Crunchy Romaine Salad

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles, broken
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
1 small head romaine lettuce, torn
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Directions

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper; shake well. Discard seasoning packet from noodles or save for another use. In a 350 degree preheated oven, toast ramen noodles & almonds on a cookie sheet for approximately 8-10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine noodles, broccoli, carrots, romaine, almonds, and onions and toss with dressing right before serving.

Shrimp Asian Salad

Ingredients

2 T honey or agave nectar
2 T soy sauce
1 lime, juiced or 2 1/2 T lime juice
2 tsp sesame oil or peanut oil
1 T vegetable oil
3 T olive oil
1 T toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cucumber, peeled & cut into small pieces
1 lb cooked medium shrimp

Directions

Combine honey (agave nectar), soy sauce, lime juice & oils in a bowl. If shrimp isn't cooked, cook shrimp on medium- low to medium heat with a small amount of olive oil until pink on both sides. Combine cucumber & shrimp with sauce in bowl. Toss with romaine lettuce & top with sesame seeds.

Copykat "Bajio" Sweet Rice

Servings: 6-8

Approximate Time: 50 minutes with prep and cook time.

Ingredients:

1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a white onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 1/3 cups white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup white sugar

Directions:

Put a little oil in bottom of pan (maybe about 1/2-1 tablespoon).
Saute chopped onion until transluecent. Add the chopped cinlantro (no big stems) and saute a minute more. Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn).
Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar disolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil. Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

* I needed to make a dinner for my family the other night which was 13 people. I decided to make chimichangas but had some vegetarians in the group so I needed to come up with another way to them without the meat for those who didn't eat meat. I found this recipe online and if you have ever eaten at Bajio and had their sweet rice, it is so good. I decided to do beans and sweet rice in them for the vegetarians and was very impressed with the rice. I actually decided to add it to mine and I love it! I think I will have to make this rice everytime now. It is great as a side dish also. I posted the chimichanga recipe a while ago that you can pull up if you would like to maket them.

Grape Salad

Ingredients:

2 lb. green grapes

2 lb. red grapes

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 c. white sugar

1 t. vanilla

brown sugar

pecans

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, white sugar, and vanilla. Fold in grapes: sprinkle brown sugar and pecans over top, but do not stir in. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, stir to mix in brown sugar and pecans.

* This is the best summer fruit salad! Anytime I need to make something for a large group, I make this. I have made it on the spur of the moment where I haven't planned in advance to have it refrigerate overnight and it still tastes good, but it definitely tastes better if you do refrigerate over night. I made this yesterday for my baby's birthday party and my husband asked me as I was mixing everything in to add some more brown sugar to it, I did and everyone said that it was the best it had ever been. I also don't use pecans when I make it because I have family members who HATE nuts in anything and when I make it for a potluck dish, I am always worried about allergies people may have.

Grilled Sweet Onions

Approximate Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients
4 large onions
4 tsp beef bouillon granules
4 T butter
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
4 tsp white wine or beef broth, optional

Directions
With a sharp knife, carefully remove a 1-in. core from the center of each onion. Cut each onion into four edges to within 1/2 in. of root end. Place each onion on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square). Place bouillon in the centers of onions; top with butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle with wine or broth if desired. Fold foil around onions and seal tightly. Prepare grill for indirect heat. Grill onions, covered, over indirect medium heat for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.

*We made these yesterday for Mother's Day and they were SO good. They sound a bit interesting but they are WAY good! Family members who don't like onions even really liked these.