Friday Food Frenzie

Last night I was starving for something sweet and good. So I went home and started hitting the cook books. Joans' Curried Pineapple is one of my favorite things. It takes hardly any time to make and is yummy with poultry, ham, even a good steak. I personally love it withe Stove Top Stuffing....period.

Joan's Curried Pineapple
2 large cans of pineapple rings
1/3 c butter or margarine
¼ c brown sugar
1 t curry powder

Drain fruit. Melt butter or margarine and add brown sugar and curry powder. Place all ingredients in a baking dish and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
While I was looking for recipes I found a few others and thought I had to finish out my food week with these. The Pistachio Cheesecake is to die for. I am not even a pistachio fan...but I love this. It is a pretty food for your Easter celebrations...and a light summer dish too.

Pistachio Cheesecake
2 c all-purpose flour
½ c ground almonds
½ c cold butter or margarine
6 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese softened
1 can (14 oz) condensed milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant pistachio pudding mix
5 eggs
Chocolate syrup
Whipped cream and chopped pistachios, optional

In a small bowl, combine the flour and almonds, cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/4 in. up the sides of a greased 10 In. springform pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, and pudding mixes until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place pan on baking sheet. Reduce hear to 350 degrees. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove sides of pan. Slice cheesecake; drizzle slices with chocolate syrup. Garnish with whipped cream and pistachios if desired. Yield: 12 – 14 servings.

Crunchy Romaine Toss
1 c walnuts – chopped
1 pkg Ramen noodles (w/o seasoning)
4 T butter
1 bunch broccoli – chopped
1 head of Romaine lettuce – or 2 bags
4 green onions – chopped
1 or 2 cartons of fresh strawberries sliced
1 c sweet and sour dressing (given below)

Brown walnuts and noodles (broken into pieces) in butter – drain and cool. Combine with above ingredients and toss.

Dressing:
1 c oil (vegetable, canola, peanut, olive – whichever you prefer)
1 c sugar
½ c red wine vinegar
3 t soy sauce

Mix into salad just before you are ready to eat the salad.
My piece de resistance is the Crunchy Romaine Toss. Laurie Sturdivant brought it to church one night....and I had to have her recipe. She uses only strawberries...but I have modified it a bit and add mandarin oranges to mine sometimes. It changes the flavor. This dish is never brought home...and it is YUMMY! I make it a lot during the summer and spring when strawberries start looking good. My whole family loves this salad...and if I am ever invited to someones house...I either have to bring this or my baked beans....but that is a recipe....I don't share....you know...secret family ingredient and all. I hope that you will use these recipes....have a great weekend! I am bowling in the State Bowling tournament in Montgomery this weekend...so I won't be posting tomorrow....see you on Sunday.