Ingredients: (Makes 4 servings)

1 head buttercrunch lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
6 mandarin oranges
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp crushed candied pecans
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 small avocado

Directions:

Place the torn lettuce into a large bowl bowl.

Peel 4 mandarins and separate the segments. It's really not necessary to try to remove the membranes as the segments are quite small and it would probably be a pain to do so.

Add the mandarin segments, red onion and pecans to the salad bowl.

Juice the remaining two mandarins and combine the juice with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey and mustard powder in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop each half out of the peel and dice. Drop the avocado pieces into the dressing. The juice and vinegar will prevent the avocado from discoloring.

When you are ready to serve the salad, empty the avocado pieces and dressing over the salad mixture in the large bowl and toss until everything is evenly combined.

Serve immediately.

RANCH ROASTED CARROTS

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb farmer's market baby carrots

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 dry dill

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Slice off part of the green on the carrot tops, so only about 1-2 inches remain. Slice carrots in half, lengthwise.

3. Combine the parsley, garlic, onion, salt, dill and black pepper into a small bowl. Add in olive oil.  Generously brush carrots with the olive oil seasoning mix. Place carrots on baking sheet so that they are close but not touching.

4. Bake for about 15-18  minutes (depending on size of your carrots) or until carrots are tender but still remain crisp. Garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley if desire. Serve immediately.

 CANTALOUPE POPSICLES

1/2 cantaloupe, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons or more Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

1. Combine cantaloupe, heavy cream and sugar in a blender until smooth.

2. Scoop mixture evenly into popsicle molds. Add popsicle sticks to center of each cup. Place into freezer until fully frozen, at least 4 hours.

BEST EASY BANANA BREAD

2 Bananas, very ripe
1 Egg
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1 Pinch Salt
3/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/3 cup Butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 4x8-inch loaf pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

3. Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

4. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F (175°C), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack. Remove the banana bread from the pan. Slice and serve.

Ingredients:

1 lb small potatoes (about 2" across  B-sized, Red or Yukon work fine)

Olive oil

Kosher Salt

Sliced Cheese (Your choice)

For Topping:

Light Sour Cream

Cooked Bacon, chopped

Sliced Green Onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Using a sharp knife, make several cuts through each potato, avoiding cutting all the way down. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Place cheese squares in between a few of the cuts on each potato. Return to oven for 5-10 additional minutes, until cheese has melted. Let cool 10 minutes before topping with sour cream, bacon and green onions, or your desired toppings.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

SKINNY BROCCOLI SALAD RECIPE

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the broccoli, grapes, celery, cranberries and sunflower seeds.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar and vinegar until well blended and creamy. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss well to combine and coat everything. Chill for at least one hour.

Question: Is there anything more simply satisfying than a well-done grilled cheese made with quality ingredients? Answer: No. No, there is not. Add in avocado and tomato, and you will have an extra tasty sandwich.

You’ll Need:

– Your favorite bread

– 1 avocado, sliced

– 2 slices of mozzarella

– 1 tomato, sliced

– Olive oil

– Salt

– Butter

To Make

• Heat skillet over medium heat.
• Butter both slices of bread, each on one side only. Place one of the slices in the skillet, butter side down.
• Top the bread with the avocado, mozzarella cheese and tomato. Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste.
• Top the sandwich with the second piece of bread, butter side up.
• Grill until the bread is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the sandwich and grill the opposite side.

Simple and delicious! What are your favorite twists on grilled cheese?