Avocado Salsa

Sauce:
4-5 cloves crushed garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 TB apple cider
1 Tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Everything else:
1 cup corn
1 can black beans
4-5 green onions-chopped
1 small can chopped olives
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
4-5 medium avocados - add right before you serve

Start the night before you are going to serve, by mixing up everything but the avocados. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Flank Steak Salad

Marinade:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp liquid smoke

Tenderize flank steak (or London Broil) with a fork. Put in plastic bag with marinade and let it marinate at least 2 hours to overnight.

Grill or broil flank steak. Slice on bias. Serve cold on top of salad.

Salad dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
2 TB green onion
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard

Blend together. Mix salad greens with dressing. Go light on dressing so you don't make the greens too soggy.

Add whatever you like for color and taste. I used:
2 bags mixed salad greens
craisins
carrot shreds
slivered almonds
mozzarella cheese

Lay lettuce (mixed with dressing) on serving platter. Sprinkle other ingredients on top. Top with flank steak. Drizzle additional salad dressing on top, if you wish. Dig in and ENJOY!

Sangria

1/4 C sugar
1 C orange juice
1 T lime juice
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/2 orange, sliced
4 C diet 7-UP
4 C light cranberry grape juice

In a large pitcher, combine orange juice, sugar, and grape juice. Add cut fruit and stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until cool and add 7-UP just before serving.

Argentinian Ham & Cheese Empanadas

Start with:

2 TB olive oil 2 TB minced fresh parsley
1 Medium onion finely chopped

Saute the onion and parsley in the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Remove from skillet and transfer to a medium sized bowl

Add:
8 oz cooked ham, chopped (I used deli meat)
2 TB bread crumbs
8 oz mild Cheddar cheese
2 TB sour cream
1 large egg, slightly beaten
a pinch of black pepper

Mix well.

1 package empanada wrappers (Goya brand) or Pepperidge Farm puff pastry shells, thawed (I used the puff pastry)

To assemble:
Place 2 TB filling in the center of the shell circle (about 5 inch). Moisten edge of shell with egg wash (1 egg slightly beaten and 1 TB water). Fold over and press edges firmly to seal. Crimp the edge with a fork dipped in flour and pierce the top with the fork to allow steam to escape. Repeat.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or freeze to save for later). (I did not refrigerate and it works that way, too).

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush empanadas with egg wash and bake on parchment paper, until golden...about 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 Enjoy!

Busy Mom Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
1-10oz can enchilada sauce
1-15oz can corn, drained
1-15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
1-15oz can diced tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes in puree
1 4oz can diced green chilies
3-15oz cans chicken broth
¾ cup chopped onion (can use frozen)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch cilantro, chopped fine and divided – half for soup and half for garnish
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8. Before serving, shred or chop chicken then return to the soup. Traditional serving is with a squeeze of lime juice, reserved cilantro, diced avocado and tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips. Sour cream and shredded cheese are also good toppings. Depending on how spicy you like things, you can use more chili powder and/or the hotter green chilies and enchilada sauce. We like things mild and this recipe reflects that.

Ham Roll-ups

24 ham slices
2 lbs broccoli
24 cheese slices
1 package Knorr Hollandaise Sauce mix

Trim broccoli into long narrow spears then steam/blanch/microwave until just tender. Top each piece of ham with a cheese slice and a few broccoli spears, arranged with one floret at each end. Roll up and place in a greased baking dish, seam side down. Bake covered at 350 for 30-45 minutes until cheese has melted and they are heated through. Remove foil for last 10 minutes of cooking. Prepare sauce according to package and garnish each roll with a few tablespoons.

FYI: You can use any kind of cheese. I like Monterrey Jack or Swiss and thought the Havarti last night was really good. Cheddar is also fine. You can use packaged ham but I like to have the deli slice it for me so the pieces are thicker. This is also great with asparagus.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

I got this recipe from a gal I worked with in YW in our very first ward. Since it's our anniversary today, I thought I would do something retro! And it's really good!

1 pkg yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp almond extract
2 TB poppy seeds

Mix all together and pour into a well greased pan. The recipe says use 2 loaf pans, I have done one before. I have tried a bundt, but it always sticks...I think the cake is too light to work well as a bundt. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from pan while hot and coat with glaze.

Glaze: 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar
Combine in saucepan and bring to full boil. Boil for 2 minutes (be sure to watch it closely). Remove from heat and add 2 tsp almond extract. Pour over warm cake. I will make little slices with a knife in the bread so that the glaze can get inside and really get soaked up by the bread. Enjoy!