Strawberry Spinach Salad

I have really been craving this salad (being pregnant and all) I have had several versions of this salad and this one in particular is one my roommate from college use to make!

Ingredients:
1 Package of baby spinach leaves(may mix with other leafy greens)
Chicken breast strips (precooked....I just used some leftover chicken I cooked in the crock pot)
Fresh strawberries or raspberries or both
1 avocado
Feta Cheese
Caramelized Almond or walnuts *recipe follows
1/3 stick of butter or margarine
2 tsp. Sugar
Raspberry/ Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing (Brianna's or Marie Calendar's are really good)
Hardboiled Egg
Wax Paper
* I added cucumber as well

Instructions for caramelizing walnuts or almonds:
In a small saucepan heat 1/3 stick of butter and 2 tsp. sugar on medium heat. Once melted add nuts in the saucepan and stir continually until syrupy (this should only take a few minutes). Then place nuts onto wax paper and allow to cool.

Assemble salad to your liking!
Enjoy!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I had never tasted Sour Cream Enchiladas til I moved to Texas! Now it is the only thing I order when we go to a mexican restaurant! I found this recipe Here
Both my husband and I loved them!
This dish is a good way to introduce a novice to Tex-Mex food, and so delicious that Tex-Mex veterans number it among their favorites. There's more flavor than heat, and the velvety texture of the sour cream sauce is completely seductive.

Filling:
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese


12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup shortening, oil or lard (optional)

Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup (1 4-ounce can) chopped green chiles


2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

The Filling: Sauté the onion in the oil just until softened. Add the shredded chicken, sprinkle with the salt, and toss to combine. Set aside and allow to cool. Add the shredded Monterey Jack Cheese and mix thoroughly.

The Tortillas: Soften the corn tortillas by
Wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and microwaving for 40 seconds,
Wrapping tightly in aluminum foil and heating in the oven for 5 minutes, or
Heating the shortening, oil or lard in a skillet and, using tongs, dipping each tortilla for 15 seconds in the hot oil, letting the excess drip back into the skillet. Drain the softened tortillas on paper towels as they are cooked.
Place an equal amount of the chicken mixture on each of the 12 tortillas, roll them up and place them, seam side down, in the baking dish.

The Sauce: Over medium heat in a saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for a minute or so. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, and cook until mixture thickens and bubbles. Reduce the heat, or remove from the burner, and stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Do not allow sauce to boil, but gently heat through.

Pour the sauce evenly over the tortillas in the dish, and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and pepper, and serve hot. Makes four servings of three enchiladas each.

Note: Of the three methods given for softening the tortillas, the heated oil method is by far the most satisfactory, from the standpoint of both taste and texture. Predictably, it is also more trouble (and more fattening) than the other two options, but you should be aware of the best way to prepare this dish.

Ice Cream Sundae 4 Layer Chocolate cake

Adapted from http://picky-palate.com/

Ice Cream Sundae 4 Layer Chocolate Cake
1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup canola or vegetable oil
1 heaping Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream (or whatever ice cream flavor you choose)
1/4 Cup Hot Fudge Sauce
Chocolate Frosting of Choice
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cake mix, pudding, eggs, water oil, ice cream and hot fudge sauce into stand or electric mixer. Beat on low then medium for about 1 minute 30 seconds or until well combined and thick. Divide evenly into 4 (9 inch) cake pans that have been generously sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes mostly clean from center. Let cool completely, loosen sides with a plastic knife then remove from pans. Place bottom layer onto a cake stand, spread with your favorite chocolate frosting….repeat until 3 layers are frosted leaving 4th layer on top. Frost remaining top and sides of cake with frosting.
2. Take a vegetable peeler and peel chocolate bloc to get curls, about 2 cups worth. Press curls onto sides of cake and serve room temperature or refrigerate to chill.
12 servings

Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from: http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com

3 1/2 cubes real butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. brown sugar packed
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla
6 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bag small chocolate chips (1 lb.)

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Add chocolate chips. Scoop with small ice cream scoop. Bake at 325 for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake!

Cinnamon Rolls

I have been looking for a good cinnamon roll recipe and I LOVE this recipe from my friend nicole!

Cinnamon rolls

Yields about 24 Rolls

Mix and set aside
3 TBS yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar

Mix by hand
1 1/2 c warm milk
3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
2 tsp salt
1 c water
1 c potatoe flakes

Add yeast mixture & mix with hand mixer

Add 3 cups flour

hand mix until satin look

Mix by hand 3-4 (5) c flour, stirring one cup at a time

cover with damp cloth for 1 1/2 hours

roll out on flour (into about 13"x9" rectangle) I had to use about a cup more of flour so the dough wasn't so sticky
I had to divide dough and do it in two sections
Melt 1/2 stick butter for each sec. of dough and spread on dough but leave a 1/2 inch around edges unbuttered

Mix together:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBS Cinnamon
Add mixture on the butter

Roll up from long side and cut 1 in rolls and place in greased pan

rise for 40 min
Bake for 20 min at 350

***CREAM CHEESE ICING*** Double recipe for enough icing for all 24 rolls
4 tablespoons softened butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Combine in a mixing bowl until well blended. Frost cinnamon rolls with icing while rolls are still in the baking pan.

BLTA Sandwhich

1 loaf sourdough bread (bakery)
1lb bacon
1 Small head Green leaf lettuce, rinsed
4 small Tomatoes on the vine, rinsed and sliced
2 small avacados, sliced
3 TBS Moni's light or house tomato vinaigrette
1/2 C. Mayo (I use light)

Directions:
1.Cook bacon according to package
2. In small bowl, comdine mayo and vinaigrette to make aioli.
3. Toast bread
4. Spread toast with aioli mixture
5. Layer sandwhich with lettuce, tomato, bacon, and avocado

Turkey Pita

I got this yummy recipe from my friend Jessica!! It is great as a lunch with the girls!
1-10oz can mandarin oranges
2 cups torn salad greens ( I use green leaf lettuce)
1/4 cup Lowfat buttermilk ranch dressing (I make the little packets of buttermilk dressing you get in the dressing aisle)
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 cup slivered almonds
6oz package of Cooked sliced turkey ( get it from the deli)
Pita Bread

Mix: Drain oranges mix with salad greens and almonds. Mix dressing and tarragon and pour over salad mix. Cut open pita bread placed 2 slices of turkey and fill with salad mixture. EAT! :)

Chicken Bundles

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Pepperridge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix or stove top Herb Stuffing Mix
(use blender to break down bread pieces finer)
1 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans ( I use pieces) (optional)
8 oz tub onion/chive low fat cream cheese
1 T. chopped chives
4 Tablespoons soft low fat margarine
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken breasts (cook in chicken broth for better flavor-save broth)
2 tubes Pillsbury crescent refrigerated dinner rolls 50 % larger- 6 in tube
8 T low-fat margarine melted for dipping before rolling in stuffing mixture/nuts

Sauce:
Combine 1 can of light cream of chicken soup with 3/4 can of chicken broth ( or left over chicken broth from cooking the chicken, Strain) Serve the sauce over the bundles, but don't smother them-just a little across the middle.
Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Makes 12 bundles
1. Combine cream cheese, 4 T. of soft margarine and pepper
2. Stir in cooked & shredded chicken
3. In separate dish, mix herb stuffing and nuts together
4. Melt 8 T. margarine in microwave in a large bowl
5. Open and separate rolls gently
6. Place 2 1/2 T of cream cheese mixture on wide end of the roll wedge
7. Roll up gently beginning at wide end...DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE OPEN ENDS. DO NOT CLOSE THEM!
8. Submerge in melted margarine , then roll completely in herb dressing/nut mixture, and place on sprayed cookie sheet 2" apart
9. Bake in upper portion of oven for 22 min or until the tops are beginning to toast and and the don't feel totally squishy
10. Serve with sauce

Chicken Waldorf Salad

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law! She hosted a luncheon and served this on croissants and it was soooo yummy!
Salad Ingredients:
2 whole chicken breast, cooked and shredded (save some time and use an already cooked rotisserie chicken)
1 lg can crushed pineapple
1 c. celery , chopped
1 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/3 c green onion, chopped (use both white and green parts)
1 red apple, chopped with peel (red delicious)
1 green apple, chopped (granny smith)

Drain pineapple, reserve juice (for sauce). Mix salad ingredients, chopping and adding apples last to prevent browning. In separate bowl mix sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour sauce over salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate. Stir before use. Works wel in pita pocket or on a croissant.

Sauce Ingredients:
1 c. mayo
1/4 c. reserved pineapple juice
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)

Directions:

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

I typically make a Velvetta mac and cheese, but after trying this more custard like recipe, I prefer this one instead! The best part...real cheese and no butter!!
This taste more homemade to me and reminds me of the type of yummy Mac and Cheese that you typically find at potlucks!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (I Used Bowtie noodles)
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

If you would like yours a little creamier add butter or for a little more flavor sprinkle with paprika!


Directions:
Coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat eggs with fresh and evaporated milk.
Mix in Dry Mustard
Mix in uncooked macaroni (or cooked slightly if preferred) and 3 cups shredded cheese.
Transfer to slow cooker, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Season with Salt and pepper as desired
Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Do not stir or remove lid while cooking.