Cranberry Broccoli Salad

Cranberry Broccoli Salad

10 Servings
1 ¼ cups Cranberries, chopped
¼ cup sugar
4 cups broccoli florets
4 cups packaged shredded cabbage w/carrot (coleslaw mix)
½ cup chopped walnuts (I substitute sunflower seeds instead)
½ cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped onion
6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained & crumbled
1 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
In a small bowl, combine the chopped cranberries and ¼ c sugar. Cover and chill until serving time (cranberries will release juice).
In a very large bowl, combine broccoli, cabbage, nuts, raisins, onion & bacon.
In another small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ¼ cup sugar, and vinegar. Drizzle over broccoli mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours.
Just before serving, gently fold cranberry mixture into salad.

If you can’t find fresh cranberries to use, I just used about ½ cup of dried cranberries, put it in with the raisins, etc.

Sangria

Compliments of Vicky, from Spain

2 Liters of Dark Red Wine (preferably Cab Sauv)
750 mL of Gin
2 each 2 Liter bottles of Sprite (or 7 up, Sierra Mist)
3 Tbsp Sugar
2 Shakes of Cinnamon
2 Oranges
2 Apples (golden delicious are good)
2 Peaches
1 Lemon
1 Lime

Cut all fruit, put in a bucket (I used a 2 1/2 gallon bucket). Squeeze in extra orange or lemon/lime if desired.
Add sugar & cinnamon.
Let sugar, cinammon & fruit sit for 30 minutes.
Add everything else, let sit overnight.
Serve with the fruit in the glass over ice.

Mushroom Sauce for Steak

This is yet another recipe that Will started me on, but I made some modifications to:

Base is chicken or beef stock. Use enough for whatever dish or amount of company you have.
Add some soy sauce, red wine, pepper, fresh chopped garlic, chopped green onions, and some mushrooms, diced. I prefer to use crimini or portabello for flavor.
Simmer it on low heat until reduced by about 25%.
Add whole washed mushrooms and boil them for about 15 minutes. Eat the mushrooms & sauce on steak. YUM!
also -- if you grill big mushrooms for a few minutes, then put them in the sauce, they are excellent!

Variation on Will's Bread

OK, so while we were wine tasting, one of the chef's at Tobin James brought out some YUMMY treats. While I was three sheets (or more) to the wind, Will remembered some of what the delectable treats tasted like.... Here's my version of his version:

I usually make two types of bread, one geared more toward adults, and one for the kiddos... so for the "kid" half, I just left off the tomatoes & green onions. The white onions with the brown sugar taste sweet, so they didn't even notice they were there.

Dice up a couple fresh roma tomatoes, (5 or so) green onions, and sprinkle some (1/2 cup +/-) balsamic vinegar on them while preparing the rest of the recipe
Fresh loaf of french bread, cut in half lengthwise
Light Mayo & shredded parmesan cheese mixed, about 4:1 ratio, spread onto both halves of the bread
Saute approx. 1/2 cup of white onions and 2 cloves of garlic in approx. 1 Tbsp of olive oil, until onions are translucent, but not brown
Spread that on both halves of bread
Sprinkle brown sugar over the onion mixture
Sprinkle tomatoes & onions over the onion
Salt & pepper to taste
Sprinkle a little more parmesan, romano or feta cheese over the top

Broil in oven until slightly brown and a little crisp.

Chicken Breasts, Asparagus & Mushrooms

Chicken Breasts with Asparagus & Shitake Mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 – 4 Chicken Breasts
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Asparagus, bottoms cut off
Green Onions, chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 cup Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Chicken Stock (low sodium)
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.
In oven proof frying pan (Stainless Steel, no non-stick), put enough olive oil to coat bottom & sides of pan (approx. 1 T). On stove top, cook chicken breasts on either side approx. 7-8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle Onions, Garlic & Mushrooms all around the chicken breasts, add salt & pepper to taste.
Place Asparagus spears over the top of the chicken.
Pour the chicken stock over the top.
Cook for 30-35 min or until chicken is done.

(I made 2 chicken breasts, approx. 12 asparagus spears, and some spaghetti noodles with parmesan cheese… enough for 2 kids & I with a little leftover.)

Recipes

I created this blog so I could share some favorite recipes, found on other sites, from friends, or handed down from family.

If you have some to share, please send them (with pictures if possible) and I will post.