Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is one of my favorite summer salad recipes. The original recipe, from my mom, is really called "Apple Spinach Salad." As a substitute, you can use strawberries, but I love the strawberries version so much . .  . I usually make it with them instead of apples. Either way, it's a winner!!

Ingredients

1 bag baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup golden raisins (I used regular brown raisins because that's what I had)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews (Pecans are also delish in this recipe!)

1 pint strawberries. Wash, hull and slices lenngthwise into 1/4 inch slices.

Dressing

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. celery salt or seed

Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss into salad just before washing.

**Can substitute 2 golden apples, sliced but not peeled for the strawberries.

Enjoy!!

Memorial Day Cookies

A friend of mine asked if I could create some "Memorial Day" themed sweet treats for a little get together she planned . I made American flag and star cookies and chocolate covered pretzels. 

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Cookies for a Girl's Night

Last week I talked about the decorative, black and white boxes I found at Dollar Tree. I used the boxes to create two cookie displays for Kara, from Tizzi Lish. She was hosting a "Shop and Swap" girl's night. The displays included shoes, purses and a martini glass with "Shop and Swap" written on them. Here is the finished product:

I tried something new on a few of these cookies. I drew some black flowers on waxed  paper, placed an edible pearl in the middle and allowed them to dry over night. Once dry, they popped right off the waxed paper and I was able to attach them to the cookie using a little icing as glue. This one was my favorite! 

Next up . . . . Memorial Day Cookies!

Happy Tuesday!

Black, White & Hot Pink

I absolutely love hot pink, but when you add black and white to the mix, the colors just totally pop! Check out these great boxes I found the other day at the dollar store. Can you guess what I'll be using them for?

Kara, from Tizzi Lish, asked if I could create two cookie displays for a girl's night she is hosting. This is the interesting part .  .. it's for a "Shop and Swap" party. At first, I was not quite sure what this was. Then Kara sent me this adorable invitation:

I actually didn't see this invitation until after I bought the boxes. Now I am even more excited about them!! Of course . . . my boxes don't have a lick of pink on them . . . not yet anyway. Stay tuned to see how it all comes together. 

Happy Hump Day!   

Graduation Cookies

With college graduations in full swing right now, my latest venture has been graduation cookie displays. I am having a lot of fun with these cookies. The arrangements consist of stars, graduation caps, diplomas, and a 2011 cookie, all decked out in the school colors . How cute are the little scrolls on the diplomas? (Those are my favorites!!) 

  Got a grad in your life that would like a cookie arrangement?

Contact me to place an order!

Gourmet Night

John and I recently got involved in "Gourmet Night" with four other couples. We get together once a month for a night of food, friends and fun! It is the hosting couple's responsibility to make the entire meal and all the other couples bring the beverages. May was our month to host. We planned a "Cinco de Mayo" theme. While I don't have too many pictures from Gourmet Night, I do have some tasty recipes to share.



Here's what was on the menu.



Appetizers

~Chicken Taco Cups

~Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

~Jalapeno Poppers

~7 Layer Taco Dip

~Chips and Salsa

Main Course

~DIY Taco Station

~Mexican Lasagna

~Sweet Corn Cake

~ Saffron Rice

Dessert

~Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries

~Margarita -n- Lime Shaped Sugar Cookies



These two appetizers came from the Taste of Home website. If you like Mexican food, I highly recommend these!

Chicken Taco Cups

Ingredients

~1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

~1 envelope taco seasoning

~1 small onion, chopped

~1 jar (16 ounces) salsa, divided

~2 cups (8ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

~36 wonton wrappers

~Sour Cream

Directions

• Sprinkle chicken with taco season. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and stir the chicken over medium heat for 5 minutes or until juices run clear. Transfer chicken to a food processor; cover and process until chopped. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, onion, half the salsa and 1 cup cheese.
• Press wonton wrappers into a miniature muffin tin (I used regular sized muffin tins) coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Spoon rounded tablespoons of chicken mixture into cups; top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve warm. Garnish with sour cream, green onions and olives if desired.

Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients
~25 medium fresh jalapeno peppers

~1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

~3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions

• Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes. In a large saucepan, boil peppers in water for 5-10 minutes (the longer you boil the peppers, the milder they become). Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Spoon 2 teaspoonfuls into each jalapeno half; sprinkle with bacon.
• Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

ENJOY!