Favorite Salad

I got this salad recipe back in my college days. My boss, while working at Wintergreen at Midway--a small timeshare resort, would have dinner parties on Sundays, and this salad always stood out. I've been making it ever since. She usually served it with Chicken Parmesan. But I could eat it all by itself.

Ingredients:
- Taste superb using Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette (pictured above.)
- Chopped Romaine lettuce
- Crumbled blue cheese
- Dried Cranberries
- Slivered Almonds
- FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions
- Small can of mandarin oranges (drained) (not pictured.)

Edible Easter Nests

We made these last night for Enrichment: Recipe Club. I thought they were cute and wanted to share. I think they'd be fun to make with kids, or give to kids. They are pretty much like rice krispy treats but using All Bran instead. Don't let that scare you! They taste super good because they are drenched with marhmallows and butter. :)

Little Nests:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup All-Bran cereal
1 small package mini chocolate Cadburry egss

In a small saucepan, melt butter or margarine over low heat. Add miniature marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat; add cereal and stir just until coated. When cool enough to handle, form into eight little nests. Place on waxed paper. After about 1 hour, press in center of each nest to form indention. Place three robin eggs in center of each nest. Place on a 3 or 4 inch doily and use as place cards or favors. Or just eat and enjoy! Makes 8 nests.

Best Friend Bread

It was an exciting day for me! I made my first loaf of bread! Jeremy's mom made the best home made bread while we were home for Christmas, so I found the recipe online - it's from the Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks. This bread is so light and fluffy and soft and yummy! :)
For the most part, its was really easy. I just get restless waiting the two separate hours for the dough to rise...

Here is the recipe.

"Best Friend Bread":
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. oil
1 t. salt
2 eggs
4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. butter, melted

- Disolve yeast in warm water. Mix sugar, oil, salt and eggs together; stir in yeast mixture. Add flour and knead until smooth. Cover and let rise until double in size. (About an hour.)
- Punch down and turn out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece with your hands until you have 3 ropes about 12 inches long. Pinch one end of each of the 3 pieces of dough together and braid dough. Pinch the other ends together to seal, then tuck under. Place on a greased 13"x9" pan and let rise until double again. (About an hour.)
- Pour butter over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.