We all know that spinach is a very healthy vegetable and the USDA actually claims to be a super food because it is so packed full with vitamins minerals and nutrients.  But spinach has one big problem – most kids and adults absolutely hate its taste.  Well, this recipe changes all that and more.  Just try it and you’ll see what I mean. 

My Fast andEasy Spinach Side Dish

Ingredients:

1 bag of spinach (16 oz.)

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 TBL garlic powder

3 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

I squeezed out the juice and put 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and sauteed it.  I added 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg.  Then I thought it could use something else so I added 3 ounces of cream cheese and let that melt into the spinach on low.  Next I put the crushed tomatoes in and cooked it for several minutes on low.

Then I garnished the spinach dish with Parmesan cheese and it was ready to serve.  This is, as I said, a quick and easy dish that tastes great at the same time.  Serve and enjoy.

Broccoli salad

Ingredients:

8 strips of bacon

1 cup of Mayo

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tsp. of white vinegar

1-2 heads of broccoli

Directions:

First chop the broccoli heads only discarding the stem pieces.  Fry up the bacon and drain off the excess grease on some paper towels.  Allow the bacon to cool.  When cooled crumble up the pieces of bacon into tiny pieces and bits. 

In a separate bowl mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar and then pour over the broccoli and bacon.  Mix and then serve.  Just like with the 6 ingredient salad, be sure and make this the day you plan on serving otherwise it will get soggy – nobody wants a soggy salad.  This recipe, as I stated earlier, is great for getting finicky kids to eat their vegetables.  Serve and enjoy.

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole

ingredients:

5-6 sweet potatoes

1/2 C milk

1 1/4 C sugar

1/2 stick of melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 C mini marshmallows

Directions:

Bake the sweet potatoes at 375° for one hour and a half.  Be sure and rub them with vegetable oil before baking.  The peels will slide off when finished.

Smash up the sweet potatoes in a bowl and add the half cup of milk, one and a quarter cups of sugar, one half stick of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, two eggs beaten, and 1 cup of mini marshmallows.  Mix all the ingredients well.  Then spray large casserole dish (9″ x 13″ works well) and place the mixed sweet potatoes in the casserole dish.

Picture of sweet potato casserole prior to baking.

Next comes the topping – my kids favorite part.

Topping ingredients:

1 C brown sugar packed

1/4 C flour

1 C pecans crushed real good

*1 stick of butter melted – be sure and pour this in the bowl last*

Directions:

Mix the melted butter to the dry ingredients last after mixing the dry ingredients well with a spoon.  Then take this topping and spread on top of the sweet potatoes in the casserole dish to completely cover it.

The best sweet potato casserole after baking and ready to serve!

You can double the topping if you like.  Some people prefer the sweeter, cruncher topping. I have found, myself, that I don’t need this and the recipe is perfect as described above.

Be sure and prepare the sweet potato casserole the day before you plan on serving it.  Then bake the day you are ready to eat.  Bake for 35 minutes at 375° and be sure and bake it covered with aluminum foil. Serve this tasty dish and enjoy – it will be the talk for days.

The best sweet potato casserole already half gone at Thanksgiving and the meal has barely begun...

Doesn’t it just look yummy?  Wait until you try it.  It will be the first plate or dish that you run out of and will surely be everyone’s favorite!

Doesn't the 6 ingredient or layered salad look delicious?

This special salad recipe I craved everyday when I was pregnant.  I literally made it every 3 to 4 days and ate it every night for dinner.  I guess I could’ve craved a lot worse – and it was absolutely delicious!  Your family will love this 6 ingredient salad recipe also.  Hint – kids love this salad and it is a great way to get them to eat their vegetables!

Heavenly 6 ingredient salad

Ingredients:

1 head of shredded lettuce

1 head of cauliflower or broccoli in bite-size pieces

1 medium chopped onion

1 lb. bacon crumbled into pieces (or you can use 4 jars of Hormel Black Label real bacon bits)

8 oz. or 2 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 pint mayonnaise

1/4 C sugar

1/8 C vinegar

Mix the Mayo dressing and ingredients seperately in a bowl (1 pint Mayo, 1/4 C sugar, 1/8 C vinegar).  Put all the ingredients listed above (except the Mayo dressing and the shredded lettuce else the lettuce will wilt and not be soggy) in a salad bowl and mix well.  Then add the mayo dressing you just created.  Lastly add the shredded lettuce and toss the salad well. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Easy Southern Corn Pudding

Easy Southern Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

4 C. Corn

6 TBL sugar

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

2 TB flour

1 C. half n half

1 C. heavy cream

2 TBS melted butter

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  Melt the butter and then add it to the mix.

Bake in the oven at 350° for 45 minutes.  Watch the corn pudding for the last five minutes of baking.  It should be done when the top starts to brown a bit.  Sit and let cool.  Enjoy.

Melissa's oatmeal raisin cookies ready to eat - don't they look delicious!

I have been making these awesome oatmeal cookies ever since I can remember.  It’s definitely a family favorite.  My husband, my brothers and my young kids absolutely love them and I’m sure that you will cherish this recipe as well.

Melissa’s favorite oatmeal cookies

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter

2 C flour

3/4 C. sugar

3/4 C. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp Cinnamin

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 3/4 C. oatmeal

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 C. raisins

(optional – you can do 3/4 C. raisins with 1/2 C. walnuts)

Directions:

Set the oven for 350°.  Bake for 8 to 9 minutes for chewy cookies and 11 to 12 minutes for crispy cookies.  I personally prefer crispier cookies, but the choice is up to you as you can make softer or crispier cookies just by varying a few minutes of the cookies cooking time.  This oatmeal cookie recipe makes three dozen good-sized cookies – like the ones you can buy for two dollars each at a expensive coffee franchise like Starbucks.  Enjoy with coffee, as dessert or as a great snack anytime of the day!

Best baked beans

Ingredients:

2 large can’s of baked beans (I prefer Bush Baked Beans, but you can use whatever you like)

1 T spiced or Dijon mustard

1 Lg. chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper (you can use different peppers to add and vary the resulting spice and flavor of your baked beans)

1 C ketchup

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C maple syrup

Mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon and pour into either Corning Ware or an iron dish with a lid.  Be sure and spray the container first with vegetable spray.

Bake at 350° in the oven for 2 to 3 hours.

These are the best baked beans you will ever have!

And presto you have magnificent best baked beans that people will be remembering for years to come.  You will definitely be the talk of any tailgate party or barbecue!

* in a pinch I have made these without the green pepper’s and they still came out delicious.  You can also play around with this baked bean recipe and it’s ingredients here to make to make it your own and cater to your own personal tastes and preferences.