Grilled Salad

Oh my goodness prepare yourself! This is SOOOO yummy. My sister in law Sarah and her husband Erik introduced us to this.

You need Romaine hearts to do this. The ones from Costco are perfect. Cut the bottom 2 inches off and wash. Then you are going to cut the hearts down lengthwise, from the top of the heart to the bottom. You want to have the two halves that look the same. After they are cut place them on a plate with the insides facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.

Put them face down onto the BBQ and cook for a couple of minutes. Just until the edges are starting to wilt. Take off grill and put face up on plates. Drizzle with Caesar dressing, cut, and enjoy!

Salsa Verde/Enchilada Sauce

This recipe has been updated since I first posted it. It is delicious! We use it to give burritos and tacos a different and more yummy flavor! We also use this to make our own Enchilada sauce. It makes 4 cups total. We freeze them in 2 Ziploc freezer bags quart size bags with 2 cups each. To make enchiladas I use shredded chicken, a cup of cheese, 1/2 cup salsa verde, 1 cup sour cream and mix. Roll sauce into tortillas and then pour remaining 1 1/2 cups of salsa verde over the top.

6 cups tomatillos cut in half
1/2 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c water
olive oil
1 lime

In a saute pan add tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil and saute for a few minutes on med-hi. Add water, cilantro, cumin, and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. When the tomatillos are soft add everything to a food processor and process until its smooth. I did two batches since my food processor would not take it all. You can probably use a blender too. When its smooth cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the salsa. Stir and serve.

Spinach, Caramelized Pecans, and Parmesan Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing

Pepper Jelly Dressing:
3 Tbsp Pepper Jelly
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Dijon Mustard

In a small bowl whisk together ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds and allow to cool.

Toss 6 cups Spinach, 1 cup Caramelized Pecans, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Toss with dressing and serve.

Caramelized Pecans

1/2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup pecans

Add butter to a med sauce pan and allow to melt on low. Add sugar and pecans and cook over med heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar caramelizes. It will start to turn brown and the sugar will lose the appearance of the grains. It takes about 5 minutes.

When it is done spread out onto a cookie sheet with foil.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I finally found one I love!!!! Found it on All recipes and adjusted it a little bit because I don't love mayonnaise. Serve on rolls or croissants. Perfect for showers, parties, and pretty much any other time because its so stinking yummy!

4 c chicken, cubed
3/4 c mayo
1/2-3/4 c sour cream depending on how saucy you want it)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 c diced celery
3 green onions, diced
1 c chopped pecans
1 1/2 c craisins
1 c diced apple

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, paprika, and seasoning salt. Add remaining ingredients and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors have time to combine. You can also wait and add the pecans right before serving so they have more crunch.

Cheese Polenta

I found this recipe on All recipes and did adjust it a little for our tastes but its so yummy. We had it with grilled chicken, homemade salsa, and slices of avocado! Yummy! Seriously you should try polenta its one of my favorite sides and is great instead of potatoes.

• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Add milk, chicken stock, salt, pepper in a lg sauce pan. Turn heat to high and slowly start stirring in the cornmeal while using a whisk to mix it well. I do this while the liquids are still cold so that way you don't get lumps. Once all of the cornmeal is in continue to stir constantly until the polenta starts to boil and gets thick. Remove from heat and add butter and cheese. Stir every minute or so until they are melted.

Anytime of year Salsa

For those who know me well they know I'm kind of a snob when it comes to fresh ingredients. I think it has a lot to do with Romania where you only had fresh available and it makes a HUGE difference in cooking. My friend Tasha brought us this salsa and we all fell in love and I just about fell off my chair when she said it uses canned tomatoes because I never thought salsa like this could come from canned tomatoes (see I told you, I'm an ingredients snob). Its a huge recipe so feel free to cut it in half, but beware it goes fast. My little 2 year old even eats it with a spoon!

6-8 cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 med yellow onion
1 jalapeno seeded
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp lemon juice

One of the reasons this is so great is that you are going to use your blender but puree the cans to different consistencies.

Puree in blender 2 cans tomatoes, 1/2 onion, and all other ingredients. It will most likely turn very green. Pour into bowl. Next add two more cans to blender and other half of onion and chop to a medium consistency, pour in bowl. Add last two cans to blender and pulse to leave chunks as big as you like them. If the salsa is to spicy you can add one to two more cans. Mix all together and let sit overnight and then enjoy!

Refried Beans

Often when we make Mexican food we want some beans to go with it but I also want to make them in about 3 minutes. On Sunday I just added a few things we had and it turned out so good. Not what you would expect but I have been experimenting with stuff you would expect and it hasn't been great. So here it is....yummy beans in a matter of minutes!

2 pieces of bacon, we use turkey bacon
3 garlic cloves
1 can refried beans
cheese

Using kitchen scissors (this is fast) or you can use a knife, cut the bacon into thin strips across the length of it into a saucepan and start to cook. After bacon has cooked for a minute or so use a garlic press to dice 3 garlic cloves into the bacon. Cook until bacon is done and the garlic is browned, don't let it burn. Add can of beans and turn to heat to low and mix bacon mixture in good. Let cook for minute or two until warm. Place in serving bowl and top with cheese.

Breadsticks

This recipe came from my sis in law Karey and they are so good! Pretty quick and easy for such good bread sticks.

Mix together:
1 1/2 c warm water
1 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar

Let sit for about 5 minutes (or until it becomes frothy).

Add and mix together:
1 tsp salt
~4 c flour, enough so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer and is not super sticky

Let the dough rise for 15-20 minutes.

Melt 1 cube of butter in a 11x13 jelly roll pan in the oven. Shape the dough into bread sticks and place on pan. I rolled mine out on the counter to just a little bit smaller than my jellyroll pan and then cut them into nice bread stick shapes with my pizza cutter. Just be sure before you cut them that you have a enough flour on the bottom side so they don't stick to your counters. Sprinkle with garlic powder and with grated Parmesan cheese, I left just a little bit of room between my bread sticks and the butter came up over them as I was placing them in pan. Let rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top and edges.

Mozarella, Tomato, and Basil Salad

It does not get better than THIS salad! Happy Summer!

Mozzarella cheese
Basil
Tomatoes (I wont lie, home grown make this about a million times better)
Salt
Olive oil
Kalamata Olives (optional)

This is the easiest and best salad for the summer. Usually its best to use fresh mozzarella but I didn't have it and I had the other kind and it still works. Slice tomatoes and cheese and then for the basil I think the easiest way to cut it is to roll the leaf up and then slice. Then it unrolls the perfect size for this salad. Layer the tomatoes with cheese and sprinkle very lightly with salt. Add basil and just continue to layer in that manner. When you are done with your layers drizzle with olive oil and we garnish it with the olives because they add a lot of flavor and are so yummy!

Oriental Side Salad

This salad is light and yummy. Great as a side and even as a main dish when you live in Southern Utah in the summer!

Lettuce (I prefer green leaf)
Package of Ramen noodles, broken into pieces and toasted in the oven until they are starting to turn golden
Green onions
mandarin oranges
Toasted almonds
Sesame Seeds (otional)

Dressing:
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
¼ c olive oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar

Mix the lettuce, oranges, and onions together. Add dressing and toss. Then toss in noodles and almonds.

Onion Rings

Ive never made onion rings before and its probably a good thing because now that I know that I can make them and just how good and easy they are...I'M IN TROUBLE! This is basically the same thing as fried squash only better!

1 onion cut into slices and then pop the rings out.
1/2 c flour
1/2 c Italian bread crumbs
3/4 tsp seasoning salt
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1-2 eggs
oil

Beat egg in one bowl and set aside (you can crack a second one if you run out). Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Pour oil into frying pan and let heat up. Dip the onion rings into the egg and then coat in the crumbs. Add to oil and let fry for about 2 minutes or until turning dark brown and then flip and repeat.

Sweet Potato Crunch

Oh yum! I got this recipe from my Mom and its the best for holiday yams. Its like you get to eat dessert first!

Filling:
2 large eggs
1 c sugar
3 c cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/3 c flour
6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1 c finely chopped pecans

Lightly butter a deep pie dish. Beat eggs lightly in a bowl and add sugar and stir. Add in remaining filling ingredients. Turn into dish. Combine flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut butter into mix until crumbly. Stir in pecans and spread over filling. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool and serve.

Gulliver’s Creamed Corn

2 pkgs frozen kernel corn
1 tsp salt
8 oz heavy whipping cream
¼ tsp MSG
8 oz whole milk
6 tsp sugar
pinch white pepper
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp flour 

Combine all ingredients except flour and butter in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Blend butter with flour and add to the corn mixture. Mix well and remove from heat.

Gulliver’s Creamed Spinach

2- 10 oz pkg frozen leaf spinach
3 slices bacon
1 small onion
3 Tbsp flour
1 ¼ c milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp MSG

Thaw spinach and squeeze completely dry. Grind bacon and onions very fine and place in a saucepan, sauté until cooked. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Gradually add milk, bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes over low heat or until thickened. Add salt, pepper, and MSG. Grind spinach until fine and add to cream sauce.

Caesar Salad

This recipe came from my friends mom MaryAnn

¼ c olive oil
1 tsp Worchester sauce
1/8 c balsamic vinegar
1 pinch sugar
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
A little anchovy paste & Capers (optional- I dont use these)

Parmesan cheese
Croutons
Romaine lettuce

Put all dressing ingredients in a cruet. Add capers and shake mix. Pour over Romaine lettuce. Add shredded parmesan cheese and croutons.

Rosemary Polenta

I love this recipe because of the rosemary and butter...its such a great combo, recipe from Martha Stewart

1 ¼ c chicken broth
1 ¼ c milk
1 c cornmeal
5 Tbsp butter
3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Bring the stock, milk, and rosemary to a boil. Lower heat and slowly sprinkle in cornmeal stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. It should be thick but if it starts to look really dry you can add more hot broth. It should resemble a thick porridge. Season with salt and add 4 Tbsp butter. Pour Polenta into a 9 x 13 pan and smooth out. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, or overnight. Cut the polenta into triangles. Heat a large not stick skillet and add remaining Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Cook triangles until brown on both sides. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 138.1

• Total Fat: 8.5 g
• Cholesterol: 22.6 mg
• Sodium: 219.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 13.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
• Protein: 2.7 g

Baked Fries

From our Grandma Henderson

Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Scrub 2 large baking potatoes. Cut each in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 4 spears. Cook in a large pot of lightly salted water for 3 minutes (if thick slices boil for about 8). Drain in colander. Toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then with ½ tsp paprika and ¼ tsp salt. Spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated 400° oven for 15 minutes (or 350° for 30-40 minutes) or until tender. Place in paper-towel lined basket. Toss gently with 1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Blender Salsa

5 Roma tomatoes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers
½ tsp salt
1 clove garlic
¼ c water
½ c onion

Place jalapenos and sliced tomatoes in a saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add all ingredients in a blender and mix. Fast and easy!

Onions

These are from my Mother in law and my hubby loves them!

Slice small onions in half and place in baking dish.
Mix 2 Tbsp vinegar and ½ tsp sugar until dissolved and pour over onions.
Mix together:
½ c bread crumbs
chopped parsley
½ tsp sage
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp oregano

Drizzle ½ tsp olive oil over all and bake at 350° for 45 minutes