Karma’s Spinach Salad

Karma’s Spinach Salad

Salad:
1 pkg. spinach
1 pkg. spring mix greens
Sugared almonds Craisins
Sliced strawberries
Red onion (how much you use depends on strength of onion, usually about ½)

Dressing:
½ c. lemon juice
½ c. sugar
2 T. olive oil
1 T. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Do not mix before you are ready to serve and only as much as you will need because strawberries and dressing will wilt spinach. All ingredients will keep if not mixed. Makes 12 servings.

Sugared Almonds:
slivered almonds (or walnuts etc)
1-2 cups sugar
About 1/8-1/4 c. water
Dash of cinnamon

Mix water and sugar in skillet. Add almonds and continue to stir mixture until sugar makes a syrup and water evaporates. When water evaporates turn almonds onto wax paper on cookie sheet to dry and crisp up. Sugared almonds will keep in a Ziploc bag so you can make a big batch and use some later on.

(This recipe is SO good, like Bridal/Baby Shower good!)

~Bethany S.

Cinnamon Rolls

The recipe I tweaked says these should take about 90 minutes. They usually take me a bit longer, but not much. Which is why they're awesome. Makes 14 pretty cinnamon rolls and 2 funky looking ones (don't you hate the ends of the roll?).

Cinnamon Rolls:

3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine (softened)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup margarine (softened)

Icing:
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/4 c butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Rolls:

Heat milk in small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine. Stir until melted then let cool until luke warm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add water, egg, and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (about 3-5 minutes).

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat together brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter.

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle (my best batch came from a 24x14 rectangle). Spread dough with the brown sugar and butter mixture*. Working from a long edge, roll up dough to form a log and pinch seam to seal.

Cut into 16 equal size rolls* and place in a greased casserole dish. Turn your oven on to about 150 and let rise in warm oven for 30 minutes. Then crank up heat to 375 and let bake for 15-20 minutes.

Icing:

If you don't have leftover Cinnabon icing kicking around, blend all ingredients. Serve on warm cinnamon rolls.

Kayla's Notes:

-If you're not careful, the brown sugar mixture can make it hard to roll the dough nicely. So I finally figured out that you want to spread it pretty close (within about 1/2 inch) of all edges except one of the long edges (leave like 1-2 inches). Let that edge be the outside of your roll. That way, you're not trying to seal the edge with butter and sugar squishing out (gets messy real quick). Start rolling from the long edge with a 1/2 inch margin and by the time you get to the 1-2 inch edge, it should be easy to pinch it all closed without squishing filling everywhere. This probably seems really obvious to everyone else, but I'm a little slow and was really excited when I discovered how much easier this made things.

-I've heard using dental floss is a really great way to cut this stuff. My serrated bread knife did the trick just fine, but I thought I'd pass that along since a lot of people swear by it.

Tawna's Pumpkin Cookies

I have to give my friend, Tawna the credit for this one. It is her recipe that she made for us every fall without fail. They are to DIE FOR!!

• 1 cup shortening (Crisco)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, sugar and pumpkin. Add egg, mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Frosting:

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 4 tsp. milk
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

In a small sauce pan melt butter, add milk and brown sugar-- bring to a slight boil. Add sugar and vanilla. Top cool cookies with frosting. Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Dessert

Mix together:
1/2 yellow cake mix
2 T flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
Press into greased 9X13 pan.

Mix together:
3 cups pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 t cinnamon
1 t cloves
1 t ginger
1/2 cup brown sugar
Spoon onto first layer.

Mix until crumbly:
remaining yellow cake mix
2 T flour
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
Sprinkle over previous layer.

Bake at 350, 40-50 minutes. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 cups pumpkin puree
3 cups flour (I use half white, half wheat)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 t cloves
2 t cinnamon
2 t ground nutmeg
1 t allspice (I never put this in because I don't have any--and I don't miss it)
1 t salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and eggs. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Butternut Squash Bisque

This is a great fall soup. We tried it the other night and loved it! Amelia even ate a bowlful.

1 T canola oil
1 T margarine or butter
1/4-1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (about 1 large squash)
3 cups vegetable broth (chicken would also work)
salt and pepper to taste
ground nutmeg to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Heat the oil and melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender.

Mix carrots and squash into the pot. Pour in vegetable broth and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender.

In a blender, puree soup mixture until smooth. Return to pot, and stir in the heavy cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve warm with a dash of nutmeg.

Cucumber Bread

Very light and refreshing. I didn't think I like cucumbers very well, but this is a great appetizer and always gets great reviews.

Ingredients:
French Baguette (long skinny loaf, sliced thin-you can ask the bakery to slice it thin for you)
One english cucumber, peeled and sliced into 30-36 circles (English cucumbers are seedless and usually in shrink wrap)
1-8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 C Mayo or Miracle Whip
1 Italian seas. packet
Dill weed - to sprinkle on top

Directions:Blend cream cheese, mayo and italian seasoning. Spread mixture on top on bread and top with cucumber slice and sprinkle dill on top. Refrigerate. Number Of Servings:30-36 slices

Note: The cream cheese mixture will actually make enough for 2 baguettes and 2 cucumbers, so you can either 1/2 it or make up the mixture and keep it in the fridge...it lasts a while.

Chicken Potpie

Really good and easy.

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of potato soup
1/3 C chicken broth (or water)
1 pkg. mixed veggies, cooked
1 C shredded cheese
1 C french-fried onions
1/2 t. seasoned salt
Pepper to taste
1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls

Cook chicken in crockpot on low for 3 hours (if frozen or 2 hours if thawed) with 1/3 C chicken broth (or water) and 1 can of potato soup. Take cooked chicken out and cube. While chicken's out, add other can of potato soup and mix until creamy. Add chicken, veggies, fried onions, cheese, and seasoned salt and pepper. Mix well. Place in bottom of 9 x 13. Lay crescent dough on top of chicken mixture until everywhere is covered (you can double up if needed). Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until it is deep golden brown. (*I test the dough to make sure it's not too doughy on the inside)

Shepherd's Pie

I prepare this with leftovers from a roast and mashed potato dinner and it is fabulous. Same meal and ingredients, but it seems different.

Here's what you need:
Roast: I cook in crockpot for 6-8 hours on low with a 1/2 C water and a packet of Onion Soup sprinkled on top, cut into small pieces. You really only need like 2 cups to make this dinner and you could use more or less if you're using leftovers.

Gravy: Using leftover juice in crockpot, pour into pan and bring to boil. While it's coming to a boil, in a glass liquid measuring cup (or just a cup) put a cup of cold water. Put a heaping spoonful of flour and then whisk until somewhat smooth. Add 4-5 heaping spoonfuls total, one at a time, whisking each, until the consistency is kind of like really runny pancake batter. Then pour that mixutre into gravy a little at a time, stirring constantly (otherwise you'll get lumps). Add flour/water until the gravy gets to a good consistency. Turn heat down to low. Add Garlic salt, pepper, and more salt. It takes quite a bit of salt to make it taste decent...so just add a little a taste and then add accordingly.

Mashed Potatoes: 6 cubed and boiled in enough water to cover. I always use red potatoes and then I don't have to peel. Cook for 20-30 minutes until a fork can go through potato very easily and they fall apart. Drain water. Add 2-3 T of butter, 3-4 T of sour cream or milk, 1/2-1 t. salt (or add to taste), pepper to taste, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder if wanted. Blend until creamy.

Mixed Veggies: Cook in microwave a full bag, drain water, add 1-2 T butter, salt, pepper, seasoned salt

Directions: Mix roast, and veggies and some gravy (probably like a cup or so). Place on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan so mixture is about 1/2-2/3 high. Spread mashed potatoes evenlyover meat mixture. Top with cheese and cover with foil (or you can put cheese on for last 5 minutes of baking). If you're using hot ingredients, Bake for 20-30 minutes at 375. If it's from the fridge (like I said, I use leftovers and prepare this the night before, then just through it in the oven whenever I need a meal), bake for an hour or until heated through at 375.

KFC Chicken Bowl

This might seem like just a boring chicken dinner, but something about layering it makes it so good. My kids love it. It tastes like a different meal...a very good one.

Layer the following in a bowl:
*Mashed Potatoes (5-6 cubed and boiled in enough water to cover. I always use red potatoes and then I don't have to peel. Cook for 20-30 minutes until a fork can go through potato very easily and they fall apart. Drain water. Add 2-3 T of butter, 3-4 T of sour cream or milk, 1/2-1 t. salt (or add to taste), pepper to taste, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder if wanted. Blend until creamy.)
*Corn and/or Green Beans, or Mixed Veggies (canned, frozen, whatever, cook and season with a little butter, salt, pepper, and I always sprinkle a little seasoned salt on my veggies)
*Popcorn or Chicken Strips (Cooked accordingly and cut up...we love the Perdue brand of Popcorn Chicken)
*Gravy (1 pkt McCormmick's brown gravy or turkey gravy - whatever - cooked accordingly)
*Cheese (Sprinkle on top)

Enjoy! We sure did! It kind of reminds me of a chicken version of Shepherd's Pie.