Napa Cabbage Picnic Salad

We had some lovely  friends over for dinner last night. After a few minutes of witty banter ( yeah, right  ) over our Irish stew and oatmeal bread, my dear friend looked up at me and said, "I do believe this is the best salad I've ever eaten!" I do believe I'll join her in those sentiments.
I got this salad recipe a couple years ago from one of my favorite food-bloggers, Elise at SimplyRecipes.com
As of today, it is my favorite salad. It's actually more like an asian cole-slaw with salad ingredients, but what ever you want to call it, it is delicious! The sweetness of the cabbage, the spicy of the radish and cilantro, and the creamy of the dressing all pull together in a wonderful flavor exposion! You've got to try this and let me know what you think!  Sorry there's no picture, but we inhaled it so fast last night that I didn't get a chance. I will get one up here soon!
Good eats friends!


Napa Cabbage Picnic Salad

Ingredients:
2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
8 cups (or 1 lb.) napa cabbage, coarsley chopped
12 oz. snow peas, strings removed and thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups radishes,thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups lightly packed cilantro leaves, slightly chopped

Dressing ingredients:
3 Tbsp rice vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup mayonnaise

Directions:
Toast almonds in 350 oven for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.
Combine cabbage, snow peas, radishes, green onions, cilantro in a large bowl.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, oil, ginger, and cayenne, until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in mayo.
When ready to serve, gently combine dressing and almonds with the cabbage mixture.

Serves 12-14

Apologies...

Sorry everyone, I know I haven't posted anything for the longest time, but we are just coming out of a three-week stretch of sickness around here. A horrible cold managed to get ALL of us down and then morph into various forms of sinus and ear infections! The joys! Anyway, on a happier note, during this time of houseboundedness (I don't think this is a word) I've been cooking up a storm and have lots of new recipes to send your way. So don't bail on me yet, I'll be back with a vengeance!
Till then friends!

Peanut Butter Cereal Treats

This is a recipe I originally got off a box of Honey Crisp cereal years ago. I’ve modified it a bit and it is often requested by kids and adults alike! Quick, chewy goodness!

Enjoy friends!


Peanut Butter Cereal Treats

Ingredients:

4- cups Honey Bunches of Oats or Corn Flakes Cereal

2- cups mini-marshmallows

2/3 cup packed, brown sugar

½ cup light corn syrup (I like to use ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup corn syrup)

2-Tbsp. butter

½ cup peanut butter



Directions:

Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil; spray with oil cooking spray. Combine cereal and marshmallows in a large bowl; set aside. Microwave sugar, corn syrup, and butter in medium bowl on High for 21/2 to 3 minutes or until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour over cereal mixture. Stir quickly with a buttered spatula or large spoon until all pieces are evenly coated. Pour into prepared pan and press down firmly. Chill at least one hour. Lift from pan using foil. Cut into squares; cut each square in half diagonally to form triangles.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

After all my holiday feasting, it's high-time for a good salad! Here's one of my fav's. The cilantro in this dish really makes it, so don't even think of leaving it out! Ok, you can think about it but you'll be sorry ;-) Crisp and fresh and oh so good!
Happy New Year friends!

Black Bean Corn Salad


Ingredients:

2- 15oz. cans Black beans, drained and rinsed
2- Tomatoes, diced
½- Onion, chopped (or 4-5 green onions sliced)
2- Jalapeno peppers, diced and seeded
4- Tbspn- Red wine vinegar
2-tsp. Olive oil
3- Garlic cloves, minced
1- tsp. Cumin
1-tsp. salt
1-tsp. sugar
1 - bunch Cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 Lime

(The above mixture alone makes a delicious Bean Salsa to serve with corn chips. If you’d like to make it a salad, however, just add the following :)

1- Red or Orange Pepper, diced
1-16oz. bag frozen Corn, thawed
1- 6oz. can Olives, sliced
2- Avocados, peeled and chopped

Directions:
Toss all veggies and cilantro together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together, vinegar, oil, garlic, cumin, salt, sugar, and lime juice. Pour over veggies. Allow to sit for at least a half hour and serve. Enjoy!

Note: If you need to make it a little bigger just toss in some more corn or various vegies.Can't hurt it!

Quick and Spicy Black Bean Soup

Sometimes a hearty, home-cooked meal that’s been carefully prepared and simmered all day is just what one needs....but then other times you just need to eat! Here’s a quick bean soup that can go from pot to table in about 15 minutes. Last week, I doubled the recipe and threw it into a slow cooker (on Low) and came home 5 hours later to dinner.


Here’s to surviving the season, Friends!

Quick and Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2- 15oz. cans Black Beans

1- 16 oz. container medium Salsa (or hotter, if you like)

4- cups chicken broth

Optional Garnishes: cilantro, sour cream, corn chips, cheese.

Directions:

Rinse and drain beans and put all ingredients into a pot. Heat through. Remove ½ of soup to a blender and blend thoroughly. Add back to pot and stir. Serve with a garnish of sour cream and cilantro. Serves 4

Notes: This is a super easy and versatile recipe. I’ve added chopped chicken before. I’ve also skipped the blending and just served it chunkier. My husband spooned his over a bowl of brown rice. My kids ate theirs with plenty of chips and cheese. (oh, and in the picture above, I was short one can of black beans so I substituted some great northern...whatever works!)

Coconut-Cherry Kiss Cookies

I love all things chocolate and cherry, add coconut to it and I'm on it like a stink on fish! Here's a favorite Christmas cookie of mine that incorporates all three of these loves. (And it looks pretty cute, too!)
Happy Holidays, Friends!

Coconut-Cherry Kiss Cookie

Ingredients:

1-3oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/3- cup butter, softened

2/3- cup white sugar

1 tsp.- vanilla

1 -egg yolk

1&1/4- cup flour

¼ tsp.- salt

2 tsp.- baking powder

½- cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

1-14oz.- pkg. sweetened, flaked coconut

1-9oz pkg. Chocolate Kisses

Directions:

Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat well. Stir in mixture of flour, baking powder and salt. Gently mix in 3 cups of coconut and cherries. Chill, tightly covered for 1 hour. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in remaining coconut. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool on cookies sheet for 1 minute. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 4 dozen

Note: Sometimes I stir in a handful or two of chocolate chips into the dough instead of putting the kisses on top. This way I get uber chocolate satisfaction in every bite!

Easy Lasagna

Ok, Erin, I know you've got some cheesy pasta love goin' on. This one's for you. You could make it even easier by purchasing the no-cook lasgna noodles. Just make sure you add some extra water to your sauce, maybe about 3/4 cup. The package may tell you exactly. Good luck!

Easy Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage
1- 32oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. dried oregano (or italian seasoning)
1- 8oz. pkg. lasagna noodles
1- 16oz. container cottage cheese
1 egg
1-16oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook meat over medium heat until browned. Drain off fat. Stir in sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. cover and simmer on Low about 15 minutes.

-Meanwhile, cook noodles according to pkg. directions. Drain in colander and lay noodles flat on a sheet of foil.

-Mix egg into container of cottage cheese.

-In your 9x13inch pan layer 3 times: Noodles, cottage cheese, sauce and mozzarella. Noodles, cottage cheese, sauce and mozzarella, Noddles, cottage cheese, sauce, and mozzarella.

-Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and heated thru. Let stand about 10-15 minutes before serving.

(Note: I like to sprinkle on a handful of Parmesan cheese before baking. Adds to the cheesy goodness.)