Rhubarb Nut Muffins

We've discovered we can get frozen rhubarb all year long at our grocery store!  So we made these muffins over the weekend -- so moist and tasty.

Rhubarb Nut Muffins

MUFFINS:

1 1/2  cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
1 egg -- lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup rhubarb -- chopped
1/2 cup walnuts -- chopped

TOPPING:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts -- chopped
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts. Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 full. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool for ten minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Chicken and Rice Salad

This is a quick and tasty side dish -- I'm making it tonight for Advent Supper at church :-)

Chicken and Rice Salad

3 cups seedless red grapes -- halved
1 cup rice -- cooked according to package
2 cups (cooked) chicken pieces
1/2 cup walnuts -- chopped
6 Tbsp. Italian dressing

 Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Bow Ties with Walnuts

To toast nuts, put them in a small, ungreased skillet over low heat and stir occasionally until they are toasted.  Way quicker than using the oven, and easier to keep from burning.

Bow Ties with Walnuts

1 lb. Bow tie noodles -- cooked (reserve 1/2 cup cooking water)
1 cup Walnuts -- chopped and toasted
6 tbsp. Butter
1 1/4 tsp. Sage
2 1/2 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 1/3 cups Shredded Romano (or Italian blend) cheese

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add spices and lemon juice. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta and 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir in cheese. Garnish with toasted nuts.

Bleu Cheese, Walnut, and Pear Salad

I love the pairing of bleu cheese and pears :-9

Bleu Cheese, Walnut, and Pear Salad

Lettuce
Pears -- chopped
Walnuts -- chopped
Bleu cheese dressing

Top lettuce with remaining ingredients.

Rhubarb Apple Pie

Rhubarb is in season!  I made this pie last night :-9  It's a little goopy when it first comes out, but once it's cooled, it sets up nicely.  I think this is the same one I took to a picnic with my friends last summer too.

Rhubarb Apple Pie

1/2 (14.1 oz.) package refrigerated pie dough
3 1/2 cups Rhubarb -- sliced
1 cup Sugar
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
2 Granny Smith apples -- sliced (peeling is optional)
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
3/8 tsp. Salt -- divided
1 cup Flour -- divided
1/2 cup Brown sugar
6 tbsp. Cold butter -- cut in small pieces
1/3 cup Walnuts -- chopped

Place pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough into a 12" circle. Fit dough into a greased, 9" pie plate. Turn edges under and flute. Combine rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and apples. Sprinkle the rhubarb mix with cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 3 tbsp. flour. Toss to coat. Spoon rhubarb mix into pie crust. Combine remaining flour, 1/8 tsp. salt, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mix. Stir in walnuts. Sprinkle over rhubarb mix. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees (do not remove pie). Bake for 30 more minutes or until done. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Bedford Falls Cheese Ball

I got this recipe from an It's a Wonderful Life recipe book years and years ago -- I think I re-titled it myself.  It's the first cheese ball recipe we ever made, and even though we've branched out considerably of late, this is still my favorite.

Bedford Falls Cheese Ball

2 (8 oz) pkgs spreadable cream cheese -- softened
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 small onions -- finely chopped
2 slices ham -- finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp green bell pepper -- finely chopped
1 cup walnuts -- chopped

 In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the walnuts; cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour. Form cheese mixture into ball and roll in walnuts. Serve with crackers or veggies.

Avocado Pasta Salad

It can be hard to pick a good avocado.  My rule is that it needs to be almost totally dark green, and if you squeeze it, it should give a little, but not be mushy under the skin.

Avocado Pasta Salad

1 lb. Penne rigate -- cooked and rinsed
1 cup Italian dressing
4 oz. Crumbled Feta
2 cups Chicken pieces
3 Green onions -- sliced
1 Apple -- chopped
2 Avocados -- peeled and sliced
3/4 cup Walnuts -- chopped

 Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Almost Meat Loaf

Cowboy thinks meat loaf is boring.  I love it.  We compromise by him finding unusual meat loaf recipes.  This one happens to be meatless -- but it's quite tasty!

Almost Meat Loaf

16 oz. Small Curd Cottage Cheese
4 Eggs - beaten
1/4 cup Oil
1 envelope Onion soup mix
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1 cup Walnuts - chopped
2 cups Corn flakes

 Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Asparagus Berry Salad

This is one of our absolute favorite recipes.  Our family of 5 will eat the whole thing for a meal, no problem.  And our kids are only 2, 4, and 6!  We eat it several times every spring.  This is one of the tastiest salads I have ever had, and I love serving it to guests.  In fact, I was thinking we'd have it with our Easter meal this year.

Asparagus Berry Salad

1 lb. Asparagus - trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
3 tbsp. Olive oil - divided
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 bag Salad greens
1 lb. Strawberries - trimmed and quartered
1/4 small Onion - sliced thin
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts - toasted
2 tbsp. Sherry
2 tsp. Sugar

In a seal-able container, toss the asparagus with 1 tbsp. oil. Spread on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, mix greens, strawberries, onions, walnuts, and asparagus. In a small bowl, whisk sherry, sugar, and remaining oil. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.

Apple Green Bean Saute

This is colorful and fun -- a big hit with kids who like green beans, but not so much with those who don't.

Apple Green Bean Saute

1 lb. Fresh green beans - trimmed and sliced bite-sized
1 large Apple - chopped
1 tbsp. Oil
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup Honey
2 tbsp. Sesame seeds - toasted

Saute green beans and apples in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in walnuts and honey and stir to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.