Citrus Cucumber Salad

It's been forever since I've posted a recipe--and it's not that I haven't been cooking.

I prepared this salad for school lunch today and think it turned out wonderfully and is well worth sharing. I'll give you the at home proportions rather than the somewhat larger amounts for when prepping for a couple hundred servings.

All dressed up with spinach and tomato.

Citrus Cucumber Salad

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers peeled and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 green onion, white and greens, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

How to:

Stir together the cucumber, pepper, green onion and garlic in a medium bowl.

In a smaller bowl or shaker, whisk together the juices, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper.

Drizzle dressing over the veggies and stir. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

**And now, since you know I have to play...here's what I did differently...
I used 3 small, sweet peppers in red, orange and yellow for a bit of color. Also, I only partially peeled the cucumbers to have some of that dark green as well.

I think next time I make this, I'll add some of the lemon and lime zest to really brighten the flavors. I would imagine, if you like cilantro, a little would be a great addition, too.

Of course, serve this salad next to a margarita and you're all set!

Just sayin... 

Day 6--Sunshine Pear Slaw

Here's a light, refreshing twist on coleslaw. I've even served this for school lunch with good reviews.

Sunshine Pear Slaw

2 pounds shredded cabbage
1/2 pound shredded carrots
2 cups diced fresh pears
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain, lowfat yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine cabbage, carrots and pears. Toss to mix well.

Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the cabbage. Toss lightly. Chill.

Serves 8

Day 5--Tex-Mex Lasagna

Not a totally Mexican dish for Cinco de Mayo, but a tasty lasagna. The main thing to remember with this dish is to prep it the day before--because it sits in the refrigerator overnight.

Tex-Mex Lasagna

Sauce:

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup tomato paste

1 cup picante sauce (whatever heat you like)

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1/2 pound uncooked lasagna noodles

Sauce:

Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Drain.

Add tomato paste, picante sauce, water and herbs. Mix well.

In another bowl, combine ricotta and 3/4 cup of the mozzarella.

Spray a 7 x 11 pan well. Layer the ingredients as follows:

1/3 cup sauce

half of the uncooked lasagna noodles

half of the cheese mixture

repeat layers then top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to  350. Uncover lasagna and bake for 1 hour or until light golden in color. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before serving. Serves 6

Day 4--Chicken Salad

Author Cheri LaClaire has a great blog where readers follow her amazing writing progress, and her thoughts on life in general. Today Cheri's talking about friends. Stop by and say hi! She loves visitors.

Cheri says of this chicken salad: "This is a good recipe for a crowd because it's pretty generic, but also delicious!"

I love craisins so that'll be my choice when I try this one.

Thanks, Cheri!

Chicken Salad

4 cooked chicken breasts

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup green onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup champagne grapes or craisons
1 Ranch packet
1 cup mayo (8oz) (Real stuff, no substitutes!)
1 cup sour cream (8oz)


Shred cooked chicken breasts & mix celery, onion, sour cream, mayo & ranch packet. Chill overnight. One hour prior to serving mix in chopped eggs and craisons. Chill that last hour and serve. (I like to serve on croissants.)

Day 3--Fruit Pizza

This recipe is from my sister, Jennifer and is a favorite to take to pot lucks and family gatherings.

Fruit Pizza

1 pkg white or yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
21 oz. can of fruit pie filling

Heat oven to 350. Spray a 12 inch pizza pan or use a 13x9 pan.

Combine cake mix, 1 cup oats, and 6 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup for topping.

Add egg and blend well. Press mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile...To the reserved crumbs add remaining 1/4 cup oats, 2 tablespoons butter, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.

Remove base from oven and spread with pie filling. Sprinkle with topping. Return to oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until topping is light golden brown.

Cool completely before serving 12.

(*lizzie's note--make this extra decadent and drizzle on a swirl of icing!)

Day 2--Irish Cream

Author Tina Gayle sent me this recipe around St. Patrick's Day. Of course, it'll be good any day of the year. Whether you're Irish or not!

Tina would love to have you visit her here. Take a gander at her book Mating Rituals, from amira press.

Irish Cream



1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cup blended whiskey
1 tbsp. Chocolate syrup
½ tsp. Instant coffee
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/8 tsp. Almond flavoring
½ tsp. Coconut flavoring
4 large eggs

Blend everything together in the blender and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Good both by itself or in coffee.

Day 1--Cheesy Crockpot Chili

Here's a recipe from Connie Crow, one of my writing friends. I've had this recipe for awhile--since she calls it a great winter meal. However, chili's great any time of the year. In fact, you should eat hot soups and chili in the summer because the heat will help even out your body temperature. Or so I've been told...

Visit Connie's blog at http://constancecrow.blogspot.com/ and check out her Regency, No Place for a Lady  from Awe-Struck Publishing.

Cheesy Crockpot Chili



This great winter meal can be put together in the morning. It will simmer all day and have the house smelling wonderful by the time you eat it that evening.


1.5 lbs ground chuck
½ cup chopped onion
2 tsp garlic
Good pinch of salt.
1 T butter


Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Throw in the chopped onion and garlic. Sweat the onions and garlic until the onion is translucent. Don't brown now, it turns the garlic bitter. Put in the chuck, breaking it up and browning the meat . Salt lightly. Break it up well. Once it's browned thoroughly, drain off all liquid and fat that cook out of the chuck. You can do this the night before and store it in the fridge until morning.


2 cups crumbled Fritos corn chips
1 cup grated cheese
1 can stewed tomatoes, Mexican style, with liquid
1 can chili beans with liquid
1 tall can tomato juice
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
2 T. Worcestershire sauce


In the morning, crumble the corn chips into the bottom of the crock pot. Add the meat mixture from the night before. Cut up the tomatoes in the can, if they're whole. Pour can into the crock pot. Add in the beans and their liquid. Sprinkle in chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt and Worcestershire sauce.


Add enough tomato juice to bring level of liquid to within one inch of crock pot top. Stir well to blend spices. Sprinkle the cheese over top and close lid. Set to slow, 8 or ten hours. Check it mid day. Stir once or twice to distribute melting cheese and dissolving corn chips.


Corn chips
Shredded cheese
Chopped green onions

To Serve: Put crumpled corn chips in the bottom of the bowl. Ladle in steaming chili. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and chopped green onion. Enjoy.

This is a mild chili because I don't like a lot of spice. You can add or subtract to suit. My hubby always hits his bowl with a couple of shots of hot sauce. IF your whole family likes that, you can add it in the cooking time.


This should fit in a 12 cup crockpot. Mine is 45 years old (a wedding present). The recipe doubles nicely to fill one of the newer oval crockpots. It also freezes well.