ORANGE CREAM FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients:

•      1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
•      1 1/2 cups milk
•      1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
•      3/4 cup sour cream
•      1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
•      1 (15 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained
•      1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments
•      2 bananas, sliced
•      1 apple - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions:

   1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine pudding mix, milk, and orange juice concentrate. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Mix in sour cream.
   2. In a large salad bowl, combine fruits. Gently mix in orange dressing. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

CHERRY TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients:

•      40 cherry tomatoes, halved
•      1 cup pitted and sliced green olives
•      1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced
•      2 green onions, minced
•      3 ounces pine nuts
•      1/2 cup olive oil
•      2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
•      1 tablespoon white sugar
•      1 teaspoon dried oregano
•      salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

   1. In a big bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, green olives, back olives, and spring onion.
   2. In a dry skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, turning frequently. Stir into tomato mixture.
   3. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over salad, and gently stir to coat. Chill for 1 hour.

FRESH BROCCOLI SALAD

Ingredients:

•      2 heads fresh broccoli
•      1 red onion
•      1/2 pound bacon
•      3/4 cup raisins
•      3/4 cup sliced almonds
•      1 cup mayonnaise
•      1/2 cup white sugar
•      2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:
   1. Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Cool and crumble.
   2. Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces and cut the onion into thin bite-size slices. Combine with the bacon, raisins, your favorite nuts and mix well.
   3. To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients:

•      3 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
•      2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and cubed
•      1 red onion, finely diced
•      1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
•      1 tablespoon minced garlic
•      1 tablespoon ground cumin
•      1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•      1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•      1/3 cup red wine vinegar
•      2 tablespoons olive oil
•      1/4 cup fresh lime juice
•      salt and black pepper to taste
•      tomatto

Directions:

   1. Place the corn in a large pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook until kernels are tender but crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain, and cool in cold water. Use a knife to scrape kernels from the cobs.
   2. Place kernels in a medium bowl. Stir in avocados, red onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Add cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Mix in vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Ingredients:

•      2 tablespoons sesame seeds
•      1 tablespoon poppy seeds
•      1/2 cup white sugar
•      1/2 cup olive oil
•      1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
•      1/4 teaspoon paprika
•      1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
•      1 tablespoon minced onion
•      10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
•      1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
•      1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

How to cock:

   1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
   2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

GREEN BEANS WITH BUTTER

Introduction:

I personally can’t stand undercooked green beans — they’re too squeaky for my taste. This is how my family likes them, first boiled and then sautéed in butter with salt. Although fresh green beans are best when in season, frozen beans are perfectly good, made that much better when fried in butter.
 
Ingredients:

•     ½     lb. green beans, topped and tailed, or “French-cut” frozen green beans
•     2     Tbsp. unsalted butter
•     ~     Kosher salt to taste

Steps:

   1. In a medium-large pot of salted water cook the green beans until tender; drain in a colander. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and return the beans to the pot. Add a pinch of salt and stir-fry the beans over medium-high heat until the moisture has evaporated from the beans and they are falling apart and a bit wrinkled. Serve hot. enjooy!!

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1 (4 ounce) jar pimentos
• 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:

1.In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, green onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, avocado, pimentos, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and Italian dressing. Season with garlic salt. Toss, and chill until