Cranberry-Orange Salad

This is an simplified version of a rather complicated salad that I made for Thanksgiving one year. Now I make this one for everything.

img via: pinch my salt

2 oranges or several clementines
6oz baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup (or more) dried cranberries
4oz chopped pecans

Toast the pecans about 5 minutes at 350 degrees, then set aside to cool. Peel and separate the oranges and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Baby spinach usually comes well washed, but rinse if you want to. Toss everything together. Serve with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Beer Bread

Not much to it. This probably came from one of my parents' Irish dance club friends. It's very dense and buttery.

 

img via: gimme some oven

2 T sugar
3 c self-rising flour
12 oz beer
1/2 stick butter, melted

Mix sugar and flour. Add beer in 3 parts, stirring well between each. Pour batter into well-greased loaf pan. Drizzle butter over batter. Bake at 350F for 55 minutes.

To replace self-rising flour: 3 c all-purpose flour, 4 1/2 t baking powder, 1 1/2 t salt.

Spoon Bread

This recipe came from my aunt, Helen. Not too long to prep, but always seems to bake for-freaking-ever.

img via: thrifty fun

1 c sour cream
3 T butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 c chopped onion
15 oz can kernel corn, undrained
15 oz can creamed corn
8.5 oz package Jiffy corn muffin mix

Whisk together sour cream, butter, and egg. Add onion, corn, and muffin mix. Combine well. Bake in a greased pan at 350F for 1 hour.

Cauliflower & Cheese Bake

This is one of my grandma's recipes. Not the grandma who liked to bake, but the one who doesn't eat spicy foods. It's kinda interesting, I think you could experiment with different cheeses.

img via: veggie venture

1 medium cauliflower head
2 T dry breadcrumbs
1/2 - 3/4 c grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1/4 c butter, melted

Trim cauliflower, but keep whole. Cook in boiling and salted water until "tender, but firm." Drain, put cauliflower head in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, breadcrumbs, and butter. Bake at 475F for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Potato & Mushroom Casserole

I don't know where this came from, probably the back of a soup can. Apparently I didn't feel it necessary to note how long you bake it for, I don't know what's up with that, but it's at least a half hour.

img via: tales of thyme & place

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 c grated cheddar cheese
6-10 potatoes
black pepper
paprika

Wash potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Combine condensed soup, cheese, and pepper. Arrange potato slices in a sprayed casserole dish - we usually end up with three long rows of overlapping slices. Top potatoes with soup and cheese mix. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350F "until cheese melts & potatoes are softened."

Edit 5/15/12: I found my mom's recipe card. This recipe is from my aunt Helen, and it bakes covered for 45 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes.