Chicken Salad

This is the salad I make when I want a lot of compliments. It is divine! I have requests for the recipe EVERY time I make it.

Sorry about the picture. I took it when the dressing had been in the salad for a few hours. We all know what lettuce looks like when that happens!

Mixed greens (red lettuce, romaine, baby spinach)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. toasted sliced almonds
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1-2 chicken breasts

Cook chicken until done, cool, then cut into thin slices. Fry in some oil until brown. While browning add 1/4 c. of the dressing so the chicken marinates/glazes.

Melt 1-2 Tb. brown sugar in a pan. Mix in almonds till coated, removed from pan and separate so they are not in clumps.

Dressing:
1/3 c. raspberry wine vinegar
3/4 c. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 - 1t. ginger (fresh) chopped fine
1/4 c. honey
1 t. soy sauce
Blend well

Mix greens, onions, strawberries and chicken.
Right before serving add dressing and top with toasted almonds

Lion House Dinner Rolls

This is our Sunday dinner roll recipe. We love it! It has taken a little practice to get it just right, but it has been well worth it.



2 T. yeast
2 c. warm water
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. shortening
2 1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. dry milk
5 to 6 cups flour (I usually add about 2 cups of white wheat flour)
1 egg

In a large bowl, combine yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until smooth (there will be some lumps). Add 2 more cups flour, one at a time and beat until smooth. (When I add the milk, I add it gradually as I am beating. If you dump it all in, it will stay lumpy.)

Add 1 to 2 more cups flour one at a time. Add just enough flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 4-5 minutes. Gather dough and put in draft free area, covered until triple in size (about 1 - 1/1/2 hours).

Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out and cut into desired shapes. Place on greased baking sheet and let rise for about 20-25 minutes. Bake 375 for 15 - 20 minutes until browned.

Hearty Homemade Granola

We got this recipe from a friend years ago and love it! The boys will eat it too. It is great for using up oats in your food storage. I have found that I can buy my wheat germ and nuts in bulk for a cheaper price at The Good Earth than at a regular old grocery store. I store them in my freezer to keep them fresh.

4 c. oats
1 c. wheat germ
1 c. sliced almonds or walnuts
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds
1 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. water
craisins or any other dried fruit

Heat oven to 275
Mix in large bowl oats, wheat germ, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add oil, honey and water. Blend well. Spread evenly onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 45-50 min. or until lightly browned, stirring once during baking. Let cool, then stir in craisins and store in air tight container. Makes about 7 cups.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

We are cookie people around here. We make cookies at least once a week. Although we change it up from time to time this is our favorite recipe. People love our cookies and assume it is some fancy, secret recipe. Not true. Just the standard Nestle Toll House recipe with a few little tweaks.

2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 t. real vanilla extract (not the imitation kind)
2 eggs
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat eggs and add one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips.

Bake in preheated 375 oven for 9-11 minutes until golden brown.

Cafe Rio Rice

5 c. water
4 t. chicken bouillon
cilantro (however much you want)
1 can green chilies
3/4 t. salt
1 T. butter
1/2 onion
3 c. rice

Blend green chilies, onion and cilantro
Mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing

There are a lot of knock-off dressing recipes out there. My friend made this for me, along with some fantastic rice and meat after I had Chasey. I wolfed it down and immediately got the recipes from her. Love them!

2 c. mayo
2 c. sour cream
10 sprigs cilantro (more if you like)
3 tomatillos, chopped
2 green onions
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 t. salt

Blend until smooth. Serve with rice and meat in a tortilla with all the fixings.

Mint Brownies

I can't remember the last time I made brownies from a box. Ever since I got my hands on my mother-in-law's secret brownie recipe I have never gone back. They are the perfect consistency. Not too cakey and not too gooey. The original recipe called for homemade mint and chocolate icing to go on top which I happily made every time. I really can't imagine eating a brownie without a mint topping. Then several years ago I discovered that sprinkling on Andes mint chips on the top after baking was ten times easier and just as delicious, if not better. So I am hooked! I really could eat an entire pan myself.

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 c. plus 2 T. cocoa

Cream shortening and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs. (I beat the eggs first and then slowly add them into the mixture.) Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased 9X13 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 325. Stick a knife in the middle to see if it is done.

Cool 10 minutes. Don't skip the cooling part. For some reason if you sprinkle the mint chips on right after the brownies come out of the oven, the mint flavor seems to cook off. Why? I have no idea.

Sprinkle mint chips on top after slightly cooled. Let them melt and then smooth them out. Let cool completely for a hardened chocolate mint crust. It usually takes about 2 hours for the topping to completely harden. That's it!

I have not been able to find the Andes mint chips at every grocery store. The only place that always has them is Walmart. Which is surprising because every time I ever go into that store the shelves are half empty. Smith's does not carry them and I don't know if Albertsons does. They are next to the chocolate chips.

This is what you are looking for.