Spinach Cheese Salad

This is a crowd pleaser and is popular with the men.

1 (10 oz.) bag washed and trimmed baby spinach
1 small head iceberg lettuce, washed and drained
¾  pound grated Swiss or mozzarella cheese (Heather uses mozzarella)
1 (16 oz.) carton cottage cheese
½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces

Put spinach into a large bowl.  Break lettuce into pieces and add to spinach.  Just before serving, add cheese, cottage cheese, and bacon.  Toss with poppy seed dressing:

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 T. poppy seeds (optional)
¾ cup vinegar
½ cup sugar
1½ T. grated onion
1½ t. salt
¾ t. dry mustard
1 ¼ cup oil

Mix dressing ingredients in the blender.  Toss with salad.  Refrigerate unused dressing for future use.  Keeps up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

From Heather.

Homemade Flour Tortillas (large 24+)

How awesome to make homemade Flour Tortillas.

8 cups flour

4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup oil

3 cups boiling water

STIR TOGETHER FLOUR, SALT AND BAKING POWDER. THEN MIX IN OIL, THERE WILL BE SOME SMALL LUMPS IN DOUGH, THAT'S OK.

STIR IN BOILING WATER AND MIX WITH A WOODEN SPOON UNTIL WELL INCORPORATED. THEN ADD MORE FLOUR TO KNEAD BY HAND UNTIL SOFT BUT NOT STICKY.

CUT OFF GOLF BALL SIZE AND ROLL OUT ON A FLOURED SURFACE WITH A FLOURED ROLLING PIN. DON'T WORRY IF NOT PERFECTLY ROUND.

BAKE THE TORTILLA OVER MEDIUM HEAT ON A DRY PAN-DO NOT USE OIL.

WHEN TORTILLA BUBBLES UP, (ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS) FLIP OVER AND BAKE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Makes over 24 tortillas

USE FOR FAJITAS, BURRITOS, WRAPS, SOFT TACOS, QUESIDLLAS...yUm!

Asparagus Parmesan Tart

This is fast and easy.  Grandma couldn't stop eating them - she had 6!

2 T. olive oil

1 shallot, sliced thin

1 pound asparagus, washed, ends trimmed, cut in 1          inch pieces

1 (9 oz.) sheet puff pastry, thawed (there are two in a Pepperidge Farm box)

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta

1/2 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 t. sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.  Heat 1 T. olive oil in sauté pan.  Add sliced shallot and sauté until tender and a little crispy.  Remove from pan.  Add 1 T. olive oil and asparagus and cook over medium-high heat until asparagus is crisp tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Roll out thawed pastry on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, 10x16-inches.  Pick up the paper and place it in a baking tray.  Prick the pastry all over so that it doesn't puff up in an odd place.

Spread ricotta evenly over the pastry.  Place the sautéed shallot evenly over the ricotta.  Slice the asparagus in 1-inch pieces.  Place on the tart.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over it.  You might want more than 1/2 cup of that!  I have also tried a Romano, Asiago, Parmesan mix and like it even better.

Bake the pastry for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.  Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.  Makes 24.