LAYERED SPINACH SALAD WITH CREAMY HORSERADISH DRESSING
½ pound fresh spinach
½ pound bacon, fried and crumbled
5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 head lettuce, torn
1 package frozen peas, uncooked but thawed
1 onion, chopped
¼ pound each shredded Swiss and cheddar cheese
Sugar, salt, and pepper to taste
For garnish: cheese, bacon bits, and slivered almonds
Layer first 7 ingredients in order. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper. Top with Dressing. Garnish with more cheese, bacon, and slivered almonds. Chill until ready to serve.
Yield: 12-16 servings
DRESSING
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3 teaspoons horseradish
1 (1-ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix
Mix together all ingredients.
SHRIMP AND SCALLOP LASAGNA
12 lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2½ cups half-and-half
1 cup grated Romano cheese
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¾ pound sea scallops, cut in half or quartered, if large
¾ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 10 x 13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in heavy skillet; cook onion over low heat for about 5 minutes or
until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-low; stir in flour with a whisk. Gradually add half-and-half, allowing sauce to thicken slightly. When sauce is consistency of whipping cream, add Romano cheese and stir well. Add salt and pepper; set aside. Sauté scallops for 3 to 4 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they turn pink. Turn off heat. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce into prepared dish. Cover bottom with 4 noodles, placing them side by side. Spoon 1⁄3 of sauce over noodles and top with seafood. Repeat with noodles and remaining sauce. For top layer, spoon only sauce over noodles. Tuck in edges of noodles and coat with sauce. Top with Parmesan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered, until bubbly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Yield: 12 servings
GARLIC CHEESE BISCUITS
1¼ cups biscuit mix
½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine biscuit mix and cheese. Add water, and stir just until combined. Dough will be slightly moist. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are firm and beginning to brown. While biscuits are baking, make Garlic Butter. Remove biscuits from oven; brush with Garlic Butter using a pastry brush.
Yield: 12 biscuits
GARLIC BUTTER
½ stick unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoons garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon parsley flakes
Combine all ingredients; mix well.
APPLE PIE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
7 cups (4 apples) Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup toasted walnuts
Dough for 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Add toasted walnuts to apple mixture. Using a slotted spoon, transfer apples to dough-lined pie plate. Reserve juice from apple mixture. Dot apples with butter, top with crust with vents or lattice crust and brush crust with reserved liquid. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with caramel ice cream sauce and ice cream.
To toast walnuts, place walnuts on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 servings