Halloween Salads

We spent some time this Halloween with Governor Sarah Palin 

and ret. Quarterback Steve Young 

and their flip cell phones!

We had so much fun.  All of them attended our ward trunk or treat.  Gov. Palin was a little hesitant at first.

Steve Young even attended our ward Harvest party earlier.  And they all stopped by our kids' schools.  What a Halloween treat!

My husband and I also attended a couples Halloween party.  I was asked to bring a Halloween salad.  Although one can find many Halloween main dishes, breads, desserts, drinks, and even appetizers, one area lacking in Halloween choices is the category of salads.  I did find this orange and black Halloween salad recipe and decided to make it to share.  Here is a picture of how it turned out.  I think I was supposed to mix it altogether, but liked the look of the orange bed of "spider legs" and the sunflower seed "fingernails" and the black bean "eyeballs" this way.  I'm not sure why parsley was added, but you can read more about this recipe at the link above.   My friend has some more pics from the party. 

The recipe calls for plum vinegar, safflower oil mayonnaise and french herbs.  I was unable to find all of these here, so I improvised with fig vinegar, olive oil mayonnaise and used what french herbs I did have on hand.  French herbs include basil, lavender, rosemary, tarragon, thyme and winter savory.  They are optional, but do add to the taste.  It tastes best the same day.  

Another choice I had was from the kid cookbook "Gross Grub" by Cheryl Porter my brother's family gave me years ago for my birthday.  Every Halloween I get a kick out of reading these recipes, but they sound to sick to eat.  

Hairball Salad with Saliva Dressing
Kitty's thrown up some fabulously fiber-filled hairballs!

ingredients
1 large ripe avocado
2 cups alfalfa sprouts
5-6 large carrots, washed, peeled and grated
Italian dressing

tools you'll need
paring knife, spoon, mixing bowl, fork, carrot peeler, grater and 4 salad bowls

Cut the avocado in half. Use spoon to scoop out the single large pit. Scoop the avocado meat out of its skin and into a bowl. Add alfalfa sprouts to the avocado meat and mash with a fork. (It is okay to leave small lumps.) Set the mixture. Divide the grated carrots between four salad bowls. Using your clean fingers and a spoon, make walnut-size hairballs from the avocado mixture and arrange them on top of the grated carrots. Pour Italian "saliva" dressing over hairballs and serve. Serves 4 cat fanciers

Sicko suggestion -- squeeze ribbons of chocolate icing "hairball medicine" out of a paper cone and onto the backs of your guests' hands, to be licked off for dessert:)

Sugar Cookies

Well, it's time to make some sugar cookies. I'm going to try a new recipe from my cousin. You'll find it below. Then you'll find the recipe I usually make below that. It was our FHE.

Title: Wil's Soft Sugar Cookie recipe

Description:
Cousin Gayla says, "This is our family recipe for cut-out cookies. We all (daughters-in-law, too) like it better than anything else we've tried."

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 cubes real butter
4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4-1 t. nutmeg (your family's preference)
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
cream

Directions:
Beat sugar and butter together till fluffy. Add flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. (It will seem like pie dough before you add the water).
In 1 c. measure, beat the two eggs. Add the vanilla, then enough cream to make one cup. Beat into flour and butter mixture.
Roll out and bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Cool and frost.
(Or freeze and frost later)

Number Of Servings:3-4 dozen

Preparation Time:


Read what others had to say:

Cousin Laurel says, "I do Valentine sugar cookies with the grandkids the Sunday before Valentine's Day. This year I decided to use this recipe instead of the one from the Lion House cookbook that I have been using for the past 25 years or so. We loved it! The dough was very easy to work with and the cookies were tasty and had a good texture.

I doubled the recipe, which was just right for my Bosch. I used the dough hook and poured in the cream mixture in a slow stream into the other mixed ingredients while the mixer was on. So much better than adding flour to the liquid ingredients like I usually do. Thank your for sharing the recipe, Gayla. I will always think of you and your mom when I use this recipe."


Title: Utah State University Sugar Cookies by Valene Tueller

Description:
Bro. Tueller was the USU Basketball coach when I attended "State". My Family Home Evening group attended Family Home Evening in their home one Valentine's Day. We made these sugar cookies and they are the BEST I have ever tasted. Many others agree and have requested this recipe, so I'm posting it here. I'm also posting it here, so I'll always have it. I was just putting it away from using it for Christmas goodies and our daughter's class.

Ingredients:
4 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t nutmeg
Mix together in large bowl and set aside.
1 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c sour cream
1 t vanilla
Frosting:
1 package powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese
1 t vanilla
milk
red food coloring

Directions:
Beat butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream. Add to dry mix. Add vanilla. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes. They are best barely golden.
Frosting: Use softened cream cheese and stir it until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and then add just enough milk for a thick consistency. Then stir in the vanilla and a few drops of red coloring.

Number Of Servings:This makes about 6 giant cookies -- 2 per cookie sheet.

Aunt Ginger's Salsa

We were at Aunt Ginger's recently for Uncle Mel's funeral. It was a bittersweet occasion. His passing was such a shock, but as everyone looks back a few weeks, we see that it was his time. It doesn't make it any easier that he's gone however.

Whenever we are there or even when they visit, Aunt Ginger makes her famous salsa and this was no exception.  I asked her for it because I've had a hankering for it --partly missing them plus I love Mexican.  

Here is her response to me. I can just hear her saying it this way and you can get a feel for her personality too as you read it. I want to thank her for sharing it. 

About the salsa: I pretty much made this recipe up----when we lived in El Centro, there were two men from the main office of the company I worked for that came to our plant to do some work and decided to go to Yuma one evening after closing time. They went to a Mexican Restaurant there and when they came back the next day, they had a quart of salsa they had purchased the night before. I didn't even taste it, I just looked at the jar and decided I could make it myself----these guys were taking it back to Fresno to share with their co-workers there. So here goes-------

1 can petite diced tomatoes (28 oz can)
2 cans diced green chilis (2-4oz cans or 1-8 oz can) )
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz can)
1 bunch cilantro (use as much of it as you like--Burke doesn't like cilantro, so I would take some out before I added the cilantro--I do it to taste and I cut it up with scissors--just hold it tightly at the top of the bunch and start giving it a "haircut!")
1 onion, chopped fairly fine (Mel liked it finely chopped but when I was in a hurry it wound up in bigger chunks--do it the way you like it. You can also use green onions if you like them better--I have used them both--depends on how well you like onions!)
1/2 tsp black pepper (again, if you like it a little bit zingyer, use more--add pepper to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder, or I have granules, so that's what I use.
Add salt after it has had time to sit about 30 mins to 1 hour---just salt it to what you like--I have ruined a batch or so by using too much salt.

I think that's it. It's a "guess and by golly science."

Spudnuts

Tonight's Recipe Exchange theme is "Potatoes".  We are having it the day our kids return back to school from their 8 school day "Spud Harvest" vacation.  My husband's family lived in Scotland for 2 years and they called it "Taddy Holidays".  

I certainly didn't need to ask anyone for any ideas of recipes using potatoes, but it was a great reason to finally ask for and make this Spudnut recipe we used to help our Drill Team Advisor Jessie make for a fundraiser each year.  They are so yummy.  

Spudnuts

3 1/2 tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 c mashed potatoes (instant may be used unless you can taste the difference like I can:)
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp oil or shortening
3 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten lightly
2 cups scalded milk
7 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Cream the shortening, sugar, salt, and potatoes together. Add eggs and yeast. Mix well. Then add flour and milk alternating. Let rise. Roll out fairly thick, cut out and let rise again on greased sheets. Fry in deep fat and glaze. You don't want your grease too hot or they will be doughy in the middle.

Glaze:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 tsp vanilla

A "Peary" Simple Dessert

My Mother used to serve us coarsely crushed graham crackers topped with real whipped cream and canned pears.  My kids have been asking for it, so tonight I made it for dessert. 

The funny thing is the boys had just come home from the neighbors where they had been playing and our youngest exclaimed, "I'm  not hungry for dinner.  I just ate about 50 (fresh) pears!"  He still ate a little bit of dinner and this pear dessert, but didn't quite have enough room for seconds.  

When we had a pear tree, we used to use fresh pears too.  Canned pears just let you serve this quick, simple, refreshing dessert anytime or any season. 

Reunion Potato Salad

We went to visit my husband's parents over "Spud Harvest".  His Mother made me a nice dinner including homemade potato salad.  I haven't had that since my Mother used to make it for us.  It was so yummy.  I know it is a labor of love and it so good.  

Here are each of their yummy, homemade with much, love potato salad recipes.  

My Mother-in-law's Potato Salad

(coming soon)

My Mother's "Reunion Potato Salad"

From the Kitchen of Finlandia Ranch

8 medium red potatoes, cubed

4 to 5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream

3 Tbps. sugar (this is key)

3 Tbps. cider or red wine vinegar

2 tsp. prepared mustard

1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion

1 tsp. celery seed

salt and pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.  Cover and bring to a boil; cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes.  Drain and cool.  Place in a bowl; add boiled eggs.  Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over potato mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. 

Yield:  8-10 servings.

Delivering Harvest Treats to Harvest Workers

Twice this week we made  my Mother's Finnish recipe for  Old World Fresh Apple Butter Cake. Click on the title above and you'll find the recipe from a post I made last year.  

This year one of our sons helped his Dad make this as a bundt cake for my birthday.  We visited the place I first had my birthday cake during harvest time and ate my birthday cake there.  

Notice the white icing on it?  

Well, when I was 3 my Mother made me a beautiful white cake with white frosting and took it out to the field to share

 with the workers.  

When my Dad brought the combine to a stop, 

the white cake was suddenly a "chocolate" (dusty) cake!!  After that, my birthday cakes became bundt cakes.  This one is a favorite of mine.  I had to laugh when he put a white glaze on it because we were in the spud field after all.   Thankfully, this year, it had already been harvested there and we avoided the "chocolate".  

 

Then then we went to the spud cellars and delivered mini bundt cakes they'd made to the Harvest workers.  

Then I made them for the Young Women's activity where we deliver a treat one day of harvest to the other Young Women who are working in the Potato Harvest.  

I just love the memories, smell, sight, sound and touch of "Spud Harvest"!  

Banana Pumpkin Bread

Since I had some over ripe bananas and some left over canned pumpkin, I gave this recipe for Banana Bread a try. I doubled the recipe, using the 4 bananas I had and the left over pumpkin.   

It made 24 muffins and 8 mini loaves.  I love the chocolate chips in it especially and was pleased with the blended taste of the banana and pumpkin.  I had never sprinkled sugar on before, but it was suggested in the recipe and I liked it, although I guess I need to add it sooner, so it melts in more.  

This made for a yummy after school treat and fun delivery to some neighbors too.