Emma Johnson

Lagoon Salad

Ingredients:
3 packs spring variety lettuce
1 bag spinach
Celery, chopped
Carrots, chopped
Grapes
Mandarin oranges
Strawberries, sliced
Ken’s Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing
Homemade candied pecans

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the spring lettuce, spinach, chopped celery, chopped carrots, grapes, mandarin oranges, and sliced strawberries. This recipe makes a large salad, perfect for serving a crowd.

Top each individual salad with homemade candied pecans and drizzle with Ken’s Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing.

This is honestly one of the best salads you will ever eat!

Homemade Candied Pecans:

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons brown sugar
A small pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons water
2 cups pecans

Instructions:
In a skillet, mix together the brown sugar, sea salt, vanilla, and water. Heat over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring nonstop.

Add the pecans and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the pecans are coated.

Carefully spread the pecans onto wax paper and let them cool completely. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container.

Use caution because the candied pecans will be very hot. Do not touch them with your fingers until they are fully cooled.

I made homemade smothered chicken thighs last night and all together it cost about $5 to make and it was so delicious.
*Recipe*
~Season your chicken thighs with whatever you like to use and a little olive oil, add a small amount of flour and pan sear them just enough to get a crispy outside.
~Remove from oil
~Use drippings to make a roux with flour and milk, once my gravy was thickening I added about half a can of chicken broth and the same seasonings I used on my chicken.
~Add chicken back to gravy mix and cook in the oven on 375 for about 20-30 mins
~Check internal temp of chicken and enjoy!

Italian Pepperoni Pasta Salad 🥗🍝🧀

Ingredients

12 oz tri-color rotini pasta
1 cup pepperoni slices, halved or quartered
1 cup salami, chopped
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup Italian dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: chopped parsley, cherry tomatoes, olives, or cucumbers

Instructions

1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until tender.
2. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to cool it down.
3. Slice the pepperoni, chop the salami, cube the mozzarella, and thinly slice the red onion.
4. Add the cooled pasta to a large bowl or foil pan.
5. Add pepperoni, salami, mozzarella cubes, red onion, and Parmesan cheese.
6. In a small bowl, mix Italian dressing, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
7. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad.
8. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
9. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend.

This is easy, colorful, cheesy, and perfect for parties, BBQs, potlucks, or meal prep.