Shelly Rich's Spinach Salad from Allison's Musical Dinner

Spinach – Costco size box
Pasta – rototelli or bow tie, cooked
Celery – sliced
Cucumber – sliced
Tomatoes – cherry, red or yellow, cut in half
Peppers – mini, tri colored, sliced into small rings, seeds removed
Purple onion – sliced thin
Cilantro – ½ bunch, washed and chopped fine
Marinated artichoke hearts – 2 small jars or ½ Costco size (approx.16 oz.)
Pine nuts – toasted
Feta cheese – crumbled
Calmat olives
Lemon pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar

Drain the artichoke hearts over a bowl, saving marinade. Mix the balsamic vinegar and marinade together to make the salad dressing. Place all other ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss.
Pour dressing over salad and serve.  Make 18-24 servings.

Can add chicken to make into a main dish salad!

Green Drink

3-6 kale leaves (or 2-3 large handfuls of spinach)
3 ripe bananas (may be frozen, the riper the better)
2-3 cups water (I only use 2 cups ice and fill in the rest with
water up to the 2 cup line)
1 cup almond milk
3-4 cubes wheat grass juice
1 lemon or lime (juice only)
1 16oz. bag of frozen mango
2 Tbls. flax seeds or 3 Tbls. flax oil

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Cream together:
1 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Combine:
2 1/4 C flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Gradually add to the butter mixture.
Let the dough sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before baking the coolies. Wrap each Rolo with with the chocolate cookie dough and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in sugar to coat, and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken and Artichoke Soup

2 chicken breasts
1 yellow onion, chopped
enough red wine/apple juice to cover the chicken in a sauce pan

Brown the onion until tender in the sauce pan. Add uncooked chicken breasts and cover with liquid. Simmer slowly until chicken is cooked through. Discard liquid. Cool chicken and chop into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to:

1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can artichoke, chopped (not the marinated kind)
1/2 lb. Velveta cheese with jalapenos
1 can evaporated milk or an equal amount of half and half
2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Mix all ingredients together. Stir frequently until heated through. Watch the mixture does not burn on the bottom. Can be made or served warm out of a crockpot.

Vegetarian Chili

1 Tbls. olive oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 Tbls. garlic, chopped
1 28 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes, very important do not substitute for other kinds of tomatoes MUST BE FIRE ROASTED
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. red chili flakes, optional (I did not use)
3 15.5 ounce cans beans, chickpeas, kidney, black and/or white beans or 4 1/2 cups cooked beans
4 cups fat free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used Knorr vegetable bullion cubes, 2 reconstituted with 4 cups boiling water)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups baby spinach leaves or 3 cups torn kale leaves (I used spinach, a great way to use spinach on the verge of going bad)


In a large sauce pan (4 quart), heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Do not brown the garlic.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and chili flakes (optional). Simmer 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (2 cans) of the beans and 3 1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. (I dumped all 3 cans of beans and broth into the stew and ladeled out 2 cups (1 1/2 plus 1/2 cups seen next step) of the mixed beans, tomatoes, broth etc. into the blender eliminating the need to save some back when dumping. I then added the cilantro to this mixture and purred.)
Meanwhile, place remaining 1 1/2 cups beans and 1/2 cup broth in a food processor or blender. Add the cilantro and puree or blend until smooth. Add the puree to the stew. Just before serving add the greens and stir until wilted. Serve hot. Makes 10 1 cup servings. From "The Biggest Loser: 6 Weeks to a Healthier You" (cookbook by Rodale)

Nutrition information per serving: 160 calories, 8 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 grams fiber, 300 mg sodium (to further reduce sodium, I used low salt beans)

PTSA Salad

Dressing:
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
½ tsp. salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped dry onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup canola oil

Mix well and add to spinach, mixed greens, strawberries, blueberries, dried cherries, mandarin oranges and feta cheese. You can also add grilled chicken to make this a main dish.

Stackos

{Stackos}
(formerly known as Okinawa Tacos)
From Maren Durham by way of Mary Durham

Individual Family Size recipe:

2 cans Hormel chili without beans or ¼ tsp. chili seasoning and 2 cans tomato sauce
1½ cups brown gravy (use brown gravy mix and follow directions for 1½ cups)
1 onion
1 lb. hamburger
1 pkg. taco seasoning or ¼ cup taco seasoning

Recipe for 30 people:
# 10 can tomato sauce
1 ¼ cup chili seasoning
6 cups brown gravy
4 onions
5 lbs. ground beef
1 cup taco seasoning

Chop onion and cook with ground beef. Drain grease from cooked meat. Mix all other ingredients together. Put in a large oven safe pot and cook at 250 degrees for a couple of hours.

Serve with:
Sticky white rice
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Sour cream
Guacamole

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup milk
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 to 2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 Tbls or more butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups or fill with papers. Spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Put measured flour in a mixing bowl and stir in 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat egg in a separate bowl with oil and milk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture until just moistened. Fold blueberries gently into batter. Fill prepared muffin cups two thirds full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until muffins are done. While still warm invert muffins and dip tops into melted butter and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Makes 12 muffins.

Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Dressing
1 cup oil
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup cider vinegar
6 Tbls sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Salad
2 cups cooked chicken (diced or shredded)
1 16 oz. box bow tie pasta (cooked al dente)
1 16 oz. package pre-washed spinach
6 oz. craisins
3 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 small bunch green onions, sliced fine using green tops
6 oz. honey roasted peanuts
1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds (not too critical to the salad if left out)

Mix dressing ingredients and pour over cooked pasta. Marinate covered, overnight or several hours. An hour before serving, assemble salad. Can wait to add peanuts and sunflower seeds until time to serve so they don't get soggy.

To see Megan's version of is salad, click here.

Junior League Tarragon Chicken

1½ cups mayonnaise
1 cup finely chopped green onion
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. dried tarragon

Mix above ingredients together the day ahead and allow flavors to mingle. Store in the refrigerator.

12 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (I cut in half or thirds if large)
1 package phyllo (fillo) dough, thaw both sleeves of dough
1 1/3 cups butter, melted
Parmesan cheese

Take out one sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush with butter. Lay another sheet of dough on top. Place the piece of chicken on the dough in the center of one side. Place 1 ½ tablespoons of the sauce on top of the chicken and fold the phyllo up into an envelope. Generously brush the top with butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. At this point, freeze them or bake on a cookie sheet. If freezing, wrap the cookie sheet well in saran wrap. Defrost for 3 hours before baking. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes and the tops are golden brown.

Cook’s note: There is always sauce left over and more cannot be used or the dough is soggy. You may want to try cutting the sauce recipe down.

Carmel Apple Dip

1 cup brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 cup butter
1/2 jar marshmallow cream

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil over stove, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in marshmallow cream. Allow to cool. Serve with sliced apples.

Spinach Turnovers

2 T. oil ( I don't use)
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
1 cup cottage cheese, drained
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 pkgs. Pepperidge Farms Patty Shells, thawed

Clean spinach. Chop onion and saute in oil, along with spinach. Cook until limp. Set aside to cool. Beat an egg and mix it with the cottage and feta cheeses. Add cooled spinach mixture. This is the filling.Roll the individual patty shells into 6" squares (as large as possible). Put a blob of filling on the patty shell and fold it like a turnover. Pinch the edges closed. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Peach Dessert

1 package vanilla waffers, crushed (or Keebler french vanilla cookies)
2 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cube butter, softened
7 or 8 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 pint whipping cream or 2 cups frozen cool whip topping, thawed

Crush the cookies with a rolling pin. Push them into the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Mix together eggs, sugar, and butter. Spread carefully over the top of the crumbs. Peel and slice the peaches on top of the powdered sugar filling. Spread the whipped cream, which has been whipped and sweetened, over the top of the peaches. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serves 12.

Abbey's "Peachy Keen" Smoothie

Peachy Keen
1 cup low fat peach yogurt
3/4 cup peach nectar (Kern's or Jumex can be purchased inexpensively at Walmarts with groceries)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 1/2 cup frozen peach fruit cocktail (see recipe below)

Combine the yogurt and nectar then add raspberries and peaches. Blend until smooth.Makes two large smoothies.

Frozen Fruit Cocktail
Blanch 15 - 20 peaches then peel, pit and slice into an extra large bowl.
Add 2 cups sugar
1 lb. green or red grapes
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, with juice
Juice of 3 lemons (can use 1/3 cup frozen lemon juice)
Juice of 3 oranges (can use 1 cup reconstituted, frozen orange juice)

Combine all until sugar is dissolved and freeze in quart bags, jars, or other containers (I use quart bags and measure 1 1/2 cups into each and freeze flat). Partially defrost when ready to serve and add bananas, raspberries, apples, or strawberries for color and variety. Serve over ice cream or shortcake with whipped cream.

Susan's {never fail} Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb. butter or marg
2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 Tb. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp salt (she halves this)
1 1/2 Tb. baking soda
6 C. flour
2 C. chocolate chips

cream butter, sugar and salt together in mixer.
add remaining ingredients
on greased cookie sheet, bake @ 350 for 10 minutes