Potato-Cauliflower Salad

This salad was very popular with my husband but my son told me for the first time that he does not like cauliflower.  I enjoyed the salad very much.  This is one of the few recipes that I have made almost completely in the microwave.  I suggest using more bacon and blue cheese.  Instead of using sour cream dip, I made some myself with sour cream, chives and lemon juice.  I left out the breadsticks.

Potato-Cauliflower Salad
Prep: 25 minutes


Ingredients:
12 small fingerling or round new potatoes scrubbed
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/3 cup sour cream chive dip
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. salad oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
2 slices bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled
4 crisp breadsticks, broken
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1.  Arrange potatoes in a single layer in microwave on clean white paper towels.  Microcook on 100 percent power (high) for 5 minutes.  Turn potatoes, microcook until tender, about 3 minutes more.

2.  Place cauliflower and 2 tablespoons water in a 2-1/2 quart microwave safe casserole.  Microcook on 100 percent power (high) for 5 minutes or until crisp tender, stirring once.  Drain.  Cool slightly.

3.  In a large serving bowl combine potatoes, cauliflower, onion and celery.  In a small bowl stir together sour cream dip, lemon juice, and salad oil; gently toss with potato mixture and fold in blue cheese.  Chill up to 24 hours.  Just before serving, top with parsley, bacon, breadsticks, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Oatmeal

I received this recipe from my brother-in-law.  He is a great cook.  I always enjoy the meals he prepares for us.  This looks like a good one.

Blueberry Oatmeal

1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries

2 ripe bananas

2 tbls. olive oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats

2 1/4 c. water

Rinse, dry the blueberries.  Peel, then chop bananas until they form a paste.  In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add blueberries and stir contstantly until they form a compote (the skins will dissolve).  Keep stirring for another 5 min.  Add bananas, keep stirring for a couple minutes til they start to dissolve.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Add oatmeal, return to a boil, reduce heat to medium high and simmer for 5 minutes until thick, stirring often.  Remove from heat and serve.  Can be covered and refrigerated for three to four days.  Microwaves well.

Enjoy!