Papaya-Banana-Orange Smoothie

One of the first things I bought as a pregnant person was a blender.  Boy I have been so happy ever since!

4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, or best you have
4 cups chopped fresh papaya, or frozen
2 med bananas, peeled
Sugar to taste, if necessary

Combine 2 cups orange juice and all fruit in blender.  Blend until mixture is pureed.  Pour in large pitcher.  Add remaining 2 cups orange juice to pitcher and whisk to blend.  Serve into pretty glasses ;)
from Essentially Lilly a Guide to Colorful Entertaining

Tea Cakes

In memory of my sweet Grandpa, I'm sharing his legacy of tea cakes with you, given to me by Aunt Linda.  Once they were cooled he would put them in brown paper bags for us.  We love you Grandpa and will miss you terribly.  May the tea cakes live on...

Tea Cakes

4 cups plain flour (all-purpose)

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 stick margarine or butter

1/2 tsp salt

Roll onto floured board.  Cut with round cutter or with a glass

Bake @ 350 degrees for 8-10 min.  Enjoy!

Passed down from Grandpa LeBlanc

Egg rolls

Holy cow I think these are the ones me and my sister made at her place. I didn't realize I had this recipe. Markus begs me to make these for him, but I didn't think I had this. Very good. We made them for the first time and we couldn't stop eating them :)

1 tbls sesame seeds
1 tbls dark sesame oil
2 green onions with tops, sliced
1 tbl minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
4 oz fresh or canned bean sprouts, rinsed
1 can (15-oz) chick peas, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
Black pepper (optional)
1 egg, beaten
12 egg roll wrappers
peanut or vegetable oil
Plum Dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Combine sesame seeds and sesame oil in large skillet. Cook and stir over low heat 2-3 min or until sesame seeds begin to brown. Add green onions, ginger and garlic; cook and stir 1-2 min. Add cabbage, carrots, celery, mushrooms and bean sprouts; cover. cook 8 min or until cabbage is wilted. Stir in chick peas and soy sauce; season to taste with pepper, if desired. Cool 10 min; stir in egg.

Place 1/3 cup vegetable mixture near one corner of egg roll wrapper. Brush edges of egg roll wrapper with water. fold bottom corner of egg roll wrapper up over filling; fold sides in and roll up. Repeat with remaining filling and egg roll wrappers.

Heat 1-inch peanut oil in large, heavy saucepan over med-high heat until oil is 375 degrees; adjust heat to maintain temperature. Fry egg rolls 3-5 min or until golden. Drain on paper towels; serve hot with plum dipping sauce.
makes 12 servings

Plum Dipping Sauce

2/3 cup plum sauce
2 green onions with tops, sliced
3 tbls low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbls rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tbls grated fresh ginger
1 tbls honey
3-4 drops hot chili oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in med bowl; mix well. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.

*we never tried the dipping sauce, so if anyone does, let me know what you think

Sugar and Spice Pecans

I love these around the holidays. Package these coated pecans in little gift bags, or set them out as hors d'oeurves at a holiday gathering.

1 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups pecan halves

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Beat egg whites at high speed with mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold in melted butter and pecan halves. Spread coated nuts in a single layer on a large jellyroll pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Bake @ 250 for 45min or until nuts are toasted, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool completely on pan. Remove from pan. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Yield: 4 cups.
from Christmas with Southern Living 2005

Mr. Ronnie's Snack Crackers

These by far are one of my favorite things to eat out at tailgating on Saturdays. A nice kick to ordinary saltines.

3 sleeves regular saltine crackers
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1 tbls red pepper flakes
1/3 c canola oil

Mix ingredients together & pour over crackers. Let sit for 24hrs or so. I usually pour my mixture over the crackers in a gallon ziploc bag and make sure all the crackers have the mixture on them and store them in the bag too.