This dressing is the perfect accompaniment to Cafe Zupas Summer Chicken Salad.
Ingredients:
1 cup red wine vinegar
4 strawberries
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 cup canola oil
1. In blender, combine vinegar, strawberries, salt, and sugar. Blend well.
2. While blender is going, slowly pour in oil.
3. Toss with salad.
Source: Cafe Zupas by way of food.com
I’m no stranger to homemade cleaning products. We try to make our own window cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, and even laundry detergent. But I guess I never let my brain explore the possibility of homemade dishwasher detergent. About a week ago , though, I was cleaning the kitchen and loaded up the dishwasher only to realize we were out of detergent. My husband asked if I had a “recipe” for a homemade version. Well, I do now. Other than a few tiny spots here and there, it works wonderfully well.
Ingredients:
1 part baking soda
1 part Borax
White vinegar
1. Combine the baking soda and borax in a plastic container with a lid. Use 2 Tbsp. per dish load.
2. Pour white vinegar into the rinse compartment. It will be your rinse agent. (You don’t have to pour this in each time. Just check it each time to make sure it has enough. There should be a fill line on it to show you how much is in there.)
NOTE: This is probably best used either as a backup to your regular detergent (if you run out suddenly like I did) or as a way to save some money by alternating with your regular detergent. I say this because after a few cycles it tends to start leaving glass dishes looking kind of cloudy.
Source: tipnut.com
I love Hungry-Girl.com. She has amazing recipes that are oh so healthy. It’s a must go to site if you are ever on Weight Watchers, too. This recipe is a favorite of mine. So easy to whip up and super yummy on a hot summer day.
Ingredients:
One 16-oz. package Broccoli Slaw
1 C. canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
1 C. canned mandarin orange segments, drained and chopped
1 C. chopped scallions
2/3 C. Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
1/4 C. silvered almonds, toasted
Directions:
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together, and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Stir well before serving. Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings.
Weight Watcher Points Plus: 3
Source: www.hungry-girl.com
Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings
Prep time 15 minutes
No nostalgic story to share here girls. Just plain good eats!
Premium ice cream gives the custard an extra-rich texture. but other brands can also be used in this recipe (I happened to already have some homemade cheesecake ice cream in the freezer so I used that. It had a very mild cheesecake flavor.) The addition of flour eliminates the need for a troublesome water bath.
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped fresh peaches (about 2 large)
1 pt. premium vanilla ice cream, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (5.25 oz.) package sugar cookies, coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350. Divide blackberries and peaches between 8 lightly greased 6 oz. custard cups (about 1/3 cup per custard cup).
2. Pour melted ice cream into flour in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth; whisk in eggs. Pour mixture over fruit in custard cups. Top with sugar cookies. Place custard cups on a 15 x 10 inch jelly-roll paln.
3. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or un til custard is set. Cool on pan 40 minutes.
For years I have wanted to decorate fancy sugar cookies, but really did not know how to get that porcelain look. In rummaging through one of my favorite recipe sites, Annie’s Eats, I came across this wonderful recipe along with a royal icing tutorial for the whole “fancy” process. This cookie is sturdy enough to keep its shape while cooking, but has a tender texture when eaten. And the icing process, while a little time consuming (waiting for the different steps to set), is much easier than I thought it would be. The results are so worth the time you put in. I found the teapot and teacup cookie cutters here and the oven mitt (ahem, actually, it’s a mitten) here.
The Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour
1. Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Add in powdered sugar and mix well.
2. Blend in remaining ingredients.
3. Place dough between two layers of plastic wrap. Press dough to flatten it some, cover up any exposed dough, and place on a plate or small cookie sheet. Chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes.
4. Roll out dough to no thinner than 1/4″ on a well-floured surface. Cut out cookies and place on a greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cooled.
Yield: depends on size of your cookie cutters. I got 50+ cookies out of a double batch.
Source: Annie’s Eats
The Royal Icing
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5 tbsp. water
1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes).
2. Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. (Remember, if you are having any difficulty piping, it is still too thick. Add a little more liquid and try again.)
3. Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.
4. Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with what is still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again.
5. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set.
6. Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired. Gel icing color is best as it does not add a significant amount of liquid. Liquid food coloring can be used as well – add powdered sugar as needed to compensate for any thinning that occurs.
Yield: Makes enough to decorate at least one batch of the above sugar cookies, using 4-5 colors.
Source: Annie’s Eats (Her photos and tutorial are in this link as well…..great step by step photos!)
Did you know that there are 13 or more scripture references in the Scriptures (including the Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants) when the Lord counseled, “be of good cheer”? All of those, to whom He gave this counsel, were in deep despair, danger or distress. Sound familiar? I suppose to some degree we have all felt despair, danger and/or distress in our lives. And not to sound all gloom and doom, but there are a LOT of terrible things that happen every day in this world. So “what is left to be cheerful about?”
While reading a BYU women’s conference address given by Camille Fronk Olson, I was strengthened in my testimony of the role that our Savior, Jesus Christ, played in the plan of happiness. He overcame the world! And because He did, we are able to overcome the obstacles that we face every day. As we put our faith in Him and recognize that He has suffered the despair and distress that we are facing, we can better understand that we not given trials so that we will suffer. We are given trials so that we will learn. So we will grow and become better people–more righteous sons and daughters of God.
Sometimes we think, “If I can just get through this…I will be happy.” A good friend of mine posted on Facebook yesterday, “Car a mess, computer a mess, waistline a mess, finances a mess, house a mess…..but with Jesus…no stress 🙂 He has it all under control!” Remembering that He is in control allows us to let go of our heartaches and be of good cheer now. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
One of my favorite dinner salads is California Pizza Kitchen’s Field Greens salad. I’ve re-created it at home as both a main and side dish.
Ingredients:
Large head of romaine or two bags of field greens
One pear, peeled and thinly sliced
3 to 4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
Glazed or candied walnuts
Balsamic Vinaigrette (or Ken’s Steakhouse Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette)
1. Chop romaine or simply pour contents of bagged field greens
2. Top with pears, Gorgonzola and walnuts
3. Toss with vinaigrette
A few things to consider:
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 tsp corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups walnuts
1. In a small saucepan, heat sugar, corn syrup, water and salt to rolling boil, and let boil for two to three minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla, cinnamon and walnuts.
3. Pour on wax paper to cool.
4. Allow 12 to 24 hours to completely cool and harden.