Caramel Chex Mix

6 cups Rice Chex

6 cups Corn Chex

6 cups Crispix

1 cup butter (no substitutions)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

 

Heat oven to 250.  Combine cereal in a bowl.  In medium saucepan combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup.  Stir constanly until boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour over cereal and stir to coat.  Spread onto greased cookie sheet(s).  Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 min.  Put on wax paper to cool.  Break apart while cooling.

 

Helps:  I usually use two aluminum roaster pans, easy to stir and easy clean up.

           I prefer the cereal a little more coated, so i use 1.5 times the sauce (ie 1.5 cup butter, 1.5 cups brown         sugar, 3/4 corn syrup and 1.5 tsp vanilla.) 

          

Mom’s Apple Pie

1 package refrigerated pie dough 

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour, stirred

2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice

8 - 9 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon butter 

1 egg

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare pie crusts as directed on package for two-crust pie using 9-inch pie plate.

Peel and thinly slice apples into a large bowl. Mix sugar, flour and apple pie spice in small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples in large bowl; toss to coat well. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate, pile it in the pie plate but make sure there are no large gaps, sometimes I actually hand place the first few layers so I know they are flat in the pie plate. Dot with butter. Top with second pie crust. Turn edges up and seal and flute edge. Cut small slits in top crust. If desired add cut-outs of an apple with leaves. Brush crust with a beaten well egg and sprinkle with additional tablespoon of sugar.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack.

Thoughts --- 1. Use a combination of 1/2 granny smith and 

                       1/2 Jonathan and MacIntosh

   2. I like Pillsbury Ready Crust, not the store 

                       brand ... there really is a difference

   3. I usually brush the top with maple syrup 

                       about 10 minutes before the end, this give 

                       a beautiful professional look to the pie!

Greek Guinoa and Avacado Salad

         1/2  cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained*
1   cup water
2   roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/2  cup shredded fresh spinach
1/3  cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
2   tablespoons lemon juice (add an extra Tbs if you would like it on the tart side)
2   tablespoons olive oil
1/2  teaspoon salt 

Spinach leaves
2   ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced**
1/3  cup crumbled feta cheese or other soft cheese

1.  In a 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl and allow to cool.  Add tomato, spinach, and onion; stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. When ready to serve, place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates.  Arrange avocado slices on spinach leaves. Spoon quinoa mixture over avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Note  * Rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove a bitter substance called saponin that coats the seeds.

Note  ** Brush avocado slices with additional lemon juice to prevent browning.

Citrus Vinaigrette

1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
3/4 cup fresh citrus juice (lemon, lime or orange, or a combination)
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 1/2 cups canola/olive oil blend or 1 1/4 cups of evoo and 1 1/4 cups canola oil
Salt and White pepper to taste

Add vinegar, citrus juice, shallots and mustard to a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Slowly add oils while blender is running until emulsified; the vinaigrette should be thick.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add more citrus juice or vinegar, to taste, if desired. Use on your favorite salad or on roasted vegetables.

Crunchy Country Sweet Pickles

This recipe comes from Eufaula Alabama.  Gail Carroll's mother Peggy Scott gave me this recipe after I raved about her sweet pickles ... she was a great Southern cook and could work magic in the kitchen.

No heating or sealing required ... you can make a 1/2 recipe if you like

Ingredients

 Pickling Cucumbers (about 20 to 24 lbs) 

2 lbs. plain or pickling salt (do not use iodized salt)

1 gallon white vinegar
6 oz powdered alum (buy it on the internet at myspicesage.com)
10 lbs. sugar
4 tablespoon pickling spices

Use whole medium size cucumbers, wash thoroughly.  In a 5 gallon plastic bucket or pottery crock; put enough cucumbers to come 3/4 full.  Dissolve 2 lbs plain salt in l gallon of water, pour over cucumbers.  Weight down and keep them covered, a washed rocks inside a glass pie plate does fine.  Cover with a clean dish towel and let stand in a dark cool place for 2 weeks (14 days).

Take cucumbers out, wash them, also the bucket.  Slice cucumbers about 1/2 inch thick and put back in the bucket.  Cover with alum water, about 6 oz alum to 1 gallon of water.  Weigh down, cover and let stand for 24 hours.

Take cucumbers out, rinse them and the bucket.  Put them back in the bucket and cover with 1 gallon of vinegar.  Let stand for 24 hours.

Next drain vinegar off cucumbers and discard all but 4 cups of vinegar.  Tie spices in a cloth and simmer gently (with lid on) in reserved vinegar for about 10 minutes.

Pour the 10 lbs of sugar and spice solution over the cucumbers, stir gently (use your hands ... it is the only way to get to the bottom of the bucket).  Stir once or twice a day for the next few days, leave in bucket until the sugar is completely dissolved and the juices are rising to the top. It is best to wait about a week before packing in jars.

Picles are done.  Sterilize jars in the dishwasher (I use canning jars, mayonnaise jars and spaghetti sauce jars), stir pickles one more time and tightly pack in jars adding enough syrup to cover pickles.  These don't have to heat sealed -- the last for a couple of years on the cupboard shelf.

Creamy Salad Dressing

Add this low-fat salad dressing to coleslaw, pasta salad, and potato salad, or drizzle it over fresh greens.

ingredients

         1/4  cup plain low-fat yogurt
2   tablespoons light mayonnaise or salad dressing
2   tablespoons fat-free milk

         Salt and pepper to taste

         1   tablespoon snipped fresh parsley or chives 

         2 - 3 tablespoons of White or Red Wine, or Rice Vinegar (depending on what type of salad you are  putting it on)

Add ons: again depending on application1/4  teaspoon dried basil, oregano, or thyme, crushed (optional)

         1/4  teaspoon dried dillweed (optional)
1/8  teaspoon celery seed (optional)

directions

1.  In a small mixing bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise, milk, parsley or chives, and salt and pepper.

2.  If desired, add one of the remaining ingredients. Makes 8 1-tablespoon servings. May double or triple recipe if leftovers are desired.

Make Ahead Tip

Cover and chill up to 48 hours.

Tony's Salad

All ingredients should be gauged by the number of people you would like to serve.  As written this recipe makes 6 generous servings

1 bag of Spring Mix lettuce
1 bag of Baby Spinich
1 can (well drained) Mandarin Oranges
1 cup sliced fresh Strawberries (or fruit of the season, blueberries, apples, peaches)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion (red onion gives the best flavor)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion (red onion gives the best flavor)
Briannas Poppy Seed Dressing

Mix first seven (7) ingredients in a large Salad Bowl cover and refrigerate until just before serving, then add onions and dressing, toss and serve immediately .... this salad doesn't keep well so make only enough for the number of people to be served .... is great served with grilled meat or for a brunch.

Salmon Macaroni Salad

Tip: add the macaroni to the salmon mayo mixture when it is still warm. That way it will absorb the flavors better.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound (about 2 cups) macaroni pasta

Salt

2 (7-ounce) cans salmon

1/2 cup mayonnaise (plus more to taste or for added smoothness)

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup chopped shallots, red onions, or green onions (with onion greens)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup frozen peas (thawed)

Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1 Bring a pot of water (2 quarts) to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Add the dry macaroni pasta and cook, uncovered, in a rolling boil for about 10 minutes, or until the macaroni is al dente (slightly firm). Remove from heat, drain, rinse briefly in cold water (macaroni should be still warm after rinsing) and drain again.

2 In a large bowl mix the salmon, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix in the shallots, parsley, dill, celery and peas.

3 Mix in the cooked macaroni while it is still warm. Add freshly ground pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings.

Chill before serving. Serves 4.