Oriental Creamy Dressing

3 C. mayonnaise

½ C. shoyu (soy sauce)

¾ C. sugar

1 Tbsp. sesame seed oil

Optional

White pepper to taste

Black sesame seeds

Mix and add some water if needed

Warm Bacon Dressing for Spinach Salad

3 T Balsamic Vinegar
3 T White Vinegar or white wine
3/4 t sugar
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t salt
3 T Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
4 T Real Bacon Bits
1 clove garlic, chopped or pressed

1. Mix vinegars, sugar, pepper, & salt together & set aside.
   
2. Sauté onion & bacon in olive oil until onion is translucent.
   
3. Add garlic & sauté until fragrant.
   
4. Add vinegar mixture to pan, cover & remove from heat.
   
5. Let dressing cool for 10 to 20 minutes.
   
6. Pour over spinach greens mixed with shredded cheese & chopped egg.
   
7. Serve immediately.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

1T olive oil

1 slice bacon

1 onion

1 celery rib

2 carrots, grated

4 garlic cloves

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary

1 28oz can diced tomatoes

32 oz chicken stock

2 c water

1 t salt & pepper

1 c tubular pasta

1 can white beans

1 can kidney beans

1/4 c parsley

Parmesan cheese

Heat oil over moderate heat. Add bacon, onion, celery, carrots, & garlic and cook 4 minutes. Add oregano & rosemary and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and stir 1 minute. Add stock, water, salt, pepper & pasta. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in beans and parsley. Heat through, then serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Farmer's Market Sauce

This sugarless sauce is doubly sweet if you grow your own produce, but I like to buy mine at the local Farmer's Market.  When making this sauce, it is very important to use ripe, homegrown or locally grown Roma tomatoes to get the appropriate level of fruity sweetness without the addition of sugar that can make the sauce taste candy-like.  Supermarket tomatoes leave you with a flat flavor. Fresh basil & parsley are best, but you can find a great prepared substitute in a tube at most grocery produce sections.

10 Roma tomatoes

2T olive oil

1 red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 T Balsamic Vinegar

2 T Basil from a tube

OR

a handful of fresh basil coarsely chopped

1 handful fresh parsley (skip this if you don't have fresh parsley)

1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

cooked whole wheat pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
   
2. Fill a large bowl with ice & water
   
3. Plunge tomatoes into boiling water & boil until skin splits
   
4. Remove tomatoes with split skins as they split & plunge into ice water until cool enough to handle
   
5. Remove peels from tomatoes, chop to desired size, & set aside to develop juice
   
6. Heat olive oil in a large pan
   
7. Add onion & cook until slightly translucent
   
8. Add minced or pressed garlic & stir
   
9. Carefully add vinegar, stir, & cook 1 minute
   
10. Stir in basil until incorporated
    
11. Add tomatoes & simmer 10 minutes
    
12. Serve hot over whole wheat pasta or can for a mid-winter treat
    

Don't add meat to this delicious sauce. Instead, serve it as a side dish for any meat. I like to serve it with Parmesean Chicken.

Sweet & Tangy Deviled Eggs

As Easter approaches, we all want to decorate boiled eggs, but what do you do with them when you're done? Give this tasty egg recipe a try!

6 larges Eggs
3 1/2 T Mayo
1 1/2 t Dijon Mustard
3/4 t Dill Relish
1 T Sweet Relish
1 1/2 t Sugar

salt & pepper to taste 

1. Poke a small hole in the larger bottom of each egg
   
2. Place in a large, deep pan & cover with cold water
   
3. Bring water & eggs to a boil
   
4. Remove eggs from heat, cover, & let sit 10-12 minutes
   
5. While eggs sit, combine all other ingredients in a bowl
   
6. Scoop eggs from pan using a slotted spoon & plunge into cold ice water for 5 minutes
   
7. Peel eggs & slice in half lengthwise
   
8. Scoop cooked egg yolks into bowl with mayo mix
   
9. Mash yolks & mix well until smooth
   
10. Pipe mayo mixture back into empty egg shells
    
11. Sprinkle with paprika for color & serve!