Mandarin Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

SPINACH SALAD
1 head lettuce
1 bunch spinach
3/4 lb. sliced mushrooms
3/4 lb. grated Swiss or Mozzarella Cheese
1 red onion
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 Tbsp. sugar



DRESSING
3/4 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/3 Cup White vinegar
3/4 cup oil (Crisco, canola or olive oil)
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. grated onion
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. mustard

*I add onion rings to the dressing… so that it flavors it, then I remove the rings.

Directions:
Cook sugar and almonds over low heat until light brown.
Mix first 5 ingredients; sprinkle almonds, bacon.
Add oranges when ready to serve.
Serve with Poppy seed dressing.

Recipe from: Get Off Your Butt and Bake

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile:
Kiley: 6
Madee: 8
Destrie: didn't have any

Cheerio Treats

Recipe and Photo from Kathie Cooks

• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. corn syrup
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1 t. vanilla
• 5 c. Cheerios (I used Honey Nut Cheerios)

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.

Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.

Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.

Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.

Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

Rate It!
Jen: 7
Kile: 6
Kiley:
Madee: 7.5
Destrie: good

Supper On a Slice

This recipe comes from a cookbook I purchased a few years ago. It's called, "What's for Supper?", and is compiled by Marcia Chambers. Everyone in our family likes this. Destrie asks for 2nds and even Kiley and Madee like it.

It comes together quickly and uses ingredients I usually always have on hand. I usually cook half the recipe and freeze the other half of the meat mixture to use for another meal. It freezes well.

Sorry not picture...that will come later. Now, on to the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 lb. ground beef-(can us less)
1 onion, chopped-(have used onion powder)
1 loaf french bread
14 oz. Ketchup
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Cheddar Cheese-about 3/4 cup

Directions:
Brown ground beef. Add onions and other ingredients. Cook to heat through.
Slice french bread lengthwise. Top with meat mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese melts.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 7.5
Kiley:
Madee: 8
Destrie: Good!

Dallas Cowboys Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

Destrie's birthday cake!
This is the frosting recipe I used.

Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

1/2 C butter flavored shortening
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 t vanilla
3 1/2 - 4 C powdered sugar
1-2 T milk

1. Put your shortening and softened butter in the bottom of a mixing bowl.
2. Add your vanilla and mix well.
3. Add your powdered sugar a little at a time. Add in a bit of milk as you go, as well.
4. The consistency is key here. You want it to be a bit sticky. When you dab your finger into it, the frosting should stick just a bit.
5. Add your coloring of choice.

Menu Planning Monday

I am trying to catch up from being sick and losing my voice last week. This means I have no time today to do any menu planning. It's going to have to be one of those "let's just see what happens" weeks, when it comes to meals.

We will be eating and I will be cooking...so check back to see what I come up with. Have a great week, and here's to hoping things slow down a little.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Recipe and photo from: Jamie Cooks It Up!

Chicken:
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers -(I had a lot left over)
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C milk
3 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 t dried parsley

Sauce:
1 14 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 T sour cream
2 T butter

1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks.
2. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.
3. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.
4. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese and finally the cracker crumbs.
5. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.
6. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.
7. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.
8. Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 8.5
Kiley: didn't have any
Madee: 7.5
Destrie: good

Muenster Melts

This is more of an idea than a recipe...courtesy of my husband, Kile. He has been making these for years at work. My parents gave him a couple packages of Muenster Cheese, along with some other stuff for his birthday-because they knew it was his favorite. He made these for us to dip in our tomato soup...they are also good all on their own.

Items needed:
White Bread
Sliced Muenster Cheese

Directions:
Top each slice of bread with Muenster cheese. Put in a toaster oven and cook until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile:
Kiley: 7
Madee: 8
Destrie: didn't have any


I was talking to my mom about this "recipe" the other day, and she told me that her dad, my Grandpa Harvey used to make these all the time!

Menu Planning Monday

Back on track with menu planning this week...


Madee's Choice:
Tomato Soup with
Grilled Cheese,
Open Face Muenster Melts,
and Peanut Butter sandwiches for dipping


Gourmet Chicken on Mashed Potatoes
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole/Tossed Salad
Bacon and Tater Tot Casserole/Toast and Jam
Burritos/Chips and Salsa
*Out for Destries Birthday Dinner



Other Yummies
Football Field Birthday Cake