Caramel Apple Salad

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 small tub of cool whip
1 3.4 oz.box instant butterscotch pudding
4-6 apples cubed

Mix pineapple and pudding together in bowl. Add apples. Fold in whip cream. Chill.

Asian Noodle Salad

Salad Ingredients:

1 package Linguine Noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled

1/2 head sliced Napa Cabbage, or more to taste

1/2 head sliced Purple Cabbage, or more to taste

1/2 bag Baby Spinach, or more to taste

1 whole Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin

1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced thin

1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, sliced thin

1 bag Bean Sprouts (also called Mung Bean Sprouts)

Cilantro, up to 1 bunch, to taste

3 whole Scallions, sliced

3 whole Cucumber peeled and sliced

1 can (about 10 oz. ) whole Cashews, lightly toasted in skillet

Dressing Ingredients:

1 whole Lime, juiced

8 Tablespoons Olive Oil

8 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons (up to 3 Tablespoons) Sesame Oil

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

2 whole Hot Peppers or Jalapenos, chopped

chopped Cilantro

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro

Servings: 6

Texas Confetti Rice Salad

Taste of Home Recipe

 

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

2 cups uncooked long grain rice

1/2 cup water

4 cups cubed cooked turkey

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

 

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the broth, rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Transfer to a large bowl; cool completely.

Stir in the turkey, tomatoes, corn, green pepper and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, cilantro, chilies, vinegar, lime juice, mustard, cumin, garlic salt and pepper flakes. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Chill until serving. Just before serving, stir in avocado.

 

Yield: 12 servings (1-1/3 cups each).

Mandarin Pasta Salad

Romaine Lettuce

1 can mandarin oranges

1 cup cucumbers – chopped

2 cups cooked bowtie pasta

1/2 cup sugared almonds*

combine ingredients and top with almonds

goes well with any dressing

 

*Sugared Almonds

1 cup chopped almonds

1/8 – 1/4 cup sugar

cook and stir on medium-low until sugar melts and gets sticky, almonds will lightly brown.  Watch closely as the nuts will burn fast

Salad - blue cheese, pear and walnut

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce, shredded

Walnuts coarsely chopped

Canned pears, coarsely chopped

Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Blue cheese dressing

Carrots shreds deep fried

Frying carrot shreds - Add a small amount of carrot shreds to hot oil. The oil will bubble up and overflow the pan if too many are added at one time. Once the oil starts to reduce, you can add more handfuls. Carrots will reduce by two-thirds while frying. Cook till they are a medium brown so they are crispy when they cool. Drain on paper towel.

Layer salad as follows:

* lettuce

* pear pieces

* walnut pieces

* blue cheese crumbles (optional)

* blue cheese dressing

* crispy fried carrot shreds on the very top

Breakfast Pizza

This delicious recipe was inspired by this one from Our Best Bites.

French Toast Breakfast Pizzas
6 Whole Wheat English Muffins
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp. salt
10 dash's of Tabasco Sauce (optional, I have not tried it this way but have heard it adds a nice kick.)
12 thin slices of ham (sliced bite size) 10-12 slices of bacon crumbled
3/4-1 cup Cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, Swiss, or whatever you want depending on the flavor profile your looking for.
assorted chopped veggies such as mushrooms, green onions, peppers, tomatoes, olives etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray to keep the egg from sticking.  (The recipe from our best bites recommends spraying aluminum foil.  This does not work nearly as well as the parchment paper so I recommend sticking with parchment.)  In a pie plate whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and Tabasco sauce.  Soak each half of the English muffin in the egg mixture.  The muffin should hold some egg but not fall apart.  Place the English muffin cut side up on the baking sheet.   Sprinkle a small amount of cheese over each muffin then place the ham, bacon, or other choice of meat on each muffin.  Place your assorted vegetables on the meat and then top with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes and serve immediately. 

These can also be individually frozen for a quick breakfast.  Be sure to let them cool completely before putting them in the freezer.  When it comes time to thaw you can microwave for about 90 sec (depending on the power of your microwave).  If you have some extra time you can thaw them for about 45 seconds and then pop them in a 400 degree oven for about  5 minutes.  They will come out crisp and delicious.

Yummy pancake syrup

*Make in large pan because it foams up
5 cubes of butter
5 cups of sugar
2 1/2 cup buttermilk
 
Melt, take off heat before boiling. Then add:
 
5 teaspoons of vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda.
 
Stir until it stops foaming

baked oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal - Our Best Bites
3 cups regular oats (not quick-cooking)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoons salt
2  teaspoons  cinnamon
2  teaspoons  baking powder
3/4 cup craisins, raisins, dried cherries, or other dried fruit
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted or applesauce (I used applesauce and it tasted great)
2  teaspoons  vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and craisins.  In a smaller bowl, mix together the milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs.  Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine.  Pour into a deep 9" pie plate or an 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes (mine took 30) or until the top is golden brown.  Serve immediately with a splash of warmed milk.  Serves 8.

Hot Eggs

½ cup butter                                      

1-8oz can chopped green chilies

10 eggs                                              

1 pint small curd cottage cheese

½ cup flour                                        

1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese – grated

1 teaspoon baking powder            

dash salt

Melt butter in 13x9x2 pan.   Beat eggs.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and blend well.  Add melted butter, chilies, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese.  Mix well.

Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 400° for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350° and bake 35-40 minutes longer.

This entire pan of eggs can be frozen for future meals or make individual servings and freeze to enjoy for a quick meal.  Best if thawed first and then reheated in the oven or microwave.

Sausage Biscuits

1/4 cup milk

2 cups Bisquick

1 egg

16 oz. ground sausage (uncooked)
12 oz. grated cheddar cheese

Combine the milk, Bisquick, and egg.  Add the raw sausage and grated cheese.  Mix well.
Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20 min.
Makes about 2 dozen.

This works wonderfully to freeze and reheat when you need something quick.