Greek Salad With Tomatoes And Feta

Greek Salad With Tomatoes and Feta

Spring is here and we will soon start seeing some wonderful veggies in the grocery store or your local farmers market. Here is a tomato salad that I made for a recent dinner party. This is what I came up with! My guests LOVED it! So, I wanted to share the recipe with you!

Greek Salad With Tomatoes and Feta

Ingredients:

1 medium sized tomato, chopped in big chunks

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced

1 avocado, peeled, chopped in bite size pieces

1/2 can of Hearts of Palm (found in the canned vegetable section, usually next to the artichokes) thinly sliced

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1/2 cup Kalamata Olives

1/2 cup Red pickled sweet peppers

1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced

3-4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped

Vinaigrette

2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp lime juice 1/4 tsp oregano 3/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp safflower oil

TO PREPARE

Layer tomatoes, avocado, hearts of palm, olives, peppers, onions, basil and feta cheese on a large platter. To make the vinaigrette, pour the vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Add oregano, salt, sugar and black pepper. Pour the oils in a slow stream, whisking with a whisk or fork to emulsify. The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead of time, just emulsify before using.

Pour vinaigrette evenly over salad. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then toss and serve.

Hummingbird Cake (The most requested recipe in Southern Living Magazine's History)

Wednesday, March 23, 2016 2:30 p.m. by Cindy Rippe

Hummingbird Cake (The most requested recipe in Southern Living Magazine's History)

When I came across this recipe, I just HAD to make it so I did, and I wasn't disappointed. It's been around for many years, and it is astonishingly delicious! It's probably the best cake that I have ever made. They say it got it's name because with every bite you want to "hum" with delight! It is similar to carrot cake, but made with crushed pineapple and bananas. It's super moist and super easy to make!

Here's what you need:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oil

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple--do not drain

2 cups bananas, mashed (about 4 large bananas)

1 cup pecans or walnuts (I used pecans)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. Mix together with whisk. Add eggs, vanilla, oil, pineapple, bananas and pecans and mix until all ingredients are moistened.

3. Spray 3 (9 inch) round cake pans or one 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees, for 30-35 minutes until the cake center is done. Let cool thoroughly. Frost with cream cheese frosting and top with chopped nuts.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 lbs. confectioners (powdered) sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla together with a mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar until blended well. Ice cake and sprinkle with pecans.

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How To Make Jelly Bean Napkin Rings For Your Easter Table

Make these Jelly Bean Napkin Rings For Your Easter Table Setting!

To make these unique napkin rings, thread small, brightly colored jelly beans on 22-gauge tin wire,(where you can find at your favorite hardware store or craft store) Measure the wire long enough to wrap around a rolled napkin twice. Curl ends into swirls, so the candy won't fall off. Super easy and cute! And inexpensive! And the kids will LOVE them!

Miss Cindy's Homemade Meatloaf Seasoning

This seasoning tastes just like the stuff you get in the package, but BETTER! No preservatives or additives and you'll save money, because you probably have most of these spices on hand!

Miss Cindy's Homemade Meatloaf Seasoning

Ingredients: (enough for 2 lbs. ground beef)

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Ingredients for the meatloaf:

2 lbs. ground beef

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup oats

1 cup ketchup or tomato sauce

meatloaf seasoning

1 small onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ground beef, eggs, oats, ketchup, meatloaf seasoning, peppers and onions in a large bowl. Mix well with clean hands. Form into a loaf. Place in a baking pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, and spread ketchup all over the top and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Mini Pineapple Upside down cakes

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

These are so amazing! I was a bit worried that these would fall apart after removing them from the muffin pans...but they came right out and looked beautiful! The pineapple, buttery brown sugar with cherries....and in cute little individual cakes! Your family will LOVE these!

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 cans (20 oz) sliced pineapple, drained (reserve 1 cup of the juice)

1 box yellow cake mix ( I used Betty Crocker Super Moist)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/3 cup melted butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

12 maraschino cherries, halved

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 regular-sized muffin pans with cooking spray.

Cut each pineapple slice into 4 even pieces. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, eggs, and reserved pineapple juice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

In a small bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar mixture into each of the muffin cups. Spread evenly.

Top each with 3 pineapple pieces. (depending on the size of muffin pans)

Place half a cherry, cut side up, in the center of pineapple pieces.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Run knife around edge of cupcakes to loosen. Turn over onto cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Miss Cindy's Chicken Cordon Bleu

Miss Cindy's Chicken Cordon Bleu

"Cordon Bleu" is a French term, meaning "blue ribbon" which originally referred to an award for culinary excellence! This is one of my favorites. I've been making this for years and my family loves it! Ham and Swiss cheese rolled up in a pounded chicken breast, dredged in bread crumbs and baked. So delicious!

Start by placing plastic wrap or waxed paper over the chicken breast and pound them til they are about 1/4 thick.

Dip the breasts in 1/4 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 garlic clove minced.

Shake off excess and place a slice of Swiss cheese on top of chicken.

place a slice of ham on top of cheese and chicken.

roll up the breast jelly-roll fashioned then dredge in bread crumbs.

Place chicken in a greased baking dish, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle a little paprika on the top and bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Serve with a Hollandaise sauce. (I love the Knorr packaged sauces, you'll find them in the packaged gravy section of the grocery store.) I'm not brave enough yet to make a homemade Hollandaise sauce! Someday I'll try when I get a food processor!

It's such a nice presentation!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs

paprika

salt

pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 slices ham (I used black forest ham from the deli)

4 slices Swiss cheese

cooking spray

Instructions:

Place broth in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 15 or 20 seconds, or until warm. Stir in garlic and butter. Pour bread crumbs on a plate or shallow bowl. Set aside.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pound each to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Dip each breast into butter/broth mixture, then top each breast with 1 slice of cheese then 1 slice of ham. Roll up each breast jelly-roll fashion. Place rolls, seam side down in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Pour remaining broth/butter over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden. Serve with Knorr Hollandaise Sauce if desired.

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Guinness Irish Beef Stew

Guinness Irish Beef Stew

Here's a perfect stew to prepare for all of your St. Patrick's Day festivities! SO GOOD!!! Traditional Irish stew as any Irish person will tell you, lamb is the preferred meat for a good for a good Irish stew... But here in the states we eat a lot more beef than lamb, so when we want to make a stew to celebrate all things Irish, its usually done with beef. This stew has all of the classic trimmings of a good stew meat, stock, plenty of root vegetables with the addition of some Guinness extra stout, for its malty flavor and some Irish authenticity.

I started out by chopping beef up into bite sized pieces. Making sure to cut off some of the fat.

Brown the beef in a little bit of olive oil. Season beef with salt, pepper.

After the meat is browned, add garlic and onion. Cook until onion is tender.

Add 2 cups of beef broth and 1 cup of Guinness extra Stout, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, brown sugar, thyme, paprika and a dash of ground cloves (or allspice)

Cover and simmer the beef mixture cook for about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Add celery.

Add chopped carrots and chopped potatoes.

Cover and cook about 45 minutes more. If the mixture is too thin, remove the lid and cook for a few more minutes until liquid is reduced. (Don't mind my dirty stove top, I'm just a messy cook!)

Guinness Irish Stew

Ingredients:

2 lbs. stew meat

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 cups beef broth

1 cup Guinness extra stout

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 or 2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

dash of ground cloves or allspice

3 large carrots, sliced

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Season beef with salt, pepper. Brown meat in hot oil. After meat has browned, add garlic and onion, cook until onion is tender. Add beef broth, Guinness extra stout, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, brown sugar, paprika, thyme and ground cloves. Cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook for 45 minutes longer. If you desire the sauce to be thicker, take lid off and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until desired consistency.