Oven Baked Bacon

I wish someone told me about this long ago!! We don't eat a lot of bacon, but I hate making it when we do because it's SO messy. This takes the mess out of bacon.....

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Line a pan (that has edges) with foil
3. Bake bacon for 15-20 min. or how crispy you want it.

That's it. Nice and simple, the bacon stays flat, there's no splashes to wipe up, and the foil cuts cleaning in half!

Spinach Salad with Strawberries

This salad is DELISH!!!
Lion House Entertaining

Dressing
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup strawberry jam

Salad
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup cashew pieces
15 wontons, cut into thin strips
1 large head red leaf lettuce washed and broken into pieces
1 package fresh spinach
1/3 cup bacon pieces
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 purple onion, sliced
1 cup strawberries, sliced

To make dressing, mix together vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard, salt, and strawberry jam. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Set aside.Heat a medium frying pan and add sugar and nuts. Stir constantly over medium heat until nuts are coated and slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside. Fry wontons in hot cooking oil and drain onto paper towels.When ready to serve salad, put lettuce, spinach, bacon, red pepper, onion, and strawberries into a large bowl and toss. Add salad dressing and toss. Add sugared nuts and wontons last.

Taco Salad

My Mom makes this and it's really good as a main dish too!

Layer the following:

1 head lettuce
Chopped green onions
1 lg can ranch style beans (washed)
1 pkg (small) fritos (crushed) OR Doritos (I really like doritos)
1 pkg. longhorn Colby cheese – grated

Before serving, pour 1 bottle Kraft Catalina dressing and toss. (I use much less)

Southwestern Bean Salad

• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen*, thawed
  

Dressing:

• 3/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt, optional
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

In a large mixing bowl, combine the beans, celery, onion, tomato, and
corn. Prepare the dressing in a small bowl or jar. Mix well. Pour the
dressing over the bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at
least 2 hours.

Taco Mac Salad

• 1 box (8 oz.) tri-color spiral macaroni
• 1 lb. taco seasoned ground beef
• 1/2 cup green peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1 cup cheese - cheddar, shredded
• 1 carton cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 head lettuce, shredded
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup french dressing
• 1 package nacho doritos

Cook macaroni as directed. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain again. In a large bowl mix macaroni, green pepper, onion, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, & seasonings. Chill. Just before serving, stir in warm seasoned ground beef, french dressing and chips. Toss lightly.

Blue Cheese Potato Salad

4 slices bacon
2 lbs. red new potatoes
½ c. olive oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 bunch green onions, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ oz. blue cheese, crumbled

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 min. Drain. Cool and chop, leaving skins on. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, green onions, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, bacon and cheese and toss to coat.

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Spiced Pecans

Salad:
1-2 lbs. Spinach (washed, drained)
2 pints strawberries (washed and sliced)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
pecans

Spiced Pecans :
1 lb. pecan halves
1/4 c. butter
2 1/2 Tbl. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4-1/3 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. mace

Mix butter, sugar, juice, and spices together in saucepan. Cook 3 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Pour over pecans in large bowl and toss to coat. Spread on cookie sheet. Bake 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. These are strong smelling as you cook them, so don't do it the day of serving if you have company. Make them and store them in an air tight container for later.

Dressing :
Whisk all of the below ingredients
1/2 c. Mayo
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. milk
2 Tbl. white vinegar
2 Tbl. poppy seeds

Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli slaw
1 pkg. broccoli slaw
2 green onions sliced
3 oz. package of Top Ramen (any flavor -- I prefer Roasted Chicken)
1/2 c. cashews
1/2 c. sunflower seeds

Mix:
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 packet of seasoning from the Top Ramen noodle package

Add: Nuts, dressing & noodles. You do not cook anything for the
Broccoli Slaw but it taste better after sitting in the fridge
overnight so it can soak in the flavor. (add noodles just
before serving)
Yummy yummy!

Mandarin Orange Salad

I first tried this at a RS dinner a long time ago. It is very yummy! I have to say, though, that I hate mixing fruit with salads so I never eat the oranges but I always add them to get a bit of that flavor.

Mandarin Orange Salad

4 cups greens (or 1 head green leaf lettuce or one bag romaine lettuce)
1 c. celery (I always leave this out, not a big celery fan)
2 green onions (I don't know what that means, so I just use one bunch)
11 oz. mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 Tbs. sugar
1 cup or more cooked chicken (optional)

Put the almonds and sugar in a hot frying pan. Stir until the sugar
starts to melt. Stir until all the sugar has melted and coated the
almonds. Pour out on a plate to cool, separating as it cools for a
minute so it doesn't all get stuck in a big pile.

Dressing:

1/4 cup oil (that's the same as 4 Tbs. - then I don't have to get the
measuring cups out)
2 Tbs. white vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of tabasco

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 bag spinach lettuce (approx. 7 cups)
2 c. sliced strawberries
slivered almonds ( I just use one of the small bags and warm them on the stove top until golden with a little sugar)

Dressing:
1/4 c. suger
2 tbs. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. Canola oil (vegetable works)

Combine in a jar and shake vigorously. Pour over greens and strawberries.
I take this to dinners all the time. It makes a lot and is very yummy!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa/Salad, another version

1 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1/4 c olive oil
1/3 c lime juice
2 cans drained and rinsed black beans
1 can drained corn
1/2 c chopped parsley
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 purple onion, chopped (any color is fine, but purple adds more
color to the salsa)

This recipe has been served at almost all of my get togethers, so you may have already tried it. It is sooooo yummy. I also wanted to add that you can eat this plain heat it up and eat it in a tortilla. It is also really good used as a bed under salmon.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Dressing:
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. shoyu (soy sauce)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. water

1. Heat vinegar and soy sauce.
2. In separate bowl, mix cornstarch with water. When vinegar and soy sauce mixture comes to a boil, stir in cornstarch and water mixture. Stir until slightly thickened. Cool a little and pour mixture into a glass jar.

3. Add:
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. dry mustard

4. Mix well and store in fridge.

Salad:
Lettuce (I use a combination of Romain, Iceberg, and Red Leaf)
5-6 green onions, chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1/2 cup slivered almonds, browned in dry frying pan
2-3 oz. bean threads, deep fried and drained on paper towels
chow mein noodles or 16 won tons wrappers, cut in strips, deep fried, and drained

1. Rinse lettuce and dry. Cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Combine all ingredients (save some almonds and chow mein noodles for garnish).
3. Stir in dressing just before serving.

Notes: If combining ingredients ahead of time, do not add bean threads until just before adding the dressing or they get hard. Enjoy!

Apple Spinach Salad

Salad:
1 bag spinach
1 bag romaine
7 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 bag slivered almonds
1 green apple, sliced

1. Sugar coat the almonds by placing the almonds in a medium saucepan with about a ½ cup of sugar.
2. Stir over medium heat until sugar melts and coats almonds. Let cool on a glass pan so they won’t stick.
3. Will last for about a week in an airtight container.

Dressing:
1/8 red onion very thinly sliced
1/3 c. oil
¼ c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. white vinegar

4. Mix together and toss with salad.

Craisin Spinach Salad w/ Red Wine Vinaigrette

Salad:
1 bag spinach
½ c. diced red onion
Candy almonds (make the same way as Apple Spinach Salad)
Craisins

Dressing:
¾ c. olive oil
1/8 c. water
¾ c. red wine vinegar
1 c. sugar

1. Place dressing ingredients in blender and mix until well blended.
2. Toss with salad and serve

Note: This makes a good amount of dressing but will keep in the fridge for about a week or so.