STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

This recipe came from Tabitha. She first made it for Easter dinner several years ago and it has become a favorite of mine, plus it is so simple.

The line-up includes: sesame and poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika and worcheshire sauce

Also spinach and strawberries. Since it is February here and the fresh strawberries from the store are from some foreign country, I am using my frozen strawberries.

Mix together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vineger, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp paprika and 1/4 tsp worcheshire sauce. Add 2 Tbl sesame seeds and 1 Tbl poppy seeds. Stir and let it sit for awhile so the sugar dissolves.

Wash your spinach and drain.

Slice the strawberries. I probably used about 2 cups sliced berries for this salad.

When you are ready to serve, pour the dressing over the spinach and stir it in.

Add the sliced berries.

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp worcheshire sauce

2 TBL sesame seeds

1 TBL poppy seeds

16 oz pkg spinach

2 cups sliced strawberries

Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3

BLACKEYE PEA SALSA

There are lots of recipes out there for bean salsas. This one is made with the blackeye pea, which just happens to be the legume with the highest content of fiber.

Here's the ingredients you will need.

blackeye peas

diced tomatoes

diced tomates flavored with basil, garlic, oregano

white shoepeg corn

onion

garlic

italian dressing

Drain the peas and corn. Rinse well

Add the two cans of tomatoes. I usually like the petite diced but I grabbed the wrong cans. Also if you have fresh tomatoes, they would work great in place of the can of plain ones.

I used one clove of garlic, use more if you like a stronger garlic taste. You can either dice it up or use a press.

Now chop up some onions. I had about 1/2 cup here. Add to your mixture.

Pour in about 3/4 cup Italian dressing.

Stir together and let it marinate together in the fridge for a couple hours before serving.

The scoop chips work great with this salsa but I like to use these black bean chips.
They have the same calorie count as the scoop chips but are packed with four times the fiber.

YUMMY!

BLACKEYE PEA SALSA

1 can blackeye peas

1 can white shoepeg corn

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes w/basil,garlic,oregano

1/2 cup diced onion

1 clove minced garlic

3/4 cup Italian dressing

Drain and rinse peas and corn. Place in mixing bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic and dressing. Mix well and refrigerate for a couple hours to marinate. Serve with tortilla chips.

May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Psalm 68:3

BREAD PUDDING & VANILLA SAUCE

This is a dessert we had many times growing up. I think Mom made bread pudding because it fed all of us with not a lot of ingredients. When I hear the words "comfort food" this bread pudding definitely comes to my mind.

Start out by greasing a 9 x 13 pan with some butter. Hannah was more than happy to do this for me.
Take some old bread (check to make sure the mold hasn't started). Slice it into strips
Then turn and slice the other way to make cubes
You will need about 6-7 cups of cubes. Place them in the greased pan
Heat 2 cups of milk until scalded. Now you may be saying how hot is scalded. Use a low heat and heat until just before it boils. It starts making small bubbles around the edges. Pour the milk into a mixing bowl.
Add 1/3 cup sugar to the milk
Beat 4 eggs in a separate bowl and add to the milk
Add 1/2 tsp salt. I'm already teaching Hannah the art of guess measuring. Less dishes to wash!
And 1 tsp vanilla. I think she got a little carried away with the vanilla, more like a tablespoon went in but it was delicious.

Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Ok I hardly ever use just plain cinnamon since I started using this cinnamon plus blend from Pampered Chef. I use it in anything that calls for cinnamon. Its also great in place of pumpkin pie spice.
Now whisk this together really good.

Take about a cup of raisins (I like to use the golden ones. Don't ask me why, I just do). Sprinkle them over the bread cubes.

I was snapping pictures while Hannah was sprinkling the raisins and didn't see her do this until I was editing the pictures.

Give your egg/milk mixture another good stir

Pour over the bread cubes

Now get your hands in there and press the cubes into the liquid so they absorb it.

Sprinkle a little nutmeg over the top

And dot with some butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes. Check to see if its done by inserting a butter knife into the center. If it comes out clean, its done. Otherwise give it another 5 minutes.

Hannah decided it was time for some summer so she went into the back room and emerged in this outfit. Not bad if it was 80 outside but the high today is -5. That's below zero for those of you who live to the South.

No details on the vanilla sauce but here's what it looks like when you add the butter and vanilla. A note to my siblings: Why was there never enough sauce to go around?

Serve it hot over the bread pudding.

This is comfort food at its best.

Bread Pudding and Vanilla Sauce

6-7 cups cubed bread

2 cups scalded milk

4 beaten eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Place bread cubes into a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Combine milk, eggs, sugar,salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Sprinkle 1 cup raisins over bread. Pour milk mixture over the top and press crumbs in to absorb the liquid. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Check for doneness and bake an additional 5 minutes if needed.

Vanilla Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 cups waer

2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, water and cornstarch. Bring to a boil on low heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve hot over pudding

Don't be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isiah 41:10