Cafe R- Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

*1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
*2 tomatillos (tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)
*½ bunch of cilantro
*1 clove garlic
*Juice of 1 lime
*1 jalapeño (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy. You could substitute a few drops of green Tabasco for the jalapeno.)

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.

Orange Sherbet Jello

1 large package of vanilla pudding (not instant)
1 large package of orange jello
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
2 cans of mandarin oranges
1 large can of crushed pineapple

Add 2 cups of water to the pudding mixture in a pan and cook until the mixture is thick. Dissolve the orange jello into the pudding mixture and stir until it is completely blended. Let this mixture cool completely. Drain the oranges and pineapple well. Whip the cream (adding 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to sweeten). When the pudding mixture is cook, gently fold the pudding mixture, whipping cream, and fruit together until uniformly blended. Chill.

This recipe comes from Trent's Christmas food traditions.

Red White and Blue Jell-o

1 small box red raspberry jell-o
1 small box berry blue jell-o (or a 2nd box of red rasp. if you can't find this)
3 cups boiling water (not all at once)
1 envelope knox gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
1 c. half & half
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 c. chopped pecans
1 can wild blueberries (wyman's works best - don't drain)

First Layer:
Dissolve 1 box of red rasp jell-o in 2 cups boiling water. Pour in 9x13 pan and place in fridge. Allow to set before next layer
Second Layer:
Dissolve plain gelatin in 1/2 c. Cold water. Heat 1/2 & 1/2 & sugar until it just about boils. Mix w plain gelatin mixture. Add vanilla and cream cheese. Blend this until smooth so there are no chunks of cream cheese. Then add the nuts. Pour over first layer and allow to set in the refridgerator.
Third Layer:
Dissolve other box of Jell-o in 1 c. boiling water; stir until dissolved. Add bluberries with juice. Allow to cool before pouring over second layer. When mixture is luke warm pour third layer on and allow to set.

Don't take this to a picnic or anywhere it will be set in the sun for a long time.

Recipe from Jaci Kern

Poppyseed Dressing

In blender, combine:
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. vinegar
2 Tbsp. mustard (regular bottled)
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 1/2 c. oil
1/4 red onion
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. water

Blend & refrigerate. Makes about a quart.

We served this at our Enrichment meeting on Wednesday. It was so good. We had so many requests for the recipe. This recipe is a lot like Amy's recipe below -- this just has mustard and onion (and a bit more bite).

Craisin Salad

red leaf lettuce
romaine lettuce
baby leaf spinach (or green leaf lettuce)
mandarin oranges
craisins

Sugared Almonds
Saute 1 - 1 1/2 TBLS butter and 1 - 11/2 TBLS sugar over medium heat, add about one cup of sliced or slivered almonds. Stir often. Once they start browning they will turn quickly, so watch tokeep them from burning. Once they are mostly browned, lay out on tin foil to cool and dry. You may need to break them up after they are cool.

Poppy Seed Dressing
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 T. poppy seeds
1 c. vegetable oil

You can mix this together in a blender or I just put all the ingredients in a covered container and shake pretty hard before serving. This also makes quite a bit, so you may want to watch how much you put on the salad so it doesn't get soggy. It depends on how much lettuce you use.

(Amy)

Vegetable Pizza

2 pkg. crescent rolls
Spread out on bottom of a greased cookie sheet & a small cake pan (unless you like it thick- then just in the bottom of a cookie sheet)). Make sure you press the seams together well. Bake at 375 for 10 min. or until lightly brown. Cool

Mix together 2- 80z. light cream cheese (not fat free) that has been on the counter warming, 1 sm. pkg. Hidden Valley dressing mix, 1/2 c. plus a Tablespoon or so of sour cream, 1/2 c. plus a Tablespoon or so of mayo, and beat with electric beater - starting with the cream cheese alone and then adding the rest. Beat until smooth.

Spread mixture over the cooled pizza crust.

Sprinkle on the top any mixture of the following vegetables: 2 shredded carrots, finely chopped broccoli, chopped green onion, chopped peppers - yellow, green, or red, chopped mushrooms (I didn't use), chopped olives, chopped tomatoes or grape tomatoes, & chopped cauliflower (I didn't use). After veg. are spread on pizza, cover with plastic wrap right on top of pizza and mash ingredients into cr. cheese mixture with your hand so they won't be so inclined to fall off. Next add the tomatoes on top, and refrigerate a couple of hours until ready to use.

Cut in 1 to 1 1/2 inch squares. Fun for a brunch or a snack.

Mom

Sassy Chicken Salad

1 10 oz can diced tomatoes/green chilies (ro-tel) drained
1/2 c. mayo
1 12.5 oz can chicken
1 c. celery
1 c. grapes (I usually add 2 cups worth)
1/2 c. toasted pecans (can use almonds)

I've omitted the celery and nuts -- and it's still really good.