Cucumber Sandwiches

Served at Book Club "Tea Party"

Ingredients
1 loaf of yummy bread (needs to be a wide loaf)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 packet dry Italian Dressing mix
1-2 cucumbers

1. Add Italian Dressing mix to cream cheese. Season to taste. I like it pretty "seasoned" so you can tasted it on the bread.
2. Peel and slice cucumber lengthwise. I like them medium thickness so you can really taste the cucumber.
3. Cut the crust off of bread, and slice piece lengthwise in half to make two thin rectangles. Use bread wide enough so that a piece of cucumber fits easily onto the sliced bread.
4. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture on each piece bread.
5. Add a slice of cucumber.

English Scones

Served at Book Club "Tea Party"

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Cranberry Spinach Salad

1 tbsp butter
3/4 c almonds, blanched and slivered
1 lb spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 c dried cranberries
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 c white sugar
2 tsp minced onion
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 c vegetable oil

Melt butter and cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool. In large bowl, combine the spinach with the almonds and cranberries. In medium bowl, whisk together sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.

Pork Salad

Here is the recipe for what we had for dinner on Easter Sunday. It was so yummy! Thanks everyone for bringing your part!

CAFE RIO SALAD

There are 3 parts to the salad: the rice, the pork, and the dressing.

[ LIME-CILANTRO RICE ]

2 Tbsp. oil
4 c. long grain rice (6 c. water)
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 2 limes
2 tsp. crushed garlic

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes). You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.

[ CAFE RIO PORK ]

pork roast
1 (16 oz.) bottle of salsa
1 can coke
2 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock-pot and fill it half way up with water. Cook roast on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together ingredients (salsa, coke, brown sugar) and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

[ CREAMY TOMATILLA SALAD DRESSING ]

1 packet hidden valley ranch buttermilk dressing
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo or sour cream
2-3 tomatillas (peel off outer leaf/shell)
1 tsp. crushed garlic
¾ bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)
salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.

[ SERVING ]

Of course you can assemble everything burrito-style. I prefer salad-style. For one serving, I first put a tortilla on a plate (or a large serving bowl, like the pasta bowl shown in the photo). Then put rice, pork, some chopped lettuce, and the dressing. Finally, garnish your salad with shredded cheese, tomatoes, sliced avocados, or whatever you want.

Crispy Baked Chicken Pesto

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

1 pkt.  SHAKE 'N BAKE Chicken Coating Mix

2 Tbsp. pesto

1/4 cup  KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 

PREHEAT oven to 400ºF. Coat chicken with coating mix. Place in 8-inch square baking dish.
BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF).
TOP chicken with pesto; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed vegetables.

Food Facts

Pesto is an uncooked sauce made with fresh basil, garlic, pignoli (pine nuts), Parmesan or Pecorino cheese and olive oil. This classic, fresh-tasting sauce originated in Italy and is a favorite on pasta and chicken dishes. Look for prepared pesto in either the refrigerated aisle of your supermarket, with the sauces and dressings in the produce aisle or with the jarred pasta sauces in the grocery aisle.

I never knew what Pesto was until I made this dish. It is a new favorite! I love it!

Cheesy Meatball Subs

These are sooo yummy. And sooo quick to make. I make these when I am pinched for time. And my children LOVE them too!

1 cup spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup  water

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 lb.  (3/4 of 1-lb. pkg.) frozen cooked meatballs (1-1/2 inch)

4 crusty sandwich rolls, split

3/4 cup  KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 

COMBINE first 4 ingredients in large skillet. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
SIMMER on medium heat 8 min. or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.
SPOON into rolls; top with mozzarella.

Hot Macadamia Spread

1pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1TBSP milk
1/2C sour cream
2tsp prepared horseradish
1/4C finely chopped green pepper
1 green onion, chopped
1/2tsp garlic salt
1/4tsp pepper
1/2C chopped macadamia  nuts or blanched almonds
2tsp butter
assorted crackers

In a mixing bowl, cream cheese and milk until smooth. Stir in sour cream, horseradish, green pepper, onion, garlic salt, and pepper. Spoo ninto an ungreased, shallow 2 cup baking dish.

In a skillet, saute the nuts in butter for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle over cream cheese mixture.

Bake uncovered at 350' for 20 minutes. Serve with crackers.
Yield 6-8 servings

Double Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. smooth peanut butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 c. Reese's peanut butter chips. Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Add in eggs and continue beating. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in peanut butter chips. Bake for approximately 11-13 minutes until lightly browned.

these are the yummiest, softest cookies!!

Thanks for the recipe steph (and cammy moomy)! We love it at our house!!!

Cabbage Oriental Salad

Ruth- this is the recipe I promised to post a long time ago. The one of Nat's from the original recipe blog. Sorry, no picture. But next time I make it, I will post a picture here.

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 package chicken ramen
1 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 package frozen peas

DRESSING:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Break up ramen. Mix together: ramen, seasoning packet, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Mix dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare all ingredients. When ready to serve, mix together with noodle mixture and pour dressing over.

Toss and serve.

Greek Salad

Makes 2 Servings / 350 calories per serving

Because of the serving size, this salad could be a meal all by itself

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Salad Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce, torn
1 tomato, quartered
4 pepperocini peppers
1 small cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled low fat feta cheese
Several sprigs fresh dill, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into rings
8 calamata olives

Combine all dressing ingredients except salt and pepper; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired; let stand 5 minutes. Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl; toss with dressing.

French Dip Sandwiches

These sandwiches are SUPER yummy.....we had it the other night...and the dipping sauce is devine. It' sooo easy:

2-5lb roast (any kind)

1/2C Italian liquid dressing

1 can beef broth

1 packet Au Jus seasoning

Crock pot low 6-8hrs or high 4-5 hrs. Shred and put on rolls. Use the juice for the dipping sauce!

We just added chips and corn with it. Easy and yummy din!! I used a 2.5lb roast and it made enough for dinner that night and lunches for 2 days for both of us!