Summer Green Salad

1/2 Medium Red onion -- sliced
1 Fresh Orange -- peeled and sliced
1 Medium Cucumber -- peeled and sliced
1 Head Romaine Lettuce
1 Ripe Avocado -- peeled and sliced
Dressing:
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Orange Juice
1/3 Cup Orange Juice Concentrate
1 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Pepper to Taste

Prepare salad ingredients (except avocado) and put in refrigerator. Combine dressing ingredients and refrigerate. Just before serving prepare avocado and mix with the dressing and our dressing on salad mixture.


NOTES : When you prepare an vinegar-oil dressing, I always do it in the food processor or blender. Combine all ingredients and slowly add the oil while the machine is running, This makes it all come together nicely.

Hot taco dip

1 Pound Hamburger
1 Can Diced Green Chiles
1 Package Taco Seasoning Mix
1 Can Refried Beans
8 Ounces Sour Cream
1/2 Bottle Green Taco Sauce
1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

Fry and drain hamburger, add green chilies and taco sauce. Add refried beans to hamburger mixture. Place in a shallow casserole. Mix together sour cream and taco sauce. Pour over hamburger mixture. Sprinkle cheese over top Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve hot with taco chips.


NOTES : I like this spicier, so I use zesty refried beans and 1/2 jalapenos and 1/2 green chilies. This is a yummy dip.

Sharon's Noodle Casserole

1 Pound Hamburger
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
15 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Sliced Green Onions
4 Ounces Wide Egg Noodles -- cooked and drained
1 Cup Grated Cheese



Brown meat, add seasonings and tomato sauce. Simmer 15 minutes . Combine cooked noodles, onions and sour cream. Alternate layers in casserole. Begin and end with noodles. Sprinkle grated cheese on the top before baking. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Sharon's Meatloaf

1 1/2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
3/4 Cup Oatmeal -- uncooked
3/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Catsup
1 Large Egg -- lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic -- minced
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape meatloaf mixture into 10x6-inch loaf on rack of broiler pan.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until meatloaf is to done (160°F for beef, 170°F for turkey), until not pink in center and juices show no pink color 45 minutes to an hour. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Cover and refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 2 days, or wrap airtight and freeze up to 3 months.

Jim's favorite meatloaf

GLAZE:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
MEATLOAF:
1 medium onion -- chopped
2 gloves garlic -- minced
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup milk
2 pounds hamburger
2/3 cup oatmeal -- (or 1 1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs)
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
8 Slices bacon -- thin sliced

For GLAZE, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Prepare for cooking by covering a wire rack with foil; prick foil in several places with a fork. Place rack on a shallow roasting pan lines with foil for easy cleanup.

For MEATLOAF, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet, add onions and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes; set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco and milk. Add hamburger, oatmeal, parsley and cooked onions and garlic; mix with a fork until evenly blended and mixture does not stick to bowl. (I usually use my hands). If mixture does stick, add additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time, and continue stirring until mixture stops sticking.

Turn meat mixture onto a work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into a loaf approximately 9 X 5 inches. Set formed loaf on rack. Brush loaf with all of glaze, then arrange bacon slices crosswise over loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under loaf to prevent curling.

Bake loaf until bacon is crisp, approximately 1 hour. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice and serve.



NOTES : If you want to bake in a loaf pan, make sure you have one that has a drip pan. Double the glaze recipe and put 1/2 of it on the meatloaf and bake for 45 minute. Put other half on and bake an aditional 15 minutes.

Forbidden Black Rice Salad

1 cup black rice
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup green onions
1 1/4 cup red pepper -- diced
Dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons Sherry Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh ginger -- grated
1/2 cup olive oil


Make the dressing by combing the vinegars, honey and ginger. Whisk in the oil and emulsify. Set aside.

Salad: Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until the oil simmers. Add the rice and toast it, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the water and salt, increase the heat to med-high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to med-low and cover. Cook for about 45 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.


NOTES : I made mine the night before, I think that it is better after it sets. The dressing recipe makes enough for 2 salads.

Whipped Fruit Salad

2 small package strawberry jello
3 cups boiling water
6 ounces cream cheese -- softened
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 packages frozen strawberries -- thawed
cool whip Lite®

Dissolve jello, cream cheese and marshmallows in boiling water. Set aside until slightly thickened and creaming looking (I refrigerate), Fold in the strawberries. Chill several hours or overnight.



NOTES : There are several variations - orange jello and mandarin oranges, or lime jello with crushed pineapple. With these variations, always add 1/2 cup juice to replace some of the water the recipe calls for. I am especially fond of the orange. I use sugar free jello and cool whip and it works great.