This was sent to me by a friend. I don't know who's recipe or even who's pictures these are so if its yours or you know who's it is PLEASE let me know so I can give them credit!

This was sent to me by a friend. I don't know who's recipe or even who's pictures these are so if its yours or you know who's it is PLEASE let me know so I can give them credit!

YUM! YUM! YUM!  

 

 

 

This delicious broccoli salad is perfect for Springtime dining and with the addition of cheese filled tortellini, it can be a light lunch or dinner main course as well as a great side salad.  This can also be made the night before, but I do like to leave the bacon out until I serve.  I just like the bacon to remain crisp.  This recipe is perfect to take to pot lucks or for large family gatherings, because it does make a lot of salad.  If you are cooking for a smaller family, you can easily just cut this recipe in half.  Here is what you will need for this:

 

1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

20 oz. tortellini, cooked according to package direction and then drained and rinsed under cold water (can use fresh or frozen and the tri -color is pretty)

2 heads fresh broccoli, stems removed and the florets cut in bite size pieces

1 cup dried cranberries (can use raisins)

1 cup sunflower seeds

4 green onions, chopped including some of the green blades

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbs. cider vinegar (white will work also)

pinch of salt

pinch of black pepper

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, cranberries or raisins, sunflower seeds, green onions and tortellini. 

 

In a smaller bowl mix the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

 

Pour over the broccoli mixture and combine well.

 



I like to chill this for about an hour before serving, but you can serve immediately.  Right before serving, mix 2/3 of the bacon into the salad and sprinkle 1/3 on top.   This holds up well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator if you do have leftovers.

 

 

Tortellini and Broccoli Harvest Salad!





Pot o' Beans

2 # dried pinto beans

Rinse + add to large crock. Fill pot 1-2" from the top.

Then add:

1 T onion pwd

1 t garlic pwd

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t ground chili pwd

2 t salt

2-4 t olive oil

Stir. Place lid on the crock, cook low all night until dinner next day

OR High at least 8 hours. (slow and low is yummier).

Then blend with mixer until creamy if desired.

split pea soup

*more about this recipe here*

Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 stalks celery, chopped, 1 3/4 cups dried split peas, 1 bay leaf, 2 carrots, chopped, 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed, 1 onion, chopped, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cans chicken broth, 2 ounces diced ham, 2 teaspoons dried chervil, salt and pepper to taste.

1. Saute the garlic, onion and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add peas, broth, bay leaf and ham. Cook on low heat 3-4 hours until peas are soft.

2. Once the peas are soft, stir in the potatoes, carrots and chervil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water as needed to adjust the thickness of the soup.

Original recipe here.

Bento Box Lunches

I've been making these with my leftover for awhile... so much fun!

::turkey + cheese roll ups, shredded carrots, "tree" lettuce leaf, sliced olives::
::grapes, sliced strawberries, bamboo "fork", PB+J roll ups, junior mints::

::side view::

::hand for size comparison::

::string for easy carrying and label with name::

OK this was soooooo Yummy!
I was a little reluctant with it ... but yum!!
:)

Sausage and Polenta with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Start to Finish: 30 min. Oven: 400 F

1/2 of a 16 ounce tube refrigerated cooked polenta (I made mine yesterday... used this recipe so it would be ready to bake today.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 uncooked sweet Italian sausage links (about 1 pound total), each cut into 4 pieces (I used polish... its what I had)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons snipped dried tomatoes (I used mine that I dried last year)
1 8 ounce package mixed salad greens
1/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400F Cut polenta into 1/4 inch slices, cut each slice in half. Brush polenta with oil. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until light brown, turning once. (you could totally cheat and just make corn muffin pancakes... if you didn't want to make polenta, or cant find it ready done, not the same... but similar)

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat for 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove sausage from skillet. Drain off fat; wipe skillet with paper towels.

3. Return sausage to skillet; add apple juice, vinegar and dried tomatoes. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8 - 10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink.

4. To serve, divide salad greens among four plates. Arrange polenta slices and sausage pieces next to greens. Drizzle balsamic mixture over all. If desired, sprinkle with nuts.

Makes 4 servings (so I doubled mine... we ate everything but the sausage... which will re-heat into something else. :)

Recipe from Better home and gardens special interest publications: Quick and Easy Recipes (reprint)

Chicken Enchilada casserole
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 package taco seasoning
2 cups salsa Verde
9 fajita size flour tortillas
1 can re fired beans, warmed in micro
8 oz sour cream
3 cups shredded cheese

I put 3 chicken breast in crock pot with 1/4 cup salsa, a can of mexi tomatoes, and a small can of green chilies and let cook on high a few hours until chicken was done. ( I didn't have salsa Verde...so I improvised).
Then I put two tortillas (I only had large ones...) in the pan and put have the chicken mix on top (I shredded chicken and put it back in crock and mixed it all together). The I covered with two more tortillas. Then I mixed beans and cottage cheese (Yup you guessed it... no sour cream...) together and then spread that on top of the tortillas, then add about a cup of cheese. Then two more tortilla's then the rest of the chicken mix on top and then another cup of cheese (If your keeping track ... that's only 2 cups of cheese... I didn't have 3). Then bake at 350 for 25 min., until bubbly.

This was really good and very easy. I will make it again... but I will try to use more of the original ingredients... but my throw together one was yummy too!
.....

P.S. Original Recipe is in Mays Family Circle page 206 (this issue has TONS of meals in it and we will be trying more)
Original Recipe
Chicken enchilada Casserole
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups salsa verde
9 fajita size flour tortillas
1 can re fried beans, warmed in microwave
8 oz sour cream
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1- Heat oven to 350. Mix chicken, taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water and salsa verde in a skillet. Simmer on medium heat for 10 min.

2- Coat 13x9x2 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cover bottom of pan with 3 flour tortillas, overlapping. Pour half of the chicken mixture on the tortillas. Cover with 3 more tortillas. Spread with warmed beans and the sour cream.

3- Sprinkle half the cheese over the beans and sour cream, and cover with the remaining 3 tortillas. Top with remaining chicken mixture, followed by remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 to 28 minutes, until bubbly.

Black Bean and Veggie Wraparitos
Serves 6

6 whole wheat tortillas
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Salsa (your favorite kind)

Heat tortillas and keep warm.
Using a little cooking spray, spray a skillet and saute the onion and mushrooms until tender. Add beans and heat through. Add spinach and remove from heat.
Divide mixture evenly among the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Fold up like a burrito and serve with salsa.
YUM!

**Recipe from a yahoo group**