A Sarah Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce
5 strips bacon
½ 10-oz pkg. frozen peas
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
2/3 cup chopped green onions
¼ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup miracle whip

Wash and drain lettuce, dry thoroughly; set aside. Dice bacon sauté until crisp. Drain on paper towel; set aside. Run hot water over peas and drain; set aside.

Tear lettuce into bite size pieces and put in salad bowl. Add bacon, peas, and onions.

Combine sugar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and miracle whip to make dressing. Toss with salad immediately before serving.

Frog Eye Salad

1 16-oz Acini de Pepe
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 20-oz cans pineapple tidbits (reserve juice)
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple (reserve juice)
3 11-oz cans mandarin oranges
1 8-oz carton whipped topping
1 10-oz. pkg. miniature marshmallows
1 cup coconut

Cook acini noodles according to package directions; drain, rinse and set aside.

Combine sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Add pineapple juice from cans (will be about 1 ¾ cup) and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Temper beaten eggs before adding to the heated pineapple mixture by slowly adding about 1/2 cup of heated pineapple mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring constantly (to avoid getting scrambled eggs!). Beat warmed egg mixture well, then slowly add it to the rest of the pineapple mixture and continue cooking. Boil until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let cool slightly.

Lightly mix drained noodles with pineapple mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Also let pineapple & mandarin oranges drain overnight in refrigerator in a separate colander.

Before serving, combine pineapple mixture, fruit, whipped topping, marshmallows & coconut.

Stuffed Shells

2 cups ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 8-oz pkg. chopped, frozen spinach
1 ½ cups parmesan cheese
1 pkg. large shell pasta
2 tsp. pepper
Favorite spaghetti sauce

Drain spinach. Mix cheeses, spinach & pepper together. Cook pasta shells according to instructions on box. Stuff each shell with cheese mixture. Place in a casserole dish and top with your favorite spaghetti sauce. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.

Shredded Beef Salad

1 lb. flank steak or roast
1 onion quartered
1 Tbsp. salt
2 garlic cloves crushed
¼ tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. oregano

Dressing:
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ cup olive oil

Place meat in crock pot. Cover with water & add onion, salt, cloves, pepper, bay leaf & oregano. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove meat, trim off fat, cut crosswise and shred coarsely. Pour dressing over meat when ready to serve.

Assembly: Toss beef & dressing with one head of leafy lettuce. Serve with cheese, olives, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, avocado, roasted peppers, chopped cilantro, radishes, corn, onions, etc. Serve with chips or tortillas (fresh or deep fried in oil!)

Baked Oatmeal

½ cup oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
3 ½ cups old fashioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup cream or milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix oil with eggs & sugar. Stir in oats, baking powder, salt & cream. Mix well. Pour into a pie plate or soufflé dish. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm topped with fresh peaches, berries, apples, nuts, powdered sugar & cream.

Black Bean and Rice Soup with Lime and Cilantro

(makes 6 servings, can be doubled for larger Crock pot or stovetop cooking, recipe created by Kalyn's Kitchen)

2 cans black beans with liquid
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
(use 2 cups for stovetop cooking)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic (or more)
1 T ground cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 tsp. ground chile powder
1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile powder (I omitted this)
1/4 cup white long-grain rice (not more!)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more)

In small Crockpot or 3 quart sauce pan, combine beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chile powder and Chipotle chile powder. Cook on low for 6-8 hours in Crockpot or 1-2 hours on stove, until tomatoes are disintegrating and beans are starting to fall apart. On stovetop, you might need to add a little water during the cooking time. When soup has reached the consistency you want, raise heat slightly or turn Crockpot to high. Add 1/4 rice and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes for either Crockpot or stove. Lower heat again, add fresh lime juice and cilantro and cook 5 minutes. Serve hot, with additional fresh lime pieces for each person to squeeze into soup.

Spinach Dip

1 10 oz. box of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 16 oz. container of sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. vegetable soup dip
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions, chopped

Mix ingredients together, cover, and chill for 2 hours. Can be served in a round bread bowl. Serve with bread, cut up vegetables or crackers.