Summer Spinach Salad

Baby Spinach

Mixed Greens

Mandarin Oranges

Sliced Almonds

Sliced Strawberries

Dried Cranberries

Diced Apples - Green or Gala (Optional)

Soft Cheese of Your Choice (Optional)

I like this salad because you can tweak it to your company.  My Mom isn't a fan of the soft cheese so I skip it.  My sister doesn't love the apples, so if she's going to eat it I leave them out of add them after I get her a bowl.  It's a light and fresh salad with some flavor and color.  I like to use a poppyseed dressing or a raspberry/strawberry vinegrette.

Orange Scented Cake Balls

Make a batch of vanilla cake ball.  Basic cake ball instructions found here. 

Once the balls have been rolled out and chilled in the freezer, it's time to dip them. 

Melt down some white chocolate or white chocolate bark and add 2-3 drops of Wild Orange essential oil.  Mix well.  After dipping I added some orange zest to the top of each cake ball.

For a more pronounced orange flavor I would add a couple drops of the oil to the cake batter while preparing and some orange zest.  This can also be done with a chocolate cake, but I would make sure to add extra orange since the chocolate is a stronger flavor.

What to do with leftovers

For obvious reasons I often find myself with left over cupcakes, cake or cake tops/scraps and frosting.  Hazards of the hobby.  I have a really hard time wasting food, so I like to "repurpose it."  I'm not really sure if it counts taking food and tweaking it as repurposing it, but you catch my drift.

I really like to do this after I make a cake for someone.  You see I spend all this time making our house smell great and building this yummy looking creation, just to cart it out the door and give it to someone else.  This can be super disappointing to my kids, so here's my solution.  I take the cake scraps from carving/leveling the cakes, gring them up add some spoonfuls of leftover frosting and turn them into cake balls. These can be made in no time and really with no extra ingredients other than the chocolate I dip them in and the sprinkles I let the kids dump on top.

Leftovers are used up, kids get a goodie and we can spend time decorating them together.  This is a definite Win-Win in our house.

Cake balls are great in a cute baggie or container to give as a quick gift and they are easily dressed up in any color combination for any event or holiday.

Modified Classic Stuffing

This is the Classic stuffing I make for my family.

Following the Guidelines here for the Classic stuffing, but with the following twists:

I do a combination of potato bread and white bread.  Some times I even use french bread, I just like adding more than one bread for variation.

I do NOT use the eggs.  I've done it with and without the eggs and I don't think they are necessary, but feel free - to each his/her own.

I add 1-2 granny smith apples to the onion/celery mixture.

Also, more often than not I will make the fruit/vegetable broth mixture the day before and let it sit over night with all the herbs to let the flavors blend more and then I throw the bread in and cook it the day of.

Stuffing/Dressing 101

How to make stuffing:

1. Cook vegetables, fruits, herbs and/or meat in butter, then add broth.

2. Toss with beaten eggs and cubed bread.

3. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter or drippings. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes (or cook the cooled stuffing in the turkey).

Each recipe serves 8 and is enough to fill a 12-14 pound turkey.

Classic Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes. (Or stuff in your turkey and bake.)

Orange Cranberry Make a directed above, but add the zest of one orange and it's juice to the stuffing mix before baking, as well as 1/2-1 cup dried cranberries.

You can make any variation of stuffing, do what suits your family.  Change up the fruits/vegetables as you like and add cooked sausage if you'd like, add more or less herbs.  Just follow the basic equation and add the flavors your family likes best.

For my family I ususally do two flavors - the Orange Cranberry and a Modified Classic.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound (about 3 breasts) frozen chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 can black beans
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Garnish:
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Dollop of sour cream
Shredded Cheese
Directions

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Garlic Knots

This yummy little recipe was a suggestion from my friend Aubrey.  I added them to our dinner of Ya-Ya Noodles (recipe coming soon) and they were a hit!  Anything that dresses up a meal and starts with store bought rolls works for this busy Momma.  Try them, I'm sure you'll love them.
- 1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits ( I used Pillsbury Golden Layers Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

PREPARATION:

Roll each biscuit into a 12-in. rope and tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; brush the warm knots with the mixture. Yield:10 knots.