Thursday, March 29, 2012

Carmel Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
Mrs. Richardson Carmel syrup, 1/2 jar
Heath bars, crushed

Mix all ingredients in a kitchen aid until smooth. Serve with cut up apples.

recipe from Lauren Whiting

Pecan Bars

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup powdered
sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, shortening, and powdered sugar.  Add1 1/2 cups flour and mix until combined.  Press evenly in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.  Bake for 13-14 minutes.

Mix remaining flour and the rest of the ingredients (except for the glaze ingredients) and spread over the hot crust.  Return pan to oven and bake 20 minutes more. Remove from oven.  While still warm, spread with glaze.  Cool completely and cut into bars.

recipe from Our Best Bites cookbook

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade or Strawberry Lemonade

2 cups sugar
8 1/2-10 1/2 cups water, divided
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 5-6 large lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
ice cubes for serving
Strawberry Sauce ice cubes for Strawberry Lemonade

Combine sugar and 2 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until sugar has dissolved and then simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool about 20 minutes.
Add lemon and lime juices to sugar syrup.  Pour lemon-lime mixture into container.  Let stand one hour and then strain mixture and store until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, mix lemonade base with 6-8cups cold water.  Start with 6 cups and then adjust according to your taste.  Six cups will be very sweet; 8cups will border on watery. 

Strawberry Sauce
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, and roughly chopped
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract vanilla

Combine berries, sugar, and vanilla in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook for five minutes, stirring constantly and breaking strawberries up with a wooden spoon.

After five minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool before blending.  When cool enough, transfer the mixture to blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached.  Refrigerate unused sauce for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Place in ice cube containers and freeze.  I doubled the recipe. Add to lemonade to make Strawberry Lemonade.

recipe from Our Best Bites cookbook

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad

8 oz. bag of baby spinach
1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion
1 large avocado, cubed
8 oz. mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded ( I used Swiss)
1 (12 oz) package bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (12oz) can Mandarin oranges, drained
Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl.  When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately.  If you anticipate leftovers, just let your eaters dress their own salads because the dressing with make the greens wilt.

Poppy Seed Dressing
1/2 cup white or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon mustard
2 Tablespoon sliced green onions
1/2cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard.  While the blender is running, add the green onion.  Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream until it is fully incorporated into the dressing.
Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds.  Serve over the salad.

recipe from Our Best Bites cookbook

Ham and Cheese Sliders

24 good dinner rolls
24 pieces of good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup miracle whip

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip.  Spread onto both sides of each roll.  Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese inside of each roll.  Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet.  Place very close together.

Poppy seed sauce
11/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard ( I used honey mustard)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1Tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

In a small bowl whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients.  Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches.  You do not have to use all of the sauce just use enough to cover the tops.  Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15minutes or until cheese is melted.  Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy.  Serve warm. 

**sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.
recipe from Recipe Club