Fumi Salad

My mother-in-law made this at our recent annual Waller lake trip. SOOO yummy and good. I could have just eaten the whole serving bowl of salad for a meal!

Dressing - mix all and chill first
3 T. sugar
1 tsp each of salt & pepper
1 cup vegetable oil (scant cup)
6 T Rice vinegar

Salad ingredients
1 head cabbage chopped (I use packaged slaw mix)
1 bunch green onions chopped
2 packages of ramen noodles
handful sliced almonds, toasted

Brown about a T. of butter in skillet and add ¼ to ½ cup sliced almonds until lightly browned. Cool on papertowel. Crunch up 2 bags of top ramen noodles (throw season packs away). Add everything else together and serve. So Yummy!!

Pear Cake

Looking for something fruity, light and out-of-the-norm? This is an easy Kraft recipe.

1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 box yellow cake mix (or lemon or spice cake mix)
7 T. butter, melted & divided
1 (15 oz) can pear halves, drained & sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 (4-serving) package Jello lemon flavor gelatin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat egg, sour cream, cream cheese, and cake mix in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until cake mix is moistened. Blend in 4 T. of the butter. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. The batter will be thick.
Spread batter into lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Arrange pear wedges evenly on batter, pressing lightly into batter. Sprinkle evenly with dry gelatin mix and cinnamon. Drizzle remaining 3 T. melted butter; sprinkle with walnuts.
Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into 24 pieces. Store covered and in refrigerator.

Chocolate Chunk Caramel Brownies

This is a recipe from my life-long friend Mary Dean. She is the ultimate baker. I mean ultimate baker. (This is just one of the reasons I'm happy we're friends!) I pulled out this recipe to bake and bring to a dinner party this coming weekend. When I was talking to Mary about it she reminded me the first time I had these brownies. She had made them and after a few bites I said, "These are so rich. This might be the first brownie I can't finish." Well, I believe I did finish it but it took a long time. This would be a good brownie to serve with vanilla ice cream or serve many people with smaller cut portions.

4 squares Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 (14oz) package caramels
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups pecans (or walnuts)
1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Line 9x13 pan with foil and generously grease foil. Preheat oven to 350.
Microwave chocolate squares and butter on high for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until completely melted. Stir in sugar until blended. Mix in eggs and flour. Spread half of batter into foiled & greased pan. Bake for 25 minutes until firm to the touch.
Microwave caramels and cream until caramels begin to melt. Stir until smooth.
Stir in 1 cup nuts and spread caramel/nut mixture over brownie.
Sprinkle half of chocolate chunks on top of caramel layer.
Pour remaining brownie batter evenly over top then add layer of nuts and chunks.
Bake additional 30 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Cool on wire rack and remove from pan & peel foil.

Makes 24 very rich and delicious brownies.

Plentiful P's Salad

This is from the Southern Living: 30 Years of Our Best Recipes. It's a winner and very hearty. I've altered it from time to time depending on what's in my pantry. It's a great make-ahead salad and tastes great even if it's in the frig overnight.

4 cups canned, drained & rinsed black-eyed peas
2 cups cooked rotelle macaroni
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1 medium green pepper, seeded & chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, seeded & chopped
1 medium purple onion, chopped
1 (6 oz) package sliced provolone cheese, cut into strips
1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (3.5 oz) package sliced pepperoni, cut into strips (look for the turkey pepperoni!)
1 (2 oz) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 (0.7 oz) envelope Italian seasoning mix
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use EVOO)
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine first 10 ingredients in large bowl. Combine dressing mix and remaining 4 ingredients in jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously; pour dressing over pea mixture. Toss gently. Cover and chill. Yields 8 large servings.

Welcome to The Waller's Kitchen

I've been adding more and more recipes into our family's blog but they seem to get lost in the shuffle of events and pictures of kids. This blog will solve that problem and give one special place for me to share all the recipes I love. Enjoy!