Pepper Feta Salad

I am not a fan of feta. But let me tell you, if I could ask this salad to be my valentine, I totally would. I got the recipe from my Mom who found it somewhere. (I'll try and find the credits) I could eat it for breakfast, it's a serious temptation as the salad is really the best after marinating overnight. So I make it before bed and have dreams of the crunchy zesty deliciousness all night. It's also easily adaptable.

A major revelation has been finding the Olive Garden salad dressing at our Sam's Club. I love the OG dressing, no matter what you foodies may say, it's the best. I'm sure any dressing would do.

2-3 bell peppers of various colors (red, orange, yellow, etc)

1 cucumber

1 bunch of green onions

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded

6 oz (or less- heh) crumbled feta

Italian dressing

Chop the veggies, tomatoes, and slice the green onions. Drop them into a sealable bowl with the feta and refrigerate overnight. Serve with drizzles of italian dressing. 

Momma's Green Beans

One Sunday night for Sunday Night Dinners at my parent's house, my Mom started messing with the green beans. As I was really hoping my 4 yr olds were going to devour the green beans, I got a bit worried. She was making them pretty fancy. Preschoolers tend to shun the fancy-fare. (hi, chicken nuggets)

Much to my amazement, the fancified green beans were the first things off the plate. Of course, I had to get the recipe:

Green Beans (steamed to slightly crisp)

Saute minced garlic in olive oil, add celtic sea salt, (I may try with just regular salt- I'm not that fancy yet)  fresh ground pepper, dried parsley.

Add green beans immediately after steaming into fry pan with hot olive oil (guessing about 1/4 cup - depending on how many green beans).  Add 1/4 stick of butter or margarine.  Toss until butter is melted.  Serve.

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

I love the kind that come frozen- yum, yum! But these sound like fun to make! And you can make them in different spiciness. Yay!

1 lb. (approx. 20) fresh jalapeno chiles
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 c. cracker crumbs or bread crumbs

Slice the jalapenos into halves lengthwise wearing gloves. Discard the seeds and veins and rinse. Combine the cream cheese, mozz. cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, salt, and chili powder in a bowl and mix well.

Stuff each jalapeno with approx. 1 tbl. of the cream cheese mix, rounding the top. Coat top with the cracker crumbs and arrange cheese side up in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes for hot peppers, 30 minutes for medium hot poppers, and 40 minutes for mild poppers.

Mashed & Stuffed Potatoes

This may seem like a DUH recipe- but I care not. It was delicious beyond words.

4 large/medium red potatoes (sliced, but not skinned)
1/3 c. butter
1/4 tea. salt
milk
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon pieces (the kind that is pre cooked but needs to be refrigerated)

In a large pot, boil potatoes until very, very tender. Drain and then toss into a large bowl, add butter, cut up into pats to help with melting. Beat on medium, and pour in milk to desired consistency. Add salt and continue to beat until smooth- although it will still be a bit lumpy with the skins in there. Add cheese and bacon to taste and mix thoroughly.

Candied Yams

A big thanks to my Dad for tracking down grandma's recipe... and passing it along to me. I'm pretty sure I get my sweet tooth from his genes anyway. And while this may seem like a "Thanksgiving Recipe" and that holiday has passed. I dare you to make it anyway. It's delicious. And if it gets kids to eat the vitamin packed potato, all the better, right?

3-4 large yams
1/2 c. butter (no margarine)
1 c. sugar

Cut up yams into sections, and boil until barely tender- do not over cook. (Leave the skins on so they are easy to peel off after boiling) Let cool and slice into thin slices no more than 1/2". Cook butter and sugar over medium to low heat until butter melts into sugar. Add yam slices and continue to cook until sugar mixture is clear and even a little bubbly. Stirring carefully. Try not to add more yams than your pan can handle- You don't want them sticking on top of each other. A good way to go is throwing in a few to let them soak up the sauce, then placing them into the serving bowl, until you have sauced them all, then pour remaining sauce on top and serve.

Note: This recipe is also easy to multiply for large groups. And don't be stingy on the sugar. :)

Spinach & Mandarin Salad

An easy 5 minute salad. Use pre-washed bagged spinach and canned mandarins. Easy!

2 bags (5-6 oz. each) Spinach salad
1/3 c. bottled sesame seed dressing
1/2 lemon
1 can (11 oz) light mandarin oranges
1/2 c. honey roasted almonds

Place spinach in large salad bowl. Drizzle dressing on top; squeeze juice from lemon half over salad. Just before serving, toss to combine and top with orange sections and almonds.

Moroccan Lentil Salad

1/2 c. dry lentils
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 minced hot green chile peppers
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste

Place lentils and water in a pot. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender. In a medium size mixing bowl combine lentils, beans, tomatoes, green onions, green chilies, bell peppers, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, and salt to taste. Toss well. Chill for 20 minutes. Serve chilled.

Sweet Potato Fries

Cooking spray
6 sweet potatoes
3 tbl canola oil
1 tsp salt
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Peel the sweet potatoes, and cut them into 1⁄2-inch french fries.

3. Place potatoes in a large resealable plastic bag, and add oil, salt, and cayenne pepper, if desired. Secure the bag, and shake well until potatoes are coated with oil.

4. Arrange potatoes on the baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes. Turn with a spatula and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Watch carefully, as thinner fries may not take quite as long.

Autumn Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

2 red delicious apples
1 sliced banana
1 Granny Smith apple
2 Bartlett pears
1/2 pound red grapes
1/2 cup almond slivers -- toasted
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon apple cider

Directions:

1. Wash and core apples and pears, peeling if desired. Cut into one inch chunks.

2. Slice bananas 1/2" thick. Wash grapes and cut in half.

3. Combine fruits and almonds in salad bowl.

4. Mix yogurt with spices and cider. Pour over fruit salad and stir to coat fruits evenly. Chill.

Note: You could add raisins, or any number of nuts to this as well! Yum!

Fruit Salad w/ Banana Glaze

Best fruit salad ever!

8 c. fruit- ideas: strawberries, mango, peaches, blueberries, pineapple chunks, cantaloupe, etc. (basically whatever you've got on hand)
2 medium bananas
8 0z. lemon yogurt
2 tbl. sugar
2 tea. lemon juice

In a blender, add yogurt, bananas, sugar, & lemon juice. Blend & refrigerate. Cut up all the fruit, and pour the glaze on top. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Cornbread

Husband thought he didn't like cornbread. Well, turns out his family does not add heaps of sugar in their cornbread. Having successfully converted a non-cornbreader, I can safely say this recipe is tasty.

2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 c. flour
1 tbl. baking powder
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 1/4 c. milk
3 tbl. cooking oil

Mix wet & dry ingredients separately, then combine and pour into a greased 9x9 pan. Bake at 400 for 20-25 mins.