Courses 1 and 2

I full well intended to post a recipe for some yummy chicken salad (thanks to my sister) but then got busy. Last night I tried a new recipe for a pumpkin spice cake. Yum! Thus the unusual menu of curried chicken salad and pumpkin spice cake for dessert! :)

Curried Chicken Salad

• 4 c. cooked, diced chicken
• 1 T. soysauce
• 1 tsp. curry powder (I might have used a bit more)
• 1 1/2 c. mayo
• 1 c. grapes
• a 15 oz. can cubed pineapple + 2 T. pineapple juice from can
• 3 oz. chow mein noodles

Mix all together and serve immediately. Or as I learned the hard way--duh-- premix everything but the noodles and add them right before serving, lest they get soggy! :)

Pumpkin Spice Cake

• 1 pkg. (2 layer size) yellow cake mix
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/3 c. oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. pumkin pie spice, divided
• 1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tub (8 oz) cool whip topping, thawed
• 1/4 c. caramel topping
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 c. pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice in large bowl until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake 28-30 min. or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and 1/2 tsp. pp spice; mix well. Stir in whipped topping. Cute each cake layer in half horizontally. Stack layers on serving plate with cream cheese filling between layers. (do not frost top of cake). Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving and sprinkle with nuts. Store in fridge.