Strawberry Spinach Salad

9 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon finely chopped red or white onion
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (a couple shakes of the bottle)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes to brown and bring out the flavor.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries. and almonds. Place dressing ingredients in a blender; cover and process until combined. You can make the dressing ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Pour over salad right before serving and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.

*Make it into a meal by adding some sliced grilled chicken.

From The Red Headed Hostess

Soft Pretzels

I don't like store bought pretzels - but I like these without added salt on the outside.

1 T yeast
1 C+ water
1 t salt
1 t sugar
3 ½ C flour

Mix, knead. (Dough is very thick and dry.) Roll out and cut into thin strips. Roll each and shape into desired shape. Glaze each finished pretzel with beaten egg yolk. Bake in 375 oven until light brown, about 15 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter (or half shortening, half butter)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs*

3 cups flour

1-2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract (optional, secret ingredient)

2 tbsp sugar & 2 tsp cinnamon, mixed

 

Mix the butter and sugar together well. Add the eggs, vanilla, & almond, mix well. Sift in cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and the flour.

Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of walnuts. Roll the balls in the mixture of Sugar and Cinnamon until completely covered. Place on baking sheet and press down gently with a fork. (I prefer to use the bottom of a glass - the fork makes it look like peanut butter cookies to me.)

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

 

Found some ideas for this one online: http://www.bakenstein.com/2009/01/snickerdoodle-cookie-recipe.html

*Do NOT use powdered eggs for this recipe, (only baking recipe I've ever had that problem with!)

Printer friendly here.

Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds red potatoes, diced with peel

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup milk, or as needed

DIRECTIONS

Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker. Season with salt, 

garlic powder, and pepper. Cover, and cook on Low for 7 hours, or High for 4 

hours.

Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of 

milk to achieve a creamy consistency. Keep warm on low until serving.

~~~

I've done potatoes in the slow cooker, but they weren't boiled.  More like 

steamed.  Simply put them in, cut into chunks if not baby potatoes.  Add a 

small amount of broth or water, some butter or olive oil, salt, pepper and a 

bit of parsley.  They come out very nice. 

These notes were found in a google search at: http://bigspud.com/files/pboiledslowcooker.htm 

Sunday Crock Pot Beef/Pork

Beef or pork or any meat, cut up in bite sized pieces
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 T Worcestershire sauce
½ can milk or water
1 pkg Lipton onion soup

Place all ingredients in crock pot. (No need to brown meat.) Mix gently.  4 hours in on high  (or 275◦ in casserole dish in oven,) or 6+ on low.  Serve over rice or pasta.

BIG favorite.  I've even made this with venison, mmm!

(Jell-O makes a great side dish.)

Super Soft Sugar Cookies by Frieda

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 t. soda
¼ c. hot water
1 c. milk
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
5 c. flour (stir and level w/knife)

INSTRUCTIONS
Mix shortening and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix completely.  Dissolve soda in hot water.  Pour into mixture, blending well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Alternate milk with dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly each time.

Cover and chill at least an hour

*Roll out on floured surface ¼” thick and cut into desired shapes.  Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake in 375° oven for 7-10 minutes until set, but not overly brown.  (Touch tops with finger; if indent stays, bake 1-2 min. more)

*Can use med. cookie scoop; flatten tops w/floured drinking glass to make quick round cookies with no rolling!

Sugar Cookie Glaze

2 ½ c. powdered sugar
3 T. water
1 T. butter
2 T. corn syrup
½ t. vanilla or almond extract
¼ t. salt

Combine ingredients in mixer bowl and mix until smooth and shiny.  Place in decorator bag or squirt bottle and pipe onto cookies.

Glaze recipe from:  Mary Jarvis, Bakers C&C

From my HS/college best friend's collection. See her full color photo-instructions!

http://friedalovesbread.blogspot.com/2008/12/super-soft-sugar-snowflake-cookies.html

Super Spaghetti Sauce by Susan

Cooked hamburger*
1 chopped onion
2-3 cans tomatoes (1 crushed, 1 diced, some mixture, can use tomato sauces too.)
2-3 crushed garlic cloves

1/2 to 1 chopped green pepper (if available)
1 tsp each, salt, oregano, and basil
Pepper to taste
2 c zucchini sauce (blended zucchini - add when it's in season, don't when it's not)
grated carrotIf you have time to cook this a long time, add some

Simmer as long as you want (I usually do as long as it takes the pasta to cook al dente,) then serve. Quick, easy, and nutritious...mmmm!

*I fry all my hamburger up when I buy it -with or without onions- and pkg it for individual meals (1/2-1 lb sizes) & freeze - very quick to thaw, and makes meal prep VERY fast.