Tasty Tuesday and Brrrr....

Happy Tasty Tuesday, All!

It is COLD here today.  When I left the house to mail packages and run errands this morning, it was Two degrees BELOW Zero Fahrenheit.  The cars made little clouds of steam from their exhaust pipes as they traveled down the freeway -- the kind that turns to ice when it hits the pavement.  It was sunny, though, and driving was okay.

At this time of year (just before Christmas), I wish I could hold things in place for a while to keep Christmas from coming and going so soon.  Every year, the whoosh of time goes faster.

Today's recipe is a simple and tasty one, a side dish / salad to accompany most types of meals, fancy or casual.

Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups broccoli florets, cut to bite-size

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup raisins, either regular or golden raisins are fine

1/4 cup chopped red onion

8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tea spoons lemon juice (from an actual lemon if possible rather than the bottled stuff)

Instructions:

1)  In large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, raisins, and onion.  

2)  In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients.

3)  Pour dressing over salad and toss gently.

4)  Top salad with cooked crumbled bacon and serve.

I hope you are having a good week and that you are enjoying the season.  Stay warm where ever you are.

Sharing a Couple of Recipes

Every Thursday I share recipes on my Abundant Empress Facebook page.  Today I shared two recipes, so I thought I would post them on my blog as well.   In the future, I will try to post a different recipe here on my blog every Tuesday.   The blog recipes will be different from the Facebook recipes.  But because today was a bonus day of two recipes, I wanted to post both of them here.  They are tasty. 

Hi Everyone! It was a golden day here in Minnesota, and the air is getting chilly. I love days like this because I feel energized to get a lot accomplished. And, let us not forget...

It's THursday -- Thyme to Share a Recipe!

I declare it a bonus day today, so I am going to share with you TWO super simple recipes: One is for a lovely spread that you can serve with crackers or veggies at a party (or a Friday movie night, curled up on the couch with your honey, your kids, or your pets, or all of them).

One is for a vegetable side dish that will add nutrition and flavor to many types of lunch or supper meals.

RECIPE 1:

BACON SMOKEY SPREAD

Ingredients:
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled into bits
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Sliced green onion (optional)

Instructions:
1) Combine cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

2) Mix until well blended.

3) Add remaining ingredients.. Mix well.

4) Top with a few crumbles of bacon if desired, also top with small slices of green onion if desired.

5) Chill for about 1 hour.

6) Serve with crusty bread rounds, crackers, or fresh-cut veggies.

RECIPE 2:

ITALIAN STYLE BROCCOLI

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 pounds of broccoli, cut into flowerets
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh lemon will taste better than the jar lemon juice for this)

Instructions:
1) Steam broccoli in large skillet for 5 minutes until crispy-tender.

2) Remove broccoli from skillet, and drain.

3) Pour oil into skillet and add garlic.

4) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until garlic is LIGHTLY golden -- do not let the garlic brown too much, or it will be bitter.

5) Add broccoli and lemon juice to skillet, Toss gently.

6) Cover skillet and cook for 1 additional minute.

Those are the two recipes for this week. Thanks for checking in.