Summer 2011, it's ON!

We are just days away from another Memorial Day weekend, the 'official' kick off to summer. I have been out of school for a week already, although it doesn't seem like it's been the lazy days yet. As I post, we are having new carpet installed on our main floor. It's a lot of work moving all of that furniture around, we had to get pretty creative with storage. Also, I didn't know it would be so NOISY! Poor Maddie, she doesn't want to be in, it's sprinkling on and off outdoors, and she doesn't know what's going on!

My sister in law Ruth put some pressure on me several years ago. She liked a particular salad I made and used the recipe over the summer for any gathering they were invited to. The next summer she said, "I need a new summer salad that lives up to the last one!" I don't recall what I sent her, but every summer since - I feel a responsibility to come up with another recipe.

I made this one two days ago, and it seems to get better as it ages. That's a plus for me, since there are only two in our house, it takes awhile to finish anything I make. I don't know if this is the best I'll find yet for this summer, but I really like it and it's pretty. Similar to others I've made, but a new little twist. Easy to double for a larger gathering, please note the change in dressing amounts at the bottom of the recipe.

BROCCOLI SLAW
1-12 oz package of broccoli slaw (This looks like cole slaw mix, but it's made with broccoli, carrots and red cabbage.)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 large red pepper, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
(If doubling recipe use 3/4 cup canola, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cider vinegar.)

Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over the first group of ingredients that have been combined. I think it was better day 2, so leave for several hours before serving.

It's nice to have a summer salad that is not dairy based, much safer to take with you if it won't be refrigerated!

Poppin' in to say hi.

Does this make you hungry???

I watched this recipe yesterday on the food network; and since I didn't forget about it by today~I decided I should probably try it out. A thought I had while making it was that in the summer time you really don't want to heat up the oven so this would be great! On the other hand, if it's humid it might not keep very long. Guess you'd have to eat it up pronto!!

Chocolate Popcorn Brittle

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

10 cups of popped popcorn

salt, optional

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

3/4 cup white chocolate, melted (I substituted 2 squares vanilla almond bark)

1 cup salted pretzels, crushed (Not one plain pretzel in my house, so I skipped this)

Mix the sugar and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a boil Let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the crunchy peanut butter, continue to stir until smooth. Add the vanilla and stir again.

In a large mixing bowl, measure out the popcorn. If desired, lightly salt the popcorn. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the popcorn and stir well until completely coated.

On a baking sheet lined with wax paper, pour the coated popcorn and distribute evenly. Drizzle with the melted semis sweet chocolate, then the white chocolate. Sprinkle the crushed pretzels over the warm popcorn. Allow to set about 20 minutes or pop into refrigerator to speed it up. Store tightly covered.

I'm anxious to try this again WITH the pretzels, I'm a big fan of sweet and salty together.