Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Serves 4

8 cups baby spinach
2 cups blueberries
3 cups sliced strawberries
4 oz goat cheese
sliced almonds
green onions
bacon bits

Dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together salad ingredients.  Add additional honey if needed for desired sweetness.

Place spinach and berries in a large bowl.  Toss with dressing until well coated (refrigerate extra dressing).   Divide spinach mixture on 4 serving plates.   Crumble goat cheese on top.  Add other toppings as desired.

Creamy Avocado Chicken Casserole

Adapted a recipe I saw on Pinterest. 

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup chicken broth (may need a little more) 

2 tsp cumin (optional - I forgot it) 

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried cilantro ( can use more of you like cilantro) 

1 cup salsa verde

1/2 cup sour cream 

3 cup shredded cooked chicken

2 avocados, chopped

1 tsp lime juice

2 cup shredded cheese (more or less, I didn't measure) 

15 small flour tortillas ( can use corn tortillas) 

Preheat oven to 375. 

Cook and shred the chicken. It can be a coarse shred and diced would probably work okay too. Set aside. 

Dice avocados and stir with the lime juice. Set aside. 

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the garlic.  Sauté for 1 minute. 

Stir in the flour, making a roux. 

Add 1 cup of chicken broth and stir tin well. Heat to a boil and allow to cook until  it starts to thicken. Stir often. It should be a thin gravy. If it gets too thick add a little more chicken broth - heat a little at a time. 

Mix together the cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, salsa and sour cream.  Pour in the chicken broth gravy and stir to combine well. 

Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the pan. Layer 5 tortillas on top of the sauce.  I tear 3 tortillas in half and lay them around the edges (1 at each narrow end and 2 side by side along the long side) with torn edges along the side of the dish. Lay the 2 remaining tortillas on top to cover the center. 

Sprinkle 1/2 of the chicken on top of the tortillas, then 1/2 of the avocado and about 1/2 cup of cheese. Drizzle about 1/2 cup sauce on top. Add another layer of tortillas, the remaining chicken, avocado and 1/2 cup cheese. Drizzle with 1/2 cup sauce. 

 Place a third layer of tortillas and top with the remaining sauce. Cover with the remaining cheese. 

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

The sauce tasted good just by itself. It would be good over grilled chicken breasts or enchiladas. I'm thinking even as the sauce in a wrap with some chicken, lettuce, tomato and cheese. 

I served the casserole on a bed of lettuce with some sour cream and salsa verde on top.  Some Mexican succotash on the side (recipe below).  

Mexican Succotash

1 can black beans rinsed and drained well

1 can Mexicorn, do not drain

1 Tbsp Kraft lime cilantro dressing and marinade ( if not available, use salsa) 

Mix well and heat through. 

Whippersnapper Cookies

This is a recipe I got from my friend Carolyn many years ago.  It is easy (only 4 ingredients) but pretty cookie.

The cookies in the photo were made using a Red Velvet/Green Velvet cake mix I found at Aldi's.  You can use any cake mix.  I have used German Chocolate, Lemon and Strawberry.  All were good.

1 cake mix (dry)
1 egg
2 cups non-dairy whipped topping (Cool-Whip)
powdered sugar

Mix together the cake mix, egg and whipped topping.  The dough will be very stiff.  You can chill it at this point and then roll into balls before placing in the powdered sugar but if you don't have time to chill the dough, you can just drop small spoonfuls into the powdered sugar  Roll around to coat with the sugar and then place on a baking sheet.   The cookies will spread some so leave about 1.5 inches between them.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (chewy) or 12-15 minutes (crispy).  Remove from baking sheet to a cooling rack.  Store in an airtight container.

Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 tenderloins) 

1 tbsp canola oil

2 garlic cloves, minced (opt'l. I forgot them ) 

2 tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 cup diced carrots 

1 cup diced bell pepper

1 1/2 cup diced broccoli ( I used mostly the stems saving the forets for another day. If stem are tough, peel outer layer with a potato peeler. )

1 cup diced celery 

1 cup diced green onions 

3 cups nappa cabbage slice thinly 

Water (approx 1/4 cup) 

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup cold water 

1 tbsp corn starch 

Chop up vegetables before starting the cooking. Can group them in bowls - carrots, peppers, and broccoli in one bowl, celery and green onions in a second bowl and cabbage in a third. 

In large skillet or wok, heat oil. Add chicken and stir fry until very little pink remains. Stir in teriyaki sauce to cost the chicken. 

Add the carrots, peppers and broccoli. Stir fry for several minutes until carrots just begun to soften. 

Add celery and green onion - stir fry for a minute or two. Add some water if the liquid is all absorbed. 

Add cabbage and stir fry a minute.  Add soy sauce and stir to coat everything.  Make a clear spot in the center of the skillet or wok. Dissolve the corn starch in the 1/2 cup water.  Poorly into the clear area and stir in the veggies and chicken until the sauce is slightly thickened. 

Serve over hot rice. 

Baked mushroom chicken

4 chicken tenderloins, flattened to 1/4 inch thick

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3 Tbsp butter

8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag.  Add chicken breasts and shake to coat. 

In a large skillet, melt the butter and cook the chicken until lightly browned on both sides.  Transfer to 8 x 8 baking dish.

In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms.  Add the broth, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and cook until mushrooms are tender and broth is reduced by about 1/2. 

Spoon mushrooms and juices over the chicken.

Bake uncovered at 375 for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and green onions and return to the oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Crockpot Porcupine Meatballs

1.5 lb lean ground beef 

1 egg

1Tbsp garlic powder 

1Tbsp onion powder

1 cup uncooked rice

8 oz can tomato sauce

1 cup water 

Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT tomato sauce and water.  Be sure to mix well. 

Shake into 9 meatballs. Place in a single layer in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour water in around the meatballs. Spoon tomato sauce on top of each meatball. 

Cook on Low for 4 hours ( can leave for 6 hours). Can spoon any extra sauce on top to serve. 

Salmon with zesty lime sauce

Salmon filets ( I use the individually packaged frozen ones - thawed) 

Lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 cup light sour cream 

1 tbsp Kraft zesty lime vinaigrette 

Mix sour cream and vinaigrette and set aside.  

Season salmon on both sides with the lemon pepper seasoning.  Spray skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add salmon to the skillet and cook until flaky - about 6 minutes in each side. Allow to brown a little. 

Serve salmon with a tbsp or more of the cream sauce.