Make for your Mom…

Everybody’s Favorite Crunch Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups crispy chow mein noodles
• ¾ cup hulled sunflower seeds
• ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 head romaine lettuce or curly leaf lettuce, cut into bite size pieces, washed, dried well and chilled
• 4 green onions or scallions, thinly sliced

Dressing:

• ¼ cup packed brown sugar (either light or dark is okay)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar (this is rice vinegar with salt and pepper already added)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 drops Tabasco sauce (if you like more bite, add 2 more drops)

Make the dressing: in a small jar or plastic container with a lid, combine the brown sugar, salt, vinegar, oil and Tabasco and shake well to combine; set aside. Make the salad: in as small bowl, combine the chow mein noodles, sunflower seeds and almonds. Just before serving, layer the lettuce, green onions and noodle mix in a bowl. Pour dressing over the salad (give it a couple of shakes if it’s separated) and mix well. Serve immediately.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 4 tbsp. cocoa
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Whipped Cream Frosting:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 small box white chocolate instant pudding mix
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Make the cake: Beat sour cream, butter and egg together, until thoroughly blended. Sift dry ingredients into cream mixture. Beat thoroughly together and add vanilla. Bake in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan or 2 – 8 inch round pans. Bake 325 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes (for 8 inch pans bake 325 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes).

Make the whipped frosting: Use a child bowl. Mix whipping cream slowly until it begins to thicken; add sugar and pudding mix. Continue to mix until you have a spreadable frosting.

Donna’s Spaghetti Casserole with Celery

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 cup yellow bell peppers thinly sliced
• 1 cup green bell pepper thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sliced button mushrooms
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 3 cups homemade tomato sauce (or store bought pasta sauce)
• 1 lb. spaghetti, broken into 2i nch pieces, cooked
• 1 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp. fennel seed (press to release the oils)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the fennel seed, tomato sauce and cooked spaghetti and mix well. Salt to taste. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Top the casserole with the mozzarella, Parmesan and parsley. Bake until the cheese is golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.

www.thasc.com