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Salads

Easy Yummy Fruit Salad

Ingredients: Fruit (as much as you want): grapes, pineapple, apple chunks, mandarin oranges, and bananas, etc. Strawberry yogurt
Directions: Cut up fruit and put in bowl. Pour strawberry yogurt over and mix. Have as little or as much yogurt as you like.

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

Ingredients: 2 bunches spinach (rinsed & torn into bite-size pieces), 4 cups sliced strawberries, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ½ cup white sugar, ¼ tsp. paprika, 2 Tbs. sesame seeds, 1 Tbs. poppy seeds

Directions: In large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. In medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Angel Hair Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 2 (8oz) packages angel hair pasta, ½ lb cooked bay shrimp, ¾ cup chopped green onions, 1 ½ cups ranch-style salad dressing

Directions: Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water. Mix together the pasta, shrimp, green onions and ranch dressing, then carefully work the shrimp into the pasta with your hands.

*As the salad sits, it will absorb some of the dressing; add a little dressing right before serving.

Oriental Salad

Ingredients: ~3 chicken breasts (cubed), 6 cups red leaf lettuce, 1 (8oz) water chestnuts, ½ cup red onions (sliced thin), 1 (11oz) mandarin oranges (drain but reserve juice), 2 packs ramen, 4oz of Almonds

Directions: Mix all ingredients in big salad bowl

Dressing: 3 Tbs. soy sauce, 3 Tbs. Red wine vinegar, 3 Tbs. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. minced red onion, 3 Tbs. sugar, reserved mandarin orange juice

Directions: Cook dressing ingredients over medium heat for 10 minutes then cool. Pour over salad when ready to serve.

Soups

Taco Soup

Ingredients: ½ lb hamburger, ½ onion (chopped), ½ green pepper (chopped), 1 (15oz) can red beans (not drained), 1 (11oz) can whole kernel corn, 1 (28oz) can tomatoes (1 quart) (not drained), ½ cup salsa, ½ pkg. taco seasoning mix

Directions: Brown meat, onion, and pepper. Drain fat then add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Basically until hot and everything has mixed well.

Serves: 6-8

Potato Soup

Ingredients: 12 slices bacon, 2/3 cup margarine, 2/3 cup margarine, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 7 cups milk, 4 large baked potatoes (peeled and cubed), 4 green onions (chopped), 1 ¼ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions: Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine oven medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Serves: 6

Sandwiches

Grilled Portabella Mushroom Sandwich

Ingredients: ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup white wine vinegar, 2-3 Tbs. Soy Sauce, 1 ½ tsp. sugar, 1 Tbs. dried herbs- basil, oregano, parsley, pepper (whatever you want)
4 large Portabella mushrooms, croissants, lettuce, tomatoes

Directions: Combine all ingredients except mushrooms, croissants, lettuce and tomatoes. Then marinate the mushrooms in mixture for 10 minutes (don’t do longer- they will absorb too much vinegar). Then grill the mushrooms at med high for 5-6 minutes. (Use your judgment as to when the mushrooms are done- smaller ones take less time.)
When cooked, place mushrooms on croissants with lettuce and tomatoes.
These can also just be eaten by themselves.

Serves: 4

Mediterranean Stuffed Sandwich

Ingredients: 16oz loaf of round peasant-style bread, 3 large tomatoes, 1 large purple onion, 1 green bell pepper, 4oz crumbled feta cheese, 6oz canned tuna (drained and flaked), ½ cup sliced kalamata olives, 1 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 Tbs. capers (rinsed and drained), 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbs. olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Directions: Cut bread in half horizontally. Hollow out the center of the bottom half, leaving a 1 inch-thick shell. Slice thinly: tomatoes, purple onion, & bell pepper. Layer tomato, onion, bell pepper in bread shell. Top with feta cheese, tuna, kalamata olives, basil, & capers. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, & garlic. Drizzle vinegar over mixture in bread shell. Cover with bread top. Wrap the filled loaf tightly in aluminum foil. Chill for at least 2 hours. Cut loaf into 6 wedges to serve.
Serves: 6

Easy Huge Sandwich

Visit your local bakery or grocery store and ask them to make you a huge long bread. Or you can make one yourself if you are very ambitious.
Use the large bread as your base to build a huge sandwich.
Some ideas: Place mustard greens around a large platter. Then place the bottom of your bread on top. Put your meat, cheese, and red leaf or other nice lettuce on the sandwich. You can even section the sandwich and place different meats and cheeses on each section so there is some choice. For instance, you can use roast beef and cheddar, turkey and havarti, ham and provolone, and club and muenster.
Serve the dressings separately. Place sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, olives, green peppers, and any other toppings you wish around the outside of the sandwich. It adds a lot of color and your guests get to build a sandwich of their choice.
Gives you a great looking and very impressive meal without a lot of work.

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		Bridal Showers Recipes--Salads, Soups and Sandwiches
			Salads Easy Yummy Fruit Salad Ingredients: Fruit (as much as you want): grapes, pineapple, apple chunks, mandarin oranges, and bananas, etc. Strawberry yogurt Directions: Cut up fruit and put in bowl. Pour strawberry yogurt over and mix. Have as little or as much yogurt as you like. Strawberry and Spinach Salad Ingredients: 2 bunches spinach (rinsed & torn into bite-size pieces), 4 cups sliced strawberries, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ½ cup white sugar, ¼ tsp. paprika, 2 Tbs. sesame seeds, 1 Tbs. poppy seeds Directions: In large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. In medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat. Angel Hair Pasta Salad Ingredients: 2 (8oz) packages angel hair pasta, ½ lb cooked bay shrimp, ¾ cup chopped green onions, 1 ½ cups ranch-style salad dressing Directions: Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water. Mix together the pasta, shrimp, green onions and ranch dressing, then carefully work the shrimp into the pasta with your hands. As the salad sits, it will absorb some of the dressing; add a little dressing right before serving. Oriental Salad* Ingredients: ~3 chicken breasts (cubed), 6 cups red leaf lettuce, 1 (8oz) water chestnuts, ½ cup red onions (sliced thin), 1 (11oz) mandarin oranges (drain but reserve juice), 2 packs ramen, 4oz of Almonds Directions: Mix all ingredients in big salad bowl Dressing: 3 Tbs. soy sauce, 3 Tbs. Red wine vinegar, 3 Tbs. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. minced red onion, 3 Tbs. sugar, reserved mandarin orange juice Directions: Cook dressing ingredients over medium heat for 10 minutes then cool. Pour over salad when ready to serve. Soups Taco Soup Ingredients: ½ lb hamburger, ½ onion (chopped), ½ green pepper (chopped), 1 (15oz) can red beans (not drained), 1 (11oz) can whole kernel corn, 1 (28oz) can tomatoes (1 quart) (not drained), ½ cup salsa, ½ pkg. taco seasoning mix Directions: Brown meat, onion, and pepper. Drain fat then add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Basically until hot and everything has mixed well. Serves: 6-8 Potato Soup Ingredients: 12 slices bacon, 2/3 cup margarine, 2/3 cup margarine, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 7 cups milk, 4 large baked potatoes (peeled and cubed), 4 green onions (chopped), 1 ¼ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground black pepper Directions: Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine oven medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. Serves: 6 Sandwiches Grilled Portabella Mushroom Sandwich Ingredients: ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup white wine vinegar, 2-3 Tbs. Soy Sauce, 1 ½ tsp. sugar, 1 Tbs. dried herbs- basil, oregano, parsley, pepper (whatever you want) 4 large Portabella mushrooms, croissants, lettuce, tomatoes Directions: Combine all ingredients except mushrooms, croissants, lettuce and tomatoes. Then marinate the mushrooms in mixture for 10 minutes (don’t do longer- they will absorb too much vinegar). Then grill the mushrooms at med high for 5-6 minutes. (Use your judgment as to when the mushrooms are done- smaller ones take less time.) When cooked, place mushrooms on croissants with lettuce and tomatoes. These can also just be eaten by themselves. Serves: 4 Mediterranean Stuffed Sandwich Ingredients: 16oz loaf of round peasant-style bread, 3 large tomatoes, 1 large purple onion, 1 green bell pepper, 4oz crumbled feta cheese, 6oz canned tuna (drained and flaked), ½ cup sliced kalamata olives, 1 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 Tbs. capers (rinsed and drained), 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbs. olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic (minced) Directions: Cut bread in half horizontally. Hollow out the center of the bottom half, leaving a 1 inch-thick shell. Slice thinly: tomatoes, purple onion, & bell pepper. Layer tomato, onion, bell pepper in bread shell. Top with feta cheese, tuna, kalamata olives, basil, & capers. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, & garlic. Drizzle vinegar over mixture in bread shell. Cover with bread top. Wrap the filled loaf tightly in aluminum foil. Chill for at least 2 hours. Cut loaf into 6 wedges to serve. Serves: 6 Easy Huge Sandwich Visit your local bakery or grocery store and ask them to make you a huge long bread. Or you can make one yourself if you are very ambitious. Use the large bread as your base to build a huge sandwich. Some ideas: Place mustard greens around a large platter. Then place the bottom of your bread on top. Put your meat, cheese, and red leaf or other nice lettuce on the sandwich. You can even section the sandwich and place different meats and cheeses on each section so there is some choice. For instance, you can use roast beef and cheddar, turkey and havarti, ham and provolone, and club and muenster. Serve the dressings separately. Place sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, olives, green peppers, and any other toppings you wish around the outside of the sandwich. It adds a lot of color and your guests get to build a sandwich of their choice. Gives you a great looking and very impressive meal without a lot of work. Back to Bridal Showers Home Back to Bridal Showers Recipes

Bridal Showers Recipes--Salads, Soups and Sandwiches