Strawberry Spinach Salad

I got this amazing salad recipe from my mom. She LOVES making this salad, I remember her making it many times while growing up. I absolutely love it. It is so fresh!

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp minced onion
2 TBS Poppy Seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Paprika

Mix in blender.

Then..
cut up 1 carton of strawberry's into 4ths
1 pkg of baby spinach
1 cup slivered almonds
place in bowl and drizzle the dressing into the bowl.
This recipe makes a lot of dressing, so you could always double the strawberries, spinach, and almonds.

Chewy Ginger Snaps

My husband had a work party, and he did not tell me that I needed to make a dessert till the night before. I went to the Sisters Cafe and I found this AMAZING cookie recipe. And oh...they were so good. These ginger snaps were soft and chewy, plus the optional white chocolate chips made them even better. These were and excellent treat.

2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 pkg. white chocolate chips (optional)

Mix first 4 ingredients well, then add remaning ingredients. Roll into balls in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes.

Lemon Pudding Salad

This is such a yummy summer salad. It is so so easy and very refreshing!
1 large can fruit cocktail
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 can mandarin oranges
1 8 oz. container Cool Whip
1 box instant lemon pudding
3 cups mini marshmallows

Drain cans of fruit reserving 3/4 cup liquid. Place lemon pudding powder in bowl, add 3/4 cup reserved fruit juice. Stir well. Add to drained fruit. Add Cool Whip and marshmallows.

Brownie Trifle

My cousin Lindsey gave me this awesome trifle recipe. It sort of is like Better then Robert Redford Cake, but a little different. It is delicious, whenever I make it people ask for seconds...and the other thing that is nice about it is that it is super easy to make.

1 pan brownies (best if made the day before)
1 4 servings pkg. Chocolate pudding, prepared
12 oz. Cool Whip
6-8 Skor bars (or use any desired candy bar)

Cut the brownies into small-bite sized pieces. Thaw the cool whip. While still in the wrappers pound the skor bars into small pieces.
In a triffle bowl layer the ingredients as follows. 1/2 the brownies, 1/2 the pudding, 1/2 the cool whip, 1/2 the skor bars. then repeat 1 more time. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.

Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are Amazing...they literally are my favorite cookie. They have so much texture and flavor to them. I made them for my father-in-law and he ate the whole plate because he thought that they were that good! I got the recipe from My Kitchen Cafe.
here is the recipe...

1 cup oatmeal (not quick)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (when I don't have dark brown sugar I use light brown sugar)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cup coconut
1 cup walnuts
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the top 4 ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend about 30 seconds until coarse. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter for 30 seconds until light in color. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Next, add the dry ingredients then add the coconut, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Shape cookie dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly before removing them from the pan to a wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Fabulous French Loaves

The french bread...I cooked my french bread for a few minutes too long...so yours won't be so dark.

My mom makes this great french bread. It is yummy...and is basically no fail. It is so yummy with Italian meals, stews, and soups!

1. Dissolve 2 pkg dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water.
2. Allow to stand 10 min.
3. Combine in large bowl
2 c. hot water. 3 TB sugar
1 TB salt 5 TB oil
3 c. flour
4. Stir in dissolved yeast
5. Stir in mixing well 3 c. flour
6. Leaving spoon in batter, allow to rest 10 min.
7. Stir vigorously. Allow to rest 10 min. Repeat step no. 7 three more times
8. Turn dough onto floured board. Knead until lightly coated with flour. Divide dough in half.
9. Roll each half into a 9X13" rectangle. Starting at long edge, roll loosely as for jelly roll. Seal edges.
10. Place both rolls seam side down, on one large baking sheet.
11. Using a sharp knife slash top of each loaf diagonally 3 times.
12. Brush with 1 beaten egg white.
13. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
14. Allow to rise 30 min. Makes 2 loaves
15. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. until golden brown.

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls and Powdered Sugar Frosting

These are seriously the best cinnamon rolls...they are delicious! My mom makes them for EVERY General Conference. Or when we have guests....they are AMAZING!! This recipe makes 36 cinnamon rolls.

4 cups lukewarm water
4 T yeast
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
4 tsp salt
8 eggs
3 T respondo (dough conditioner)
15 cups flour (give or take)

Mix 8 cups flour with all ingredients, then add remaining flour. Mix well then roll out on jelly roll pan, spread w/ cube of melted butter, layer generously with brown sugar, then dust with Cinnamon.
Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown

Powdered Sugar Frosting

1 1/2 bags powdered sugar. (1 bag = 1 pound)
2 tsp
cube of butter
milk until consistency you want

mix until desired consitency

*My mom doesn't have an exact recipe for the frosting. You just eyeball it.

Spinach Pizza and Pesto Recipe

I got this recipe from my blogger friend Lauren she is seriously the funniest girl! Her blog is probably the best blog that I have ever read, usually when I read it I am on the floor laughing! She also is an amazing cook, the other day she shared a recipe with the blog world and I listened... Here we go...
I made this pizza dough...

Ingredients
Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Baby Spinach
4 slices Prosciutto
3/4 cup Part Skim Ricotta
Pesto-my pesto sauce recipe is below
Mozzarella

Slice the tomatoes very thin and cover the entire dough surface with the tomatoes

drizzle a small amount of olive oil and top with garlic salt on top of tomatoes
lay down plenty of baby spinach on top of tomatoes

lay down the 4 slices of Prosciutto cut up
Mix the 3/4 cup Ricotta with the Pesto

Dollup the Ricotta mixture on top of spianch
sprinkle with mozzarella



Lion House Pesto Sauce
1 cup parley, packed
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1tsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a blender

Cookie Dough Brownies

These brownies are so so yummy. I found them at Taste of Home catelogue. If you want brownies but a different version then these would be a great choice...they are so good!

Ingredients:
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

COOKIE DOUGH LAYER:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Directions: In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in melted chocolate. Combine flour and baking soda; gradually add to batter. Stir in walnuts. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls over cooled brownies; carefully spread over top. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Marilyn's Party Potatoes

These are the ONLY potatoes that I will eat. My next door neighbor Marilyn made them, and I had to ask her for the recipe. I was nervous to try them because I have NEVER liked mashed potatoes, but these have garlic and sour cream, and cream cheese...they just taste wonderful!

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 package (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons minced chives
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain; mash potates. Beat in the cream cheese, sour cream, milk, garlic salt, and chives; beat until well blended.

Transfer to a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Drizzle potatoes with butter and sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until edges are bubbly and potatoes are heated through.