Mom's Italian Corn Salad

This salad is so good and pretty that you won't ever bring anything else along to a potluck. I brought this to my friend, Kym's house last weekend and got rave reviews. I got the recipe from my mom, and goodness knows where she got it. The original recipe called for balsamic vinegar. I used that when I made it last weekend, but this weekend I wanted to try it with white wine vinegar instead (I'm not a huge fan of balsamic vinegar, and it stained the mozzarella in an unappealing way). It turned out great. I also added a touch of lime juice because I think everything tastes better with lime juice. Except for cereal, I guess. Here is the recipe with all of my alterations.

MOM'S ITALIAN CORN SALAD

2 ears of corn, cut from the cob*

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

5 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs. white wine vinegar

sea salt (to taste)

black pepper (to taste)

lime juice (to taste -- maybe about a teaspoon or two)

1. Combine corn, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil in a bowl.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.

3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then add more salt and pepper if necessary before serving.

* I used this super hilarious OXO Good Grips Corn Stripper. My mom bought it for my husband because she knows he loves his corn cut OFF the cob.

Really Freakin' Good Apple Pie (and crust)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• about 8 apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

1. Prepare the apples.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
3. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust - save a little bit to put on top of the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
4. Do the lattice crust and pour or brush remaining liquid over crust.
5. Bake 15 minutes in oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

I know, you may not want to make your own crust. But someday when you are feeling like a Domestic Goddess, here's a good/easy recipe:

1 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/3 c. milk
1 tbsp. vinegar

Cut butter into flour with pastry blender. Put vinegar in milk, add to flour mixture. Roll out half and fit into pie pan, then save the other half for the lattice crust.

Hank's Butternut Squash Soup

I got this recipe from a high school friend about 2 years ago. I finally tried it this past weekend. IT WAS AWESOME. And it was a pretty color. :)

Ingredients:
4 C Chicken Stock
1 C Water
1 C Half n Half (Don’t worry, it’s a big pot)
1 large Butternut Squash
1 tsp Yellow Curry Powder (Adjust to taste - I use closer to 2 tsp)
1 Onion
1 large Carrot, chopped
1 Potato
1 C Sour Cream
Sat & Pepper to Taste


Directions:
1. Peal and Cube Potato and Butter Nut Squash while bringing Stock and Water to a boil in a large pot (seriously, it needs to be large).
2. Add Carrots, Onion, Potato, and Squash and cook until tender.
3.Using a slotted spoon remove from stock and transfer to blender with a little stock and blend until smooth.
4. Return mixture to pot and add remaining ingredients.
5. Simmer stirring occasionally for approximately 1 hour to allow for flavors to blend and soup to thicken.

More Lentil Soup!

3 carrots, chopped
a couple potatoes, chopped (whatever you have around)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
8 cups water or vegetable broth
2 cups lentils, rinsed (I used red and brown)

Throw it all in the crock pot. Cook on low for about 8 - 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

About 10 minutes before serving put in 1.5 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with feta cheese on top.