Shapiro Family Favorites (Neighborhood Dinner Recipes)

Zuppa Tuscana (Ellen)

1 lb Italian sausage (hot or sprinkle with crushed red pepper)

4 large russet potatoes, cut in half long way then sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 lb bacon, cooked and broken to bits

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups kale, chopped

12 cups chicken broth

1 cup cream

Cut up bacon and fry in skillet over med high heat (use paper towels to soak up some fat while it's cooking).  Add onion and garlic and saute 2 minutes. Brown sausage in Big pot.  Add chicken broth, potatoes and bacon mix and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer another 10 min.  Turn heat to low and add kale and cream.  Heat through and serve. Makes a huge pot. Might want to half recipe.

 Mango Berry Salad (Ellen)

mixed lettuce greens

1 mango, cut up

1 lb strawberries, sliced

1 container blueberries, washed

1/4 cup or more cinnamon toffee almonds (melt whole almonds in brown sugar, cinnamon  and butter until butter melts, add mixture to food processor, add toffee and mix until resembles crumbs)

mango yogurt dressing

Put lettuce in a bowl and pour the mango yogurt dressing over it.  Sprinkle fruit and top with nuts.  Enjoy!

Mango Yogurt Dressing

1 mango cut up and pureed.  Add Vanilla Yogurt (amount to match mango puree, ie 1 cup to 1 cup) and squeeze 1/2 lemon into mix (remove seeds). Blend until smooth.

Snickers Salad (Heidi)

• 1 pkg. Cream cheese, 8oz. softened
• 1 c. powdered Sugar
• 1 16 oz. container Cool Whip
• 4-6 Apples, some green, some red, cut into bite sized chunks
• 6-8 Snickers candy bars, cut into ½ inch chunks

 

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir Cool Whip into mixture. Add apples and candy bars, and mix well. Let chill in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!!!

Strawberry/Spinach Salad and Dressing (Kimberly)
1 lb. spinach
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup pecans (put into small saucepan, melt 2 T. butter with 1/4 c. brown sugar until butter melts)

Toss all together. Drizzle on dressing or can eat without.

Dressing:

1/3 c. pomegranate red wine vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. dry mustard
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. poppy seeds

Blend all together and use on salad.

Healthy Choices: Sorbet instead of ice-cream

Red Velvet Sorbet

4 large, ripe bananas frozen (freeze at least day before)
10 oz. frozen raspberries
2 T. (non-alkalized) cocoa powder
4-5 dates chopped

Blend all in high powered blender like Vita-Mix until creamy. I liked the small chunks of fruit that didn't get mixed. Ready to eat or if it's too creamy you can refreeze for 3-5 min. (I didn't have to do that) Makes enough for 4. This tasted like heaven. I'm ready to make it again.

Strawberry Pineapple Sorbet

10 oz. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. orange juice
4 slices dried pineapple, unsweetened and unsulphured
1 c. fresh organic strawberries sliced

Blend all except fresh strawberries in high power blender. Pour into dessert dish, top with fresh strawberries.

Blueberry/Banana Oatmeal Breakfast

Blueberry/Banana Oatmeal Breakfast
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries (I use frozen)
2 bananas, sliced
1/2 c. regular rolled oats
1/3 c. pomegranate juice
1-2 T. chopped walnuts
1 T. raw sunflower seeds
2 T. raisins

Combine all in med. microwavable bowl. Microwave for 3 min. Let set for 1 min. Enjoy! This is not only completely healthy, but this is amazingly good. You could use this as a healthy snack. Don't leave anything out. It is very tasty. You will be wanting more.

Homemade Salad Dressings

Kiwi/Strawberry Salad Dressing
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. date sugar (health food store)
1/4 c. Dr. Fuhrman's Blood Orange Vinegar
1/2 handful of cashews
half of cucumber, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
2 kiwi, sliced

Put all into blender and blend until smooth. Pour into own dispenser, ready to use. This is very healthy and it taste good too. Makes me happy to eat a salad knowing it's healthy and taste good. Can also take out the fruit, it makes a creamy cucumber salad dressing. Enjoy!

My Homemade Salsa

Homemade Salsa
3 ripe tomatoes
3 T. cilantro
1 sliced onion
1 garlic, minced
tomato paste
1/4 c. salsa verde
cayenne to taste

Pulse all in food processor. Ready serve!

Soup Ideas

It's that time to think of soup and feeding the family a touch of warmth and  comfort with the goodness of home. Here are some true tested soup ideas for you to try. I will add more as time permits. These soups are so easy and so good. Click on the Soup/Salad link at the top of the page and check them out.  

New Cake & Frostings/ Pie and Treat Ideas

This is my collection of cake/frosting recipes and pie recipes. Click on the cake/pie page up top to view each one. Also check out the new treat ideas on cookies/treat page.