Cucumber Tomato Salad

It is hot. And humid. And I don't want anything heavy to eat. So I had bought some cucumbers and tomatoes at the farmers market and wanted to do something with them. I decided to make a salad with them and found a pretty basic recipe (basically I needed proportions) for this salad. The one I saw had cumin in it, but I didn't want the spicy flavor. This is a cool side dish when you don't want a real salad or something heavy.

1 cucumber chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
1 small white onion chopped (or just half of one - depending how much you like onion)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T white vinegar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t parsley (I didn't have fresh, I used dried and it was fine)
1 t cilantro (can be omitted)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything well and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. You can also serve with fresh mozzarella.

Strawberry and Candied Nut Salad

This salad is so good it almost could be qualified as a dessert. It is like the Supercrack of salad, except it doesn't cause hookers to explode. This salad is comprised of a few steps but worth it. You will need for the salad itself two types of lettuce. I like to use romaine and iceberg mix. Then there is the Colby/Jack shredded cheese, sliced strawberries, candied nuts and dressing.

Poppy Seed Dressing
2 C sugar
1 1/4 C vinegar
2t dried mustard
1t salt
3T poppy seeds
1/4 C dried onion flakes
1/4 C orange juice
3 C canola oil

Put everything in blender except oil. Blend well, then add oil and blend again. This makes a lot so you can half the recipe and still have plenty. Keeps for a few weeks.

Candied Nuts
1 egg white
1 T water
2 C chopped nuts (I use a combo of sliced almonds and crushed pecans)
3/4 C sugar

Grease a large baking dish ( 9 X 13 is fine ) and preheat oven to 325. Beat egg white and water until frothy (I used a hand mixer for this) Add nuts and coat well. Sprinkle 1/2 C of sugar over nuts. Stir and spread out in the pan. Sprinkle on the additional 1/4 C of sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake and additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir again and let cool. These are very good on their own. Good to make for holidays, you can add some cinnamon and use pecan halves or whole almonds.

OK! Salad itself needs:

2 heads of lettuce chopped (Romaine and Iceberg) or other mixed greens.
1 C of shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar Jack cheese
2 C or so sliced strawberries
1 C Candied nuts
Poppy Seed Dressing

Some folks have dietary issues so I like to put all the ingredients in little bowls next to the lettuce so folks can pick and choose what to put on. Basically you just put a some of each item on the salad. That or if there is a space issue (like a family pot luck) I just put everything on but the dressing and toss. This is one of the few salads people will go back for seconds. I have also added Mandarin oranges and other fruits before. It is all wonderful! Enjoy!

White Castle Dip

This is wonderful and disturbing at the same time. Kristi has brought this before. Tastes just like White Castle hamburgers. Great crock pot dip, you can serve with chips or on buns.

2 pounds ground beef
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brown beef and drain. Put everything in a crock pot.
Stir well, cover and cook on low for about 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Party Pizzas!

Ok- they are silly but I tell you what, you bring out a tray of these at a party it is like a pack of lions taking down a kill. I like them because you can make them ahead of time and freeze them. They may not be mini quiches but they are damn tasty in all of their cheese food product glory.

1 lb pork sausage
2 T ketchup
½ t oregano
1 lb Velveeta (if you cut it into smaller pieces it will melt faster)
2 t garlic
2 loaves party rye bread

Fry sausage and drain, add all ingredients except Velvetta and mix well. Add Velvetta and cook until it is totally melted an mixed with other ingredients. Using a teaspoon spread on bread. Keep and eye on the Velveeta, you don't want it getting too hot on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes in 375 degree oven. If frozen, bake for 15 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

I know, this is one of the basic cookie recipes, but sometimes you just find the one that works well for you. These are some of my favorite cookies.

1 C butter
1 ½ C sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt
cinnamon sugar to roll cookies in

Mix all ingredients except cinnamon sugar. When mixed, roll dough into little balls and then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 9 minutes or so at 380-400 degrees.

Honey Lime Salad Dressing

Want something other than ranch? Try this. Very different tangy flavor. All you need is a blender!

1/2 C honey
1t dry mustard
1t salt
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/4 C lime juice
1/4 C diced onion (I use the dried stuff from Penzey's)
1 C canola oil

Add all ingredients except oil, blend well. Add oil and blend. Done!

I love blueberry muffins!

I do. I forget how much I love them sometimes. This is a basic sweet muffin recipe that you can add whatever you want to it. I have been making this since I was little with my mom since it was something I could make from scratch with her that didn't have to be too precise...and didn't care that I added the blueberry juice to the batter because I thought since they are blueberry muffins they should be blue. (I still do that sometimes!) Nothing hard about this recipe, though I haven't tested it on Stephen yet. I'll make a cook out of that boy yet!

Yield 12 muffins
1 egg
1/2 C milk
1/4 C oil
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 can of blueberries (or whatever you like) drained

Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients except berries. Add berries with a spoon and fold them into the batter so you don't crush them. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake 20 min or until light golden brown. Yum!

BBQ

As many people know Bryan and I love to get out of town, and one wonderful side effect is the fact that we have new restaurants to try, or have them recommended by folks that we are visiting. Here are two Bar-B-Que restaurants, one we have been going to for years, recommended by Mark and Brenda, and the other we found on accident on our way back from Gulf Shores.

The first is Oklahoma Joe's. It is in Kansas City and it is one of those places when people ask what is good I say "everything." I can't think of a place that I like better for BBQ. My favorite is the pulled pork and "KC's Best Fries" and Bryan's is the ribs. They even sell by the pound so I can take some home with me. This is the sauce I use when I BBQ. Now here is the part that folks have to get past. It is in a gas station. They have a nice dining area and if you get there after 12 the line is out the door for lunch. It is amazing.



The second is the one we found on accident. We were coming back from our trip, needed to stop and eat and I knew Grenada, Mississippi had hotels so it stood to reason they had restaurants. We were actually looking for something else when this place caught our eye. The giant BBQ on the side of the building and a picture of a pig was a good sign, and the full parking lot at 7:30 on a Thursday was another. The third was the quality of cars in the lot. Most were very expensive with a few cheaper ones thrown in. At one point ours was the cheapest car in the front lot, which considering we have a loaded Mazda 6 was pretty impressive for middle of nowhere Mississippi.

The place is called Jake and Rip's. It is about 20-30 minutes from Tunica/Memphis right off 55. Not only were the prices reasonable bordering on cheap, it was extremely good. We were seated quickly, side salads were loaded with toppings and were quality. Also they were $2.50. Extra sides were $1.50. Bryan and I decided to split one of their platters to try the variety. It all was good. The hickory flavor was a little stronger but very good. Bryan said it was some of the best ribs he ever had. I liked the pulled pork and chicken the best.


Now I have seen a lot very good reviews of this place and some not so good. Most seem to complain about the service, we had no trouble there and some complaining about the seafood, I mean, really-? ordering shrimp in a BBQ place then whining like a little girl? Catfish is a whole different ballgame. If it is a choice between McDonald's and this place, try this place for something different, it will add time to the drive but we thought it was worth it.

Snicker Apple Dessert

This is a recipe from Jen, I think it has been passed around her family. Simple and different, but you may want to warn folks of two things, contains peanuts, and NOT POTATO SALAD. I had it out at a family gathering and people were unsure of what it was exactly. Now I am requested to make it when strawberries aren't in season for chocolate coating. As you can see from the picture it isn't pretty but it is darn good.

6 regular Snickers bars
4-6 granny smith apples, chopped into small bite sized pieces
1 pack of Jello vanilla pudding
1 8oz container of Cool Whip

Freeze the Snickers, then double bag them in ziplock bags and crush them. (I use a hammer, takes out some aggression) In a large bowl mix all ingredients well and keep in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Do not make the night before, the cool whip softens too much and the apples can get very runny in the bottom. It tastes fine, just looks funky. This is a very good "I need to bring something to a pot luck" dish. Somewhere between a side and a dessert. Enjoy!

Grandma Hladnick's Beef Marinade

This is one of my Grandma's recipes. Very good for beef, especially kebabs.

1/2C soy sauce
1/2C red wine (semi dry)
1/4C brown sugar
1/4C Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients and marinade beef for at least two hours or overnight.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

This is another recipe from Disney, specifically Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada part of EPCOT. This is one of the Miller families favorite things to get there. Recipes from restaurants a lot of times don't give you all the information so you never get it quite right. I took two recipes for this soup, one from Disney cookbook and one from AllEars.net and sort of merged the two and I have it pretty darn close. This is also labor and time intensive because you can't walk away from it for more than 15 minutes, but it is very filling and very much worth it.

1/2 lb bacon cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium red onion cut into 1/4" pieces
3 celery stalks (ribs) cut into 1/4" pieces
4T butter
1C flour
2C chicken broth or stock
4C milk (I used Oberweis whole milk)
3/4 lb grated white cheddar cheese (This is the trick - most white cheddar is way too strong and almost sour, Cabot wasn't as good. If you can find it use Canadian Black Diamond. Sam's carries it.)
1T Tabasco sause
1T Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2C warm beer - Moosehead (Worth it to get it if you can find it, lacks the bitter aftertaste.)
Chopped chives for garnish.

In a large pot cook bacon until it is just starting to lightly brown - about 5 minutes. Add onion celery and butter and saute on medium for about 15 minutes. If you can cover the pot to keep the steam in it will speed things up, stir occasionally to keep from sticking. The onion and celery need time to soften. (The cook book recipe didn't give nearly enough time and they were still sort of crunchy in the first batch) Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for four minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and boil for one minute. Reduce heat for a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add milk and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes. Do not let the milk boil. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until the cheese is melted smooth. Stir in warm beer. Serve with chives on top.

Spice Cake

This is a good, "hey I need something else for dinner/dessert/breakfast" recipe. It is so easy that I handed the recipe to Stephen and said "make this" and he had no problems. This is also one of the few cakes that Bryan actually likes. The best part is that all of the ingredients are usually ones you have around the house.

1 1/2C sugar
2C flour
1/2C margarine or butter
1t cinnamon
1t salt
1 egg
1t baking soda
1C sour milk (add 1T vinegar to make sour)

Mix the sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and salt well. Remove 1C for topping. To the remainder add the egg, soda, and milk and mix. Pour into a greased and floured 9X12 pan, sprinkle on the 1C of topping. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Strawberry Puff Pastries

My mom used to make these a long time ago, but forgot how. Recently I decided to see if I could recreate it. It turned out pretty darn good! Very easy, but you do need a mixer, or you can cheat and use store bought caramel and use whipped cream from a can, but I can't bring myself to do that. There are four parts to the dessert. The pastry, the whipped cream, the fruit, and the caramel topping. This all can be made the night before, or last minute if you have everything on hand.

Ingredients
Puff pastry sheets - I used Pepridge Farms. You will find it in the freezer section with the pies.
Sliced strawberries or other fruit
Heavy whipping cream - quart
Powdered Sugar (about 6T)
Vanilla 2t
Brown Sugar 1/2C
Sugar 1/2C
Butter 1/2 C

Pastry
I just follow the directions on the box. I thaw, cut up into smaller pieces and bake about 375 for about 10-12 minutes

Caramel
In a sauce pot add 1/2C brown sugar, 1/2C regular sugar, 1/2C butter (one stick) and 1/2C heavy cream. I add 1t vanilla, I do not use artificial extracts. Heat on medium high in a pot until boiling for about two minutes. Stir occasionally. Allow to cool.

Whipped cream
6T or so powdered sugar, 1t vanilla and remaining whipped cream. Beat all ingredients until it forms stiff peaks. More sugar may be added, I am just guessing on the 6T, I add about 4 heaping tablespoons or so, it is an excuse to taste it.

Everything can be refrigerated overnight if needed.

To build the dessert, basically you will be making little sandwiches. Slice the pastry in half like a hamburger bun, on the lower part put the fruit, then about 2-4T of whipped cream and then the top layer of the pastry. Drizzle warm caramel on the top.
Sooooo good. Another good thing about this dessert is that you can break it in half completely. Only use on sheet of the pastry, a pint of cream and break the caramel sauce into fourths. Sometimes Bryan and I eat leftovers of this for breakfast. Don't judge me.