Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

¾ cup uncooked quinoa
1-2 cups shredded red cabbage, depending on how much crunch you like
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup diced green onions
½ cup cashew halves or peanuts (honey-roasted is good)
Optional: 1 cup edamame or chickpeas
Fresh lime, for a bit of tang


For the dressing:
¼ cup all natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
3 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if desired
1 tablespoon honey (use agave if vegan)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon olive oil
Water to thin, if necessary


Instructions
1. To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan,
bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover,
reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the
water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to
cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.

2. To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave to a medium microwave safe
bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both
sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner
dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.

3. Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a
little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you
can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of
the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.

4. Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish
with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if
desired.

Layered Picnic Loaves

photo and recipe by Taste of Home

• Prep: 15 min. + chilling
• Yield: 12 Servings

• 2 unsliced loaves (1 pound each) Italian bread
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
• 1/2 pound deli roast beef
• 12 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 ounce each)
• 16 fresh basil leaves
• 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced salami
• 1 jar (6-1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
• 1 package (10 ounces) ready-to-serve salad greens
• 8 ounces thinly sliced deli chicken
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Cut loaves in half horizontally; hollow out tops and bottoms, leaving 1/2-in. shells (discard removed bread or save for another use).
• Combine oil and garlic; brush inside bread shells. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Layer bottom of each loaf with a fourth of the roast beef, mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, salami, artichokes, salad greens, chicken and onion. Repeat layers. Season with salt, pepper and remaining Italian seasoning.
• Drizzle with remaining oil mixture if desired. Replace bread tops; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before slicing. Yield: 2 loaves (12 servings each).

Popsicles

Popsicles

Bobbie Crawford               Makes 3 doz. 

1 pkg jello, or any flavor you like

1 pkg Kool Aid, any flavor you like

1 Cup sugar

2 Cups boiling water

2 Cups cold water

Mix first four ingredients until dissolved.

Add cold water.

Pour into pour into popsicle holders.

Freeze.

Tucanos Brazilian Lemonade

By misaistheboofy       Servings: 12


2 cups sugar
4 cups limes, quartered (including the peel)
6 cups water
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Place sugar, limes, sweetened condensed milk, and 2 cups of water in a blender. Pulse for 3 seconds, then pass through a strainer and add remaining 4 cups of water. Enjoy!

Coconut Macaroons

Recipe courtesy Ina Garten

Ingredients
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

original recipe

Salted Caramel Budino

In clear cups -layer chocolate crumbs, pudding, salted caramel, whipping cream and sprinkle with remaining chocolate crumbs.

Chocolate crust and topping

1 cup finely ground chocolate cookie crumbs (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers; about 20 cookies)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

 

Pudding

1 4-serving size box of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding

1 cup cold water

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint whipping cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes. In another bowl, whip 1 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well-combined. 

Prepare sweetened whipped cream with the remaining whipping cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar and place on top of caramel sauce in cup.

 

Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/2-3/4 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. In a large heavy pot, spread sugar in a thin, even layer. Turn burner to medium and heat until parts of the sugar begin to bubble and liquefy.

2. Gently stir, making sure un-melted sugar comes in contact with the greatest heat source. Continue, stirring occasionally   until all the sugar is melted.

3. Meanwhile, heat cream in the microwave or over the stove.

4. When the sugar is completely melted and has turned an amber color, remove from heat. Whisk in 1/2 the warmed cream. The mixture will bubble. Whisk in remaining cream until smooth.

5. Stir in salt and vanilla. If any caramel has hardened, simply place over heat and re-melt until smooth.

6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge indefinitely.

Cream Cheese Churros

1 loaf of white bread with crust cut off
1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick melted butter (1/2 cup)

Cinnamon sugar blend. (Think I used 1 cup sugar 3 Tbsp cinnamon. I basically went off looks).
With the crust cut off roll the bread with a rolling pin till flat. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar (and tiny bit of water) to make a frosting consistency. Spread frosting over entire piece of flat bread (just like you would peanut butter for a sandwich). Roll up and roll in melted butter then cinnamon sugar mix. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans Pillsbury butter crescent rolls
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
Cinnamon & sugar

Unroll and spread 1 can crescent rolls on bottom of ungreased 9 x13 pan. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Unroll and spread remaining rolls over mixture. Spread melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes.

Orange-Nut Muffins

• Yield: 12 muffins
• Prep 15 minutes
• Bake 18 minutes

ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (optional)
• Orange juice

directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture.
2. In medium bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, orange juice concentrate, and melted butter; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in walnuts.
3. Line twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. Fill the cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins are golden. Remove the muffins from the pans.
4. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange peel, and enough orange juice (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm muffins. Makes 12 muffins.

note

• * To make 1/2 cup sour milk, place 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1/2 cup liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using it in a recipe.

South-of-the-Border Quiche

12 Servings   Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min. + standing

Ingredients

• 2 unbaked pastry shells (9 inches)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
• 2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Salsa and sour cream, optional

Directions

• Line unpricked pastry shells with a double thickness of heavy-duty
• foil. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes
• longer.

• Sprinkle chili powder and cumin over shells; sprinkle with cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, chilies, olives, onions,
• cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over cheese.
• Cover and freeze one quiche for up to 3 months. Cover edges of
• remaining quiche loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at
• 400° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center
• comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with
• salsa and sour cream if desired.

• To use frozen quiche: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before
• baking (do not thaw). Cover edges of crust loosely with foil; place
• on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 55-60 minutes or until a
• knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10
• minutes before cutting. Yield: 2 quiches (6 servings each).