Daniel's Recital

Daniel had a piano recital this past weekend. He played "Goody-bye to Winter" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb." He's only been learning the piano for a year and he did so good!!

Video Games Again!

For any of you that view this blog and are interested in coming to play video games at a LAN party, we're having one Saturday night, the 25th. It is up in Bountiful at a friend's house. We'll be playing a lot of Urban Terror, but we may also do Wolfenstein, Enemy Territory, Alien Arena, or some others.

It is a bring-your-own-computer unless your computer can't handle the games. If you don't know and you're interested, give me a call or send me an email. We'll start at 4 and stop only when we can't stand it anymore (usually close to midnight or later).

If you are interested in coming, please let me know as soon as possible. We can have about 20 people, but if we're going to have that many it's good to know before they get there so we can have tables and chairs for everyone.

Salad-Day 7 Ceasar Salad

This is will be my final salad. I believe this is by far my favorite salad. Whenever anyone asks me to bring a green salad, this is my first choice. I hope you've enjoyed my salads.

Ceasar Salad

Dressing- Mix in blender 3 hrs in advance and refrigerate. Makes 2 Cups
1 Cup Lemon Juice or apple cider vinegar
1 Cup Canola Oil
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Teaspoons Pepper

Salad
2 Heads Romaine Lettuce, washed and torn in small pieces
4 Slices Bacon, cooked and torn into pieces
2 Medium Tomatoes, cut in 10-12 wedges then in half
1 Cup Swiss Cheese, grated OR Mozzarella Cheese
¼ Cup Slivered Almonds
⅓ Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Croutons, add just before serving & toss

Layer first 6 ingredients in bowl. Just before serving, toss and add ⅓ - ½ Cup dressing, then add croutons
Variations: use part iceberg lettuce, sprouts, olives, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, mushrooms

Salad-Day 6 Fruit Salad

This is another salad that is a good side salad. I like to make it for bbq's as well.

Fruit Salad

1 Package (4 serving size) Instant Coconut Cream Pudding
1 Cup Milk

Combine and beat with wire whip then add:

1 - 10 oz. Can Crushed Pineapple, drained
1 - 10 oz. Can Pineapple chunks, drained
1 - 8 oz. Can Mandarin Oranges, drained
1 - 15 oz. Can Tropical Fruit Cocktail, drained
2 Fresh Bananas, sliced - optional ( add just before serving)
1 Cup Fresh Strawberries, quartered - optional
Red or Green Grapes - optional
1 Cup Coconut
1 Cup Miniature Marshmallows
1 Cup Cool Whip

Salad-Day 5 Confetti Salad

This salad is a favorite in Bryan's family. I believe Bryan's grandma made up this salad. To some the look of it is strange, but it never sticks around for long.

Confetti Salad

1 small pkg. Orange Jello
1 small pkg. Lime Jello
1 small pkg. Cherry Jello
1 small pkg. Lemon Jello
1 Cup Pineapple juice
¼ Sugar
1 Cup whipping Cream

Dissolve orange, lime and cherry jello separately into 1½ cup boiling water. Pour into 8x8 pans. Let set until firm. Cut jello into small cubes and place in a large bowl. Dissolve lemon jello in boiling pineapple juice. Add sugar. Place in fridge. Cool lemon jello sauce until consistency of egg whites. Beat whipping cream until stiff. Fold into lemon jello mixture. Fold in cubes of jello and pour into mold or leave in bowl.

Salad-Day 4 Pretzel Salad

This next salad is a great side addition to any meal. I like to make it mostly for bbq's.

Pretzel Salad

1 cup pretzels, crushed
Melt one stick butter in a 9x13 pan, add pretzels and 1/3 cup sugar. Bake in oven at 400° for seven minutes. Cool and then break up mixture.

8 oz. Cream cheese
½ cup sugar
8 oz. Cool whip
20 ox. Curshed pineapple, drained

Mix cream cheese and sugar. Add cool whip and pineapple. Chill. Right before you're ready to eat, stir in pretzels, or serve separately and sprinkle as you go.

Salad-Day 3 Mandarin Salad

Mandarin Salad

4 Cups Romaine lettuce
4 Cups Spinach leaf
1 Cup chopped celery
½ Cup chopped green onion
1 11 oz. Can Mandarin Orange segments
½ Cup Slivered almonds
3 Tablespoons sugar

Tear lettuce into pieces and mix in bowl with chopped celery and green onion. Heat sugar and almonds in a skillet over medium-low heat until sugar melts and coats almonds. Stir continually. Pour mixture on foil or wax paper and let harden. Break into pieces. This can be done ahead of time and kiept frozen until ready to use. Toss mandarin orange segments with salad just prior to serving and sprinkle with candied almonds. 8-10 servings
DRESSING:
1/3 Cup oil
¼ Cup sugar
¼ Cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
½ Teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

Mix ingredients in a bottle and refrigerate at least one hour. Pour over salad just prior to serving.

Salad-Day 2 Ranch Hand Salad

RANCH HAND SALAD
1½ Cup Romaine Lettuce, chopped
1¼ Tablespoon Ranch Dressing
1 oz. Cooked Ham, cut in strips
¼ oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
2 Eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise -- see note*
¼ Cup Cucumber, large diced
¼ Cup Fresh Tomato, large diced
Bacon Bits -- for garnish

*Mash or grate the hard boiled eggs; mix in the mayonnaise; set aside. Put the chopped Romaine on a salad plate. Mix with the Ranch dressing. Add the grated cheese, top with the strips of ham & the egg/mayo mixture; sprinkle on remaining cheese. Sprinkle the diced cucumbers & tomatoes on top of the egg salad. Garnish with bacon bits.

Salad-Day 1 Oriental Cabbage and Chicken Salad

My cousin Sarah declared this first week of October, salad lovers week. Each day this week I will be posting a favorite salad of mine. For more salads, visit Sarah's Blog.

Day 1- Oriental Cabbage and Chicken Salad

2 cups chicken cooked and diced
4 cups cabbage, shredded
1 package chicken-flavored Ramen noodles
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/8 cup vinegar
1/8 salad oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 flavoring packet from Ramen noodles

Break noodles in a colnader and let sit in hot water until completely softened. Drain and combine first 4 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine last 5 ingredients and add to noodle/chicken mixture. Refrigerate overnight or for several hours before serving.

This is a yummy salad. I like to serve it with freshly baked bread. The great thing about this salad, is that I can put it together when it's convenient and it won't get soggy. The longer it sits the better it tastes.