Strawberry Sunflower Salad

Start with your favorite greens (mine are either a spring mix or leafy romaine, but spinach would be good as well).

Add:

Feta cheese
Sliced Strawberries
Sunflower Kernels
Diced Cucumber

Add your favorite sweet dressing - I recommend raspberry vinagrette or a creamy poppyseed.

Cornbread Casserole (made with Jiffy cornbread mix)

Corn Bread Casserole

This is a Cook family recipe that I had at my first Thanksgiving with my in-laws. So delicious I've adopted and adapted it as one of my own :).

2 eggs

1 stick butter – softened

1 8oz sour cream
1/4 c milk

1 can creamed corn

1 can corn – drained

Shredded cheese – ½ - 1 C

1/8 tsp Pepper

2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Beat eggs and then mix in 1 stick of butter.  Add sour cream, corn, cheese, pepper and muffin mix.  Mix well and pour into 9” X 13” pan.  Bake @ 350° for 30 minutes.  Poke toothpick in center of pan to test for doneness.

Creamy Fruit Dip

I made this for our first Christmas Party and it was a huge hit --next time I will make a double batch! 

One 8 oz. bar of cream cheese
One 7 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff
1 tsp of vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Let the cream cheese sit out for a bit to let it soften. Add first three ingredients and blend, then add in sugar and blend until smooth. Suggestions for dippers: apple slices, strawberries, graham crackers, pretzels.

Basic Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas (the riper the better!)

1/4 c melted margarine
1/4 c milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar

2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mash bananas in a bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix (hand mixer or stand mixer). Add sugars and mix again. Add the last dry ingredients and mix until just combined (should be lumpy). Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for approximately 50 minutes. Test for doneness. You could also add a topping before putting in the oven - my usual is some chopped walnuts sprinkled on top of the batter.

Favorite Cran-Feta Salad

Start with a spring mix salad - I love the big plastic tubs of the organic spring mix that you can get at most stores.

Add:

Diced Cucumbers
Dried Cranberries
Feta Cheese crumbles
Chopped Pecans

Raspberry Vinaigrette to taste (WishBone brand is my favorite).

Easy Baby Food Pancakes

1 c plus 1 tbsp bisquick (I used heart-healthy variety)
1 egg
1/2 c milk (I used 1%)
1 jar, 1 small tub or 2 "cubes" of baby food.

Whisk together ingredients, cook on medium-heat. Makes about 10 4-inch pancakes.

Recommended baby foods: bananas, sweet potatoes, peaches or other fruit mixtures. Haven't tried veggies yet.

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

Dump in slow cooker:

2-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 c barbecue sauce
1 can pineapple chunks

Cook 6-8 on low or 3-4 on high. Serve over rice.