Grandma's White Salad

I have so many memories of this salad.  One of my best memories is from when I worked in Walt Disney World in 1995.  My grandma sent me various family recipes so that I could have a little bit of home while down there.  When Thanksgiving time came, I decided I would make a Thanksgiving meal for my friends and I to share.  We had a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings except we had chicken instead of turkey.  One of the dishes I made was white salad.  For two weeks afterward, I would take portions of the Thanksgiving meal to work for my lunches.

That Thanksgiving weekend was also the weekend I almost met Rider Strong and Ben Savage from Boy Meets World.  At Disney-MGM Studios, now Hollywood Studios, they would have celebrities put their hands in cement at the Chinese Theater.  Both Rider and Ben put their hands in the cement and then went to have a talk.  I "ran" along side of their convertible as they traveled between venues and then ended up sitting behind their families.  Too bad, Fred Savage was not there.  I would have gone up and said hi to him.My Grandma's White Salad

The stars of the recipe:

• 1 sm. lemon or lime  jello
• 2 c. hot water
• 1 8 oz. package of  cream cheese
• 1- 15 oz. can of crushed pineapple drained '
• 1 and 2/3 c. mini marshmallows
• 1 and ½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts (My grandma used pecans.)
• 1 container of cool whip.

Steps:

1. Mix jello with water.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
2. Put in fridge until semi solid.  Remove and then put in the rest of the ingredients. 
3. Chill.

Or how my grandma made it:

1. Mix jello with water.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
2. Put the rest in ingredients in a in flat pan (9 by 13 glass dish).  Put it in the fridge to chill.

This post has been linked to Eat at Home's ingredient spotlight.
Happy eating, Traci

Cannellini and Green Bean Salad

This is an easy side dish.  My hubby who usually does not enjoy salads even liked it!  The boys however were not too thrilled about this side dish.  You can't win it all.

Stars of the recipe:

• 1 15.5 oz. can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
• 1/2 lb. of fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
• coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
• 21 season salute to taste (Trader Joe's spice - my favorite spice blend), optional

Steps:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil.
2. Season with the salt. pepper, and 21 season salute
3. Meanwhile, cook the green beans in a pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse with cold water.
5. Add the green beans, cannellini beans, and red onion to the dressing bowl.  If needed, season with more salt and pepper. 
6. Toss all ingredients together.
7. Serve

Happy eating, Traci

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Last week, we went to First Watch for a Mother's Day brunch.  The Imaginative One ordered a chocolate chip pancake and fell in love with those pancakes.  This weekend, I was looking through the Food Network's magazine's recipe archive and found a recipe for chocolate chip pancakes.

Tonight I made the chocolate chip pancakes for dinner.  They were so delish!!!  The Imaginative One ended up eating three of them for dinner. 

The Stars of the Recipe:

• 1 1/ 2 c. flour
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 c. milk
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in a smaller bowl.
3. Then whisk the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Ladle 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot buttered skillet and cook until bubbly.
5. Right before you flip the pancakes, sprinkle with chocolate chips and then flip the pancakes. 
6. Cook until golden on the bottom.

Happy eating, Traci