Valentine’s Salad

A plate of salad on the table with flowers in the background.

Ingredients Dressing ¼ cup mayonnaise ½ cup buttermilk 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp dried tarragon ¼ cup Parmesan cheese 1 tsp salt  Salad 1 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, sliced into long strips 2 Tbsp sliced or chopped almonds 4  one inch thick slices of…

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Vanilla Pie

A piece of cake on a plate with roses

Ingredients 1 unbaked pie shell from the grocery store or recipe page 63 You’re Grown – Now You Can Cook. 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter 1 ½ cups sugar 3 eggs 1 cup buttermilk 3 Tbsp flour ¼ tsp salt 1 Tbsp vanilla (I added a few drops extra for a very intense vanilla taste.)…

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Vegetarian Lasagna for One

A wooden table with some food on it

Ingredients 1 Tbsp butter 1 very small eggplant, chopped 6 mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves of garlic, minced several stalks of asparagus, cut in bite sized pieces (You could use any vegetables you like. Butternut squash would have been good with this, also broccoli, zucchini, carrots – let your pantry and your imagination be your guide.)…

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Warm Beer Cheese Dip

A plate of food with broccoli and bread sticks.

Ingredient 2 cups white American cheese (I think you could use a mild cheddar or just plain American cheese) ½ cup half & half or whole milk ½ cup dark beer ½ tsp garlic salt ½ tsp dry mustard ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce A few drops of hot sauce Directions In…

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Warm Chocolate Mess

A piece of cake on a plate with roses

Ingredients 1 pkg. chocolate cake mix 3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix 4 eggs 1 c water 2 c sour cream 1 stick butter, melted (you can do this in a small bowl in the microwave)  1/2  tsp salt 1 c semisweet chocolate chips Directions Spray crockpot with cooking spray. In a large bowl,…

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Warm Farro Salad

A bowl of food with rice and fruit on it.

It’s January again. Kind of cold and dreary with more of the same predicted. But here is the good news- your menu doesn’t have to follow suit. Brighten and lighten your day with this recipe for Farro Winter Salad. This dish is hearty with a punch of citrus and sweet chopped dried fruits plus deliciously…

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Warm Lentil and Arugula Salad

A plate of food with meat and vegetables on it.

Ingredients 1 cup dry lentils 2 ½ cups vegetable stock 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ tsp red pepper flakes 4 cups arugula (spinach is a good substitute) ½ onion, thinly sliced 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 1 wedge Parmesan cheese ( or use what you like) shaved with a vegetable peeler…

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Watermelon and Arugula Salad with Honey Dressing

Salad, chicken, and a pink tumbler.

Last week a wonderful friend called to say she had a car pass for Bluebird on the Mountain on Saturday and I said yes before she could even ask if we wanted to go. (It was assumed she wasn’t just calling to brag.) What’s better than a picnic way up at Vanderbilt’s Dyer Observatory listening to the folks who…

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Watermelon and Grilled Corn Salad

A bowl of corn and watermelon salad with mint.

 Ingredients 6 cups seedless watermelon, chopped into bit size pieces (one small watermelon) 1 small Vidalia onion, chopped 1 bunch of mint, thinly sliced 6 ears of corn, shucked Juice of 3 limes (about ¼ cup) ¼ cup olive oil 2 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp salt Several shots of hot sauce – to taste  Directions…

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Watermelon Heat

Watermelon salad with almonds and herbs.

This recipe came about in an interesting way. A friend was telling me about a watermelon salad she wanted to make. My son had left a watermelon floating in our pool – a weird but not unusual summer occurrence – and I had friends coming to dinner. I saw that watermelon and thought since there…

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