Asparagus with Lemon Sauce

Asparagus is really tasty all by itself. However, if you want to dress it up a little big this simple sauce makes it delicious.

1 pound asparagus spears
1 tablespoon butter
1-1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon

Snap off and discard woody base from fresh asparagus. Cook asparagus in a small amount of lightly salted boiling water for 3-5 minute or until crisp-tender. Drain well; and throw into an ice-water bath. Then put asparagus on serving dish. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in cornstarch. Add water, lemon juice, bouillon, and a dash of pepper. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Spoon sauce over asparagus.

Orange Spinach Salad

Anyone who knows Ricky's extended family knows that there is always good food at a Nelson family party. Here is one of salads we found in the family cookbook. It looks beautiful and tastes great too. Ricky is a big fan of avocado so he especially likes it. My boys loves the mandarin oranges. If you make the full batch it is a lot of salad. We usually make the full amount of dressing and store it in the fridge, but only make about 1/2 the salad.

1 bag fresh spinach
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
3 green onions, chopped
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1 large avocado, cut into pieces
grape tomatoes, halved

Dressing:
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Combine dressing ingredients and mix well (I use a magic bullet).
• Toss salad ingredients together with dressing and serve.

Potato Casserole

This is another recipe adapted from the Nelson Family Food Fare cookbook. I wasn't really measuring when I made it, so these measurements are approximations. Just use what you have on hand. It is very adaptable and yummy. It's one of my new favorite side dishes. It is very similar to funeral potatoes. I've been looking for a recipe that tastes like that but doesn't call for frozen hashbrowns.

1/4 cup butter
4-6 medium potatoes (I used 4 medium large potatoes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light sour cream
4 oz cream cheese (1/2 a package)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
crushed corn flakes
3 Tablespoons melted butter

1. Bake potatoes. Cool and grate. (I baked my potatoes in the morning and let them cool all day until I shredded them before making this dish. You could bake them the day before if you wanted.)
2. Melt 1/4 cup butter and add the soup. Heat the soup and then add sour cream, cream cheese, and shredded cheese.
3. Stir in potatoes.
4. Place in greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix cornflakes with melted butter and sprinkle over casserole.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Creamed Carrots

14 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (or lots of baby carrots cut in half)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups skim milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tablespoon dry mustard seed
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Cheddar cheese (2-3 cups depending on how much cheese you want on top)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 pieces toast, crumbled and/or chopped into small pieces

1. Cook the carrots and drain.
2. Saute the onions in the butter.
3. Add flour and cook for two minutes
4. Add milk and cook until thickened.
5. Mix in salt, mustard, celery salt and pepper.
6. Pour carrots in 9x13 baking dish and pour sauce over the top.
7. Sprinkle cheese over the top, then sprinkle with bread crumbs and pieces of toast.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Lydia's Jello-Salad

Ricky and I never eat jello. However, my family serves this jello salad every year at Thanksgiving and I LOVE it. We decided to make it this year, and I think we'll make it from every year now on too. The topping is so delicious.

1 large pkg lemon or lime jello
20 oz can crushed pineapple (save juice)
12 oz bottle 7-Up
3 cubed bananas
2 cups mini-marshmallows

Dissolve jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add the drained pineapple. Let the mixture sit until it gets syrupy (about 15 minutes). Then add 7-UP, bananas, and marshmallows. Pour into a 9x13-inch casserole dish and let the jello set.

2 beaten eggs
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 cups whipped cream (Cool-whip works great)

Beat eggs. Add flour and sugar. Add hot melted butter. Add pineapple juice (left over from draining your 20 oz can earlier). Boil until thick, stirring constantly. Let cool completely. Add whipped cream and spread over set jello.