bowl I own!), combine cooked rotini and remaining salad ingredients.

In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and blend. Add to salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately (as I did!) or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Easily yields 10-12 servings.