Fruit Dip

I was at a picnic yesterday and a friend, Rose, made this delicious fruit dip! It's simple and easy to make and everyone loved it!

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 jar marshmallow fluff

Beat cream cheese and marshmallow fluff together until thoroughly blended. Serve with pieces of fruit.

Lemon/Lime Cream Pie

I've got a recipe similar to this in my cookbook, but I made a few changes and thought I'd share them with you. Heavy cream replaces the non-dairy topping.

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 c. heavy cream
Lemon &/or lime zest
1 graham cracker crust

Whisk the juices with the condensed milk until thoroughly mixed. Beat heavy cream until stiff. (Peaks stand up when beater is lifted). Fold into milk/juice mixture. Add zest, saving a little for the top of pie. Pour into a graham cracker crust. Allow to set in refrigerator.

Cauliflower/Potato Salad

I've made potato salad and I've made cauliflower salad. This time I decided to mix a little of both. I also used a vinegar dressing and thought I'd add a little of the mayo for added flavor.

1 head cauliflower, steamed and cut into florets
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1 carrot, peeled & coarsely grated
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced
½ c. celery, chopped
½ c. black olives, sliced
½ c. green olives, sliced
2 T. julienne dried tomatoes in oil
3 small red potatoes, cooked & diced
3 small white potatoes, cooked & diced
½ red pepper & ½ yellow pepper, diced
½ lemon (juice and pulp)
Seasonings: I use Trocomare, Spike, black pepper & ground red pepper
Olive oil and seasoned rice vinegar, to taste
¼ c. mayo & ¼ c. buttermilk with a dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix vegetables with seasonings, oil & vinegar. Combine mayo with buttermilk and Worcestershire sauce and add. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with sliced tomatoes, if desired.

Vegetable Medley

My neighbor, Diane, made this for me and it's delicious! I just bought 2 ears of fresh corn and am anxious to prepare this again!

½ c. red pepper
½ c. celery
½ c. onion
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
Salt & pepper to taste
2 ears corn (or 1 c. canned)
½ c. Half & Half (or ¼ c. milk & ¼ c. heavy cream)
½ c. shredded cheese (Mexican 4-cheese blend)

Chop pepper, celery & onion. Simmer in oil and butter until tender. Remove corn from cob and add, simmering a couple minutes. Season to taste. Add Half & Half or milk & cream. Mix together & let simmer. Add cheese, then stir and serve.

Carrot Bread

This recipe uses very little oil & sugar but is very moist and tasty. You can put a cream cheese icing on top or serve it just the way it is. It's delicious either way!

Olive oil cooking spray
1 ½ c. whole-wheat pastry flour
1 ½ c. carrots, shredded
¼ c. craisins
½ c. sucanat
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 whole egg
1 egg white
2 T. olive oil
¾ c. water

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, carrots, craisins, sucanat, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt; mix well.

3. Make a well in center and add whole egg, egg white, oil and water. Stir until flour is completely incorporated and batter is moistened.

4. Pour batter into pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes until cake tester inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.