Chef Salad Kabobs

Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce

Cherry tomatoes

Mini English cucumbers

Hard boiled eggs

Turkey

Ham

Cheese

Wooden skewers

Salad dressing

Method:

Chop all ingredients to bite size pieces, about the size of the cherry tomatoes. Pierce ingredients onto wooden skewers in any way you want. Serve with favorite salad dressing for dipping. Enjoy!

Tips: These are the ingredients that we like to use at my house, be creative and omit anything and add your family’s favorites as well! A couple other suggestions would be avocados and bell peppers.

Texas Caviar

Ingredients:

1 can Pinto beans

1 can black-eyed peas

1 small can chopped green chilies

1 small jar chopped pimentos

1 ½ cups frozen white sho-peg corn

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion

Dressing:

1 cup canola oil

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Method:

Drain and rinse the pinto beans and black-eyed peas in a colander. Add the can of green chilies pimentos, and frozen corn. Let them drain for several hours. Combine all dressing ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, cool. Once ready place the drained vegetables to a large bowl, add the rest of the vegetables, and mix well. Add the dressing and stir to coat. Refrigerate overnight, or at least several hours, the longer it sits the better it will be. When ready to serve drain if too juicy, leaving some juice. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Orange Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ cup cold butter, cut into small chunks

1 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 egg, beaten

1 cup chopped dried cranberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients (using two butter knifes or a pastry blender). Add orange juice, zest, and beaten egg, mix until just combined. Gently fold in chopped cranberries. Pour batter evenly into, 2 large or 6 small, greased loaf pans. Bake 55-70 minutes for large or 45-60 minutes for small, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loafs comes out clean. Remove from the oven, cool for ten minutes, remove the bread from the pans and place on cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Tips: Extra loafs can be frozen for up to a month.

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

1 ½ cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ cup butter milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

5 cups flour

Fruit

Frosting:

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 cups powdered sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, mix well using an electric mixer (or a kitchen aid). Add in remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Press dough into a greased 15x10 jelly roll pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm and just starting to brown. Cool completely. In a medium bowl, combine all frosting ingredients and mix well. Spread evenly over cooled cookie. Top with your favorite fruits. I use mandarin oranges, strawberries, kiwis, pineapple tidbits, and blueberries. Enjoy!

Citrus Salad

Ingredients:

3 Oranges

2 pink grapefruit

1 ½ cups sliced strawberries

1 small can mandarin oranges

¾ cup chopped dried cranberries

Baby spinach

Dressing:

1 lime

1 lemon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:

Segment the oranges and grapefruit over a small bowl, placing segments in a large bowl. Slice strawberries and add to fruit segments. Drain and add the mandarin oranges, set aside. In a small bowl combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined.  Pour any accumulated juice from the segmented fruit into the small bowl with the juice from segmenting the fruit. Add the chopped dried cranberries and a couple handfuls of spinach leaves to the fruit. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Tips: To segment the oranges and the grapefruit: use a sharp knife and cut off the bottom and top of the fruit. Set the fruit on its bottom and use your knife to cut away the rest of the peel, working from the top to bottom, and rotating the fruit as you go, until all of the peel, and the white pith has been removed. Using a paring knife cut out the segments, leaving behind the membrane that separates each segment. Continue with remaining fruit.

Reserve the left over orange and grapefruit juice for a fun mix in drink. Add desired amount of juice into your favorite lemon/lime soda for a fun drink for all ages.