Orange and Spinach Salad

A recipe that has just the right blend of sweetness.

4 cups fresh baby spinach
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
1/2 large red onion, sliced into rings
1/3 cup grated Havarti cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon orange zest



Arrange spinach, orange slices and onion rings on serving platter.
Chill until ready to serve.
Whisk sugar with vinegar together until sugar dissolves.
Whisk in oil until blended.
Add orange juice and beaten egg, blending well.
Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Pour dressing though sieve.
Add orange zest.
Chill.
Serve salad with chilled dressing on the side.

Cheddar Cheese Wafers

A recipe for a savory shortbread cookie wafer.

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese,shredded
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley

Mix butter and cheese with an electric mixer until blended.
Gradually add rest of ingredients until blended.
Chill dough 2 hours.
Divide dough into 4 equal portions.
Roll into four 8" logs.
Wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill 8 hours.
Slice into 1/4" rounds.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Serve with salad instead of croutons.

Tip:

Rolls may be stored in freezer.  Partially thaw and bake as usual.

Baby Fresh Spinach and Apple Salad

A crispy spinach salad recipe with a sweet tangy vinaigrette.  An outstanding way to increase your vegetable and fruit consumption.

• 4 cups baby fresh spinach
• 1 small Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Toss spinach, apples, cashews and raisins together.
Combine sugar with garlic and celery salt.
Whisk with vinegar until sugar dissolves.
Whisk in oil until blended.
Serve salad with dressing on the side.

Lemon-Almond Cheesecake Ball

A recipe for a dip that has the creaminess of cheesecake. 

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 package lemon drink powder, Kool-Aid
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• slivered almonds for garnish

Mix cream cheese and butter until creamy.
Add sugars and lemon powder
Add almond meal.
Mix until smooth.
Line mold with plastic wrap.
Pour into mold.
Chill 8 hours or overnight.
Unmold on serving tray.
Garnish with slivered almonds.
Serve with apple slices or salty pretzels.

Make-ahead and freeze for later.

Cotton Candy Martini

A recipe for a delightful, fun cocktail.

• 1 bag pink cotton candy
• 2 ounces vodka, chilled
• 1 ounce cranberry juice, chilled
• 1 ounce pineapple juice, chilled

Fill martini glass with cotton candy.
Shake remaining ingredients over ice.
Strain into martini glasses.

.

Tip:

The cotton candy melts quickly, so present the glass filled with the cotton candy first before pouring.
Its fun to watch the cotton candy dissolve right before your eyes.
For a non-alcoholic version omit vodka and substitute 2 ounces lemonade.

 

How to Make Fresh Cranberry Juice

A recipe straight from the bog that produces a jewel red refreshing beverage. One of only three fruits native to American, cranberry juice is bitter and needs to be sweetened to produce a mild tart beverage.  Cranberries have been touted for years for their health benefits.

• 1 12-ounce package cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 4 cups water
• sugar to taste

Wash and drain cranberries.
Place in saucepan.
Pour water over cranberries.
Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
The cranberries will pop.
Remove from heat and let sit 20 minutes.
Strain juice through several layers of cheesecloth.
Reserve pulp for another use.
Combine cranberry juice with sugar to taste.
Heat juice for 5 minutes do not boil.
Chill and serve.

Tip:
Cranberries are only available a few months of the year, but they freeze well.
The juice can also be canned.

Microwave Cheese Sauce

A outstanding, easy, microwave recipe to serve over soft tacos along with your other toppings.

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated Colby cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl until smooth.
Microwave on high 2 minute, stir.
Microwave an additional 1 minute, stir.
Add grated cheese, stirring to melt cheese.
Return to microwave and cook an additional 1 minute.

Tips:

An immersion blender works wonderful for stirring this sauce.  A first-rate way for creating a smooth velvet cheese sauce.
Other cheese maybe substituted for Colby.  Good choices are cheddar, Monterey Jack or try one flavored with jalapenos for extra heat.

Frankoma Pottery

While living in Oklahoma, I purchased a set of Frankoma pottery from their gift shop in Sapulpa.  The pattern is Ranch with a White Sand glaze. The dinnerware is made from clay dug from Sugar Loaf Hill near Sapulpa, Oklahoma. The red-brick colored Sapulpa firing clay gives the pottery a unique look of older terra cotta.  John Frank, a professor at the University of Oklahoma in the 1930's, developed glazes that let the color of the clay partially show through.  Frankoma has enjoyed increased publicity from exposure on various television shows, by Martha Stewart's personal collection, and in antique stores throughout the United States. The pottery is still affordable and is both visually pleasing and functional.  Frankoma Pottery, after being in operation since 1933, closed and shut down its operation in 2004.  The molds and name were bought and now they sell limited pieces on the Internet.