Romaine Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

7 cups torn romaine
1 cup seedless red grapes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup salted soy nuts
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salad dressing

In a small nonstick skillet coated with butter-flavored cooking spray, cook and stir pecans and salt until toasted. Remove from the heat; set aside. In a salad bowl, combine the romaine, grapes, cranberries, soy nuts, and cheese. Add reserved pecans; toss to combine. Serve with dressing.

Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Shake all of the ingredients in a salad dressing shaker. Can be refrigerated for up to 7 days; bring to room temperature, then shake vigorously to recombine before serving.

Olive Garden Toscana Soup

2-3/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c heavy cream
1 medium Russet potato
2 c chopped kale
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Combine the stock and cream in a saucepan over medium heat.
Slice the unpeeled potato into 1/4-inch slices, then quarter the slices and add them to the soup.
Add the kale.
Grill or saute the sausage. When cooked and cooled, cut the sausage at an angle into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Add the sausage to the soup.
Add the spices, and let the soup simmer for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as an entree.

Apple Crisp

3 c peeled apples, sliced
1/2 c sugar
1 Tbsp flour
dash cinnamon

Toss lightly, put in greased and floured 8x10 pan. Pour 1/2 c water over the top.

3/4 c oatmeal
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Combine, then work in 1/3 c butter. Sprinkle on top of apples. Bake 375 for 20-25 min.

Stuffed Mushrooms

I usually make this appetizer to use up the rest of the mushrooms before they go bad. It doesn't look very appetizing, but --YUM-- it is.


8-10 medium mushrooms, firm, closed caps
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp minced onion or green onion (I just dash onion powder)
1/4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c soft bread crumbs*
1/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp water
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Wash mushroom quickly under running water; drain on paper towels. Pull stems and chop finely. Melt butter in skillet over med/low heat; add chopped stems and onion. Saute till tender. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle salt over mushroom caps and fill with sauteed mixture, mounding over the top. At this point, you may cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Before serving, put 2 Tbsp water in shallow dish and arrange mushrooms in dish. Bake for about 20 min. Serve hot.

*To make soft bread crumbs: Use fork to tear apart bread on cutting board. 1 slice = 1/2 c crumbs.