Simple Summer Fruit Salad

I must admit that I have been making the same Marshmallow Fruit Salad recipe for my entire life. It is a classic and deeelish. For Easter, though, I wanted to branch out and try new recipes and this recipe for Simple Summer Fruit Salad from Real Mom Kitchen looked perfect. If you are on the hunt for a fruit salad recipe I recommend trying this one out.

One note would be to make it the day you are going to serve it and try to finish any leftovers the first day or so. I thought it tasted much better fresh. I would also add marshmallows next time around and play around with different flavors of jello pudding to add. Delicious! Ready for the recipe?

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

One of the new recipes we tried out this Easter was this delicious Twice Baked Potato Casserole by Six Sisters' Stuff. Instead of going through the hassle of having to scoop out and refill potato skins, it is all mixed up and baked in one giant casserole dish. It received many compliments at our dinner and I bet it will at yours too. Many thanks to Six Sisters' Stuff for sharing this! Ready for the recipe?

Secret Recipe Club - Orange Vinaigrette from The Tasty Cheapskate

Orange Vinaigrette over Romaine lettuce with orange slices and fresh mozzarella

It is time for my favorite foodie event, the Secret Recipe Club! The idea of it is you are assigned a fellow food blogger each month, it is kept a secret of course, and you go to their food blog and pick a recipe (or more) to make. On the assigned date, everyone posts their creations and you go and visit and see all the goodies that were made. Sort of like a secret Santa, right?

My host who is organizing my group is Tina from Moms Crazy Cooking. Thank you Tina for hosting!

My assignment for this month was The Tasty Cheapskate where Jeanie blogs about frugal food recipes. While I was sorely tempted to make her recipe for Chocolate Chip Brownies, I decided to go with a delicious citrus vinaigrette instead. (I'm still making the brownies, though!)

 Here is Jeanie's recipe:

Orange Vinaigrette
Makes several servings

1/2 C sugar
1/3 C orange juice
1/2 C rice wine vinegar
1 C canola oil (olive would work too, but will add a distinct taste to your dressing; I liked the canola because it didn't get in the way of the orange)
2 Tbsp dry Italian dressing

1. Shake it up in a glass jar and let it stand for 30 minutes.

While I would have liked to add a few more veggies to my salad, I was out of stock so I kept it simple. The flavors in the vinaigrette are delicious and refreshing. Thank you Jeanie for a great recipe and a great alternative to the same ol' ranch dressing for this salad eater!

Source: Recipe from The Tasty Cheapskate

Roasted Potato & Vegetable Potato Salad

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If you are looking for a twist on the same ol' traditional potato salads, I have a tasty recipe for you to try. There is no mayo in this potato salad. Instead it is roasted with vegetables and mixed with a dressing of cider vinegar, oil and some optional Dijon mustard. Delicious! Ready for the recipe?

Parmesan Tomatoes

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I haven't posted a ton of side dish vegetables recipes before but I thought it was time for a new addition. Parmesan Tomatoes are a very basic recipe for a tomato topped with a creamy Parmesan spread. It is very customizable, just use whatever seasoning you are in the mood for, such as Italian, Cajun, or garlic. We used a blend from Penzeys called Fox Point that had a mix of salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion and green peppercorns. Tasty and easy. Ready for the recipe?

Sweet & Savory Spinach Salad

My mom made this salad a lot while we were growing up. She made the dressing from scratch, but you can save some time and buy a bottle of poppy seed dressing instead. I don't know what it is about the combination of spinach and poppy seed dressing, but it is oh so good.

Herbed Garlic Bread

First off, I didn't do so well with mashing the garlic into a paste, as you can see. I think my problem was not using enough salt. Ah well, it still tasted great.

Cheesy Potatoes

All in the same week I came across several recipes for Cheesy Potatoes (also known as Funeral Potatoes, Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole, etc.) and I knew I'd have to make it. There are small variations between the recipes, but if you ballpark it to match your tastes you should be fine.

Many thanks to The Farm Girl and Carrie's Cooking and Recipes for their recipes. It was ultra comforting and delicious.

Cheesy Potatoes (Also known as Funeral Potatoes, Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole, etc.)
Makes several servings

1 bag frozen hashbrowns
1 small can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
(I added a little bit of melted butter, help me God. The reason being one - butter is tasty and two - one recipe had a bit of melted butter and one did not, so I chose to add just a bit as a compromise)

1.  Preheat oven to 350-f degrees.  In medium sauce pan mix chicken soup, sour cream and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Pour hashbrowns into 9x13 casserole dish, making sure they are all broken apart.  Pour sauce over and the top and stir to combine.  Smooth out flat and bake for 1 hour or until light brown and bubbly.


Source: The Farm Girl and Carrie's Cooking and Recipes

North Woods Inn Red Cabbage Salad

Photos by a_sorense & Burger Baroness

North Woods Inn Red Cabbage Salad
4 servings

½ head red cabbage
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp onion powder

1. Shred half of the cabbage finely and the other half coarsely. Place in a large bowl.

2. Whisk together vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, and onion powder.

3. Toss the dressing with the cabbage.

4. Scrape the salad with the dressing into a zip-top bag or covered container and refrigerate at least 48 hours or until cabbage turns deep red, softens a bit, and flavors meld. It’s even better after 4 or 5 days.

North Woods Inn Buttermilk Blue Cheese Salad

Photos by a_sorense & Burger Baroness

North Woods Inn Buttermilk Blue Cheese Salad
Serves 4

For the Dressing:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese

shredded iceberg lettuce, 1 head

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Chill at least 3-4 hours to let flavors meld.

2. Add dressing to shredded iceberg lettuce and serve.

North Woods Inn Garlic Cheese Bread

Photos by a_sorense and Burger Baroness

 This is one of my very special, very secret recipes. When I was young my parents would take me to the North Woods Inn restaurant in California. With your meal you get a basket of garlic cheese bread, and a big family size bowl blue cheese salad and red cabbage salad. So much delicious food...it makes me want to take a nap just thinking about it. The cheese spread can also be added to a baked potato and put under the broiler.

North Woods Inn Garlic Cheese Bread
Makes many servings

1 pound grated Cheddar cheese
2 ounces grated Romano cheese
1-½ pounds butter, room temperature
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
⅛ teaspoon hot sauce
2-¼ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 loaves French or sourdough bread, sliced ½-inch thick
Additional Hungarian sweet paprika for sprinkling
*Tupperware containers for storage

1. In a kitchen aid style mixer, whip the room temperature butter for a few minutes, until nearly doubled in size and light in color.

2. Add Cheddar cheese, Romano cheese, garlic powder, paprika, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to the whipped butter. Stir until combined, using either the kitchen aid mixer or a large spoon. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. *I freeze half in a tupperware container, since it makes a ton of spread

3. Spread a thin cheese mixture on white bread slices. Place on foil lined pans.

4. Preheat oven broiler. Broil in batches until browned and bubbly.

Corndog Muffins

I felt like trying out a silly little recipe this evening, so corndog muffins it was! I made a few changes. First I cut the recipe in half, only using 1 small package of corn muffin mix and 4 hot dogs. Second, I cut the hot dogs into small pieces.

Note: I used cupcake liners, sprayed with Pam, which was a mistake. Use a good non-stick muffin pan instead.

You can serve these with a little yellow mustard or ketchup if you'd prefer. Enjoy!

Corndog Muffins
Makes 18 muffins

2 (8.5 ounce) packages cornbread mix
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
9 hot dogs, cut in half

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin tins.

2. Stir together the cornbread mix and the brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Fold the eggs and cheese into the dry mixture until moistened. Spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full. Add 1 hot dog half to each muffin.

3. Bake in a preheated oven 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cornbread Supreme

Cornbread Supreme. Oh Lordy. I think we've made this dish 4 or 5 times in the last two months. It is so gooooood. Especially with Calico Beans. Mmm. I think I may have to make it again this week. I'm getting cravings...Mmm.

Cornbread Supreme
Makes one 9" x 13" pan

1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (16 oz.) can cream style corn
16 oz. container sour cream
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup margarine or butter, melted
2 boxs Jiffy cornbread mix (7 1/2 oz. each)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1. In a large bowl, combine cornbread mix, sour cream, butter, whole kernel corn, cream style corn, and eggs. Place in a lightly greased 9" x 13" baking dish and sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350-f degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through. (My oven is old and I would say I cook it for 55-60 minutes)

Light and Sweet Cornbread

This great recipe comes from my sister. This would be great with some honey and whipped butter. Mmm.

Light and Sweet Cornbread
12 servings

1 1/2 C. all purpose flour
2/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. yellow or white corn meal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C. milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 C. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350-f degrees. Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake 35 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe by my sister

Creamy Noodles

I seem to forever be in need of side dishes for dinner. I was looking forward to trying this recipe for Creamy Noodles over at Stephanie Cooks. I slightly modified the recipe, which called for spinach, to suit my families picky tastes. Thank you to Stephanie Cooks for a great side dish that our family loved.

Creamy Noodles
Makes several servings

2 cups egg noodles, uncooked
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. light cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Onion powder, or dried minced onion works well too
Pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400-f degrees.

2. Cook the egg noodles to al dente, drain, and add them to a small baking dish.

3. In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, flour, light cream, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir well, until the flour is no longer clumpy.

4. Pour it over the noodles, stirring well.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, uncovered, stirring halfway through. Stir well and serve.

Shrimp Louis Pasta Salad

Today I'm bringing you my favorite pasta salad recipe, Shrimp Louis Pasta Salad. I made this last summer for Jack's first birthday and I absolutely loved it.  It is important to let the finished pasta salad chill for a few hours to let the flavor develop. It really makes a big difference in flavor.

Some reviewers reported that they thought there was too much sauce in this dish, but I thought it was just right. If you have leftovers, the sauce tends to be absorbed even more into the pasta a day after preparing. If this is a worry to you, increase the amount of pasta by just a bit.

Shrimp Louis Pasta Salad
Makes about 8 servings

3 cups spiral shaped pasta, uncooked
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup seafood cocktail sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1 lb medium cooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato, making sure to de-seed it
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper (or green, if you prefer the flavor)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ranch dressing, seafood cocktail sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and salt & pepper.

3. Stir in cooled pasta and remaining ingredients. Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors develop.


Recipe from Food.com

Parmesan Baked Artichokes

I prepared this delicious recipe of Parmesan Baked Artichokes for a Christmas party my family attended. I slightly adapted it after the fact to add more cheese. The original recipe, from a great blog, How Sweet It Is, called for 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, but when I made it, it was really just a dusting of cheese and I would prefer a more substantial layer of gooey, melted cheese. Many thanks to How Sweet It Is for the recipe.

Parmesan Baked Artichokes
Makes several servings

1 14oz can artichokes in water, drained
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian blend cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375-f degrees.

2. Layer artichokes in a baking dish. Drizzle olive oil on top. Season with salt, garlic and Italian seasoning. Add bread crumbs and Italian blend cheese on top. Bake for 15 minutes.

3. Remove artichokes from oven and turn on broiler. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.

Adapted from a recipe at How Sweet It Is

Lemon Spaghetti

I had read many a good review on the food network about this recipe so I thought I'd give it a shot. It was much better than I had anticipated. I only had one lemon to juice, and it was still very flavorful and delicious.

Lemon Spaghetti 
Makes 6 servings

1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Whisk the lemon juice, oil and Parmesan in a bowl to blend.

2. Drain the pasta and reserve approximately 1 c. of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and pasta water, adding 1/4 c. at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Recipe from the FoodNetwork.com

Sweet Potato Bundles

This recipe for Sweet Potato Bundles is for all the sweet tooth's out there. Sweet potatoes are mixed with brown sugar, OJ, orange zest and nutmeg, then rolled around a large marshmallow. To finish them off, they are rolled around in a mixture of coconut, sugar and cinnamon. They are delicious, and very sweet.

Sweet Potato Bundles
Makes 6-8 servings

4 large sweet potatoes
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large marshmallow per sweet potato bundle

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, zest and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss the coconut with the sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, creating a 2 to 3-inch diameter ball. Roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.

Recipe from Paula Deen 

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing

Turkey day is almost here! I figured I better hurry up and post a few recipes those that are still in need of Thanksgiving recipe inspiration.

As a side note, do you make the traditional food for Thanksgiving (turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, etc.) or do you go with more unusual food?  I am often torn between trying something new and relying on the old stand by recipes.

Anyhow, onto the meal. Tyler Florence rocks this turkey/stuffing recipe. The pan drippings make a very unusual gravy that is slightly sweet. My only complaint was that even with a lot of basting going on, it turned out not as juicy as I would've hoped. Anyone have any tips in that area?

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing
Serves 6-8


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 6 cups)
1 tube of Jimmy Dean maple sausage (I believe its 1/2 to 1 lb), cooked and drained
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 (12 to 14 pound) fresh turkey
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup hot water
8 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 lemon, juiced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.

2. Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper.

3. In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the cooked maple sausage. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven.

5. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil. About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.

6. Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence