Crunchy Romaine Toss

Anytime we go to a pot luck or family reunion, my Mom always makes her famous Crunchy Romaine Toss.  Literally, people specifically go out of their way to grab some before its gone, and if she feels like changing it up every once in a while and doesn't make it (gasp!) grown men will indeed cry.  So, it is with her permission, I share with your another favorite strawberry recipe. 

(Sorry the pic is such bad quality.  Almost forgot to take a pic when we ate it this last Saturday.) This was the aftermath of round 1. 

Crunchy Romaine Toss

Ingredients:

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

2 Cups fresh strawberries/ blueberries or mandarin oranges, sliced

(we just prefer strawberries)

1 package ramen noodles

1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

1/4 Cup butter

Dressing:

1/2 Cup sugar/splenda/ or honey

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 teaspoons soy sauce

a Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions: 

Combine sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (mason jar); shake until well blended. 

Break ramen noodles into small pieces, discarding flavor packet.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir noodles and nuts until browned, about 5 minutes. 

Drain on paper towels and allow to cool.

Combine noodles, nuts, strawberries, and romaine lettuce, in a bowl; toss gently. 

Dress with 1 cup, or more, of dressing; toss to coat.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think! Sadly, strawberry season is almost over here in NC, but blueberry and Peach are quickly upon us!!! Hope everyone has a great Thursday! XO

Summertime Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Every time we would go and visit my mother's mom, Gammy, she would make us kids her famous chocolate cake, and my Dad a Rhubarb Pie.  I never cared for the rhubarb pie mainly because it was so tart and I was too busy with her chocolate cake, but oh how things have changed.  Fast forward 20 years and I decided to make a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for my Dad's birthday.  

It was THE. BEST. PIE. EVER.  Now, as the weather starts heating up, my husband starts putting in his requests for the pie.

This past weekend, we went to the NC State Farmer's Market to pick up some Strawberries and decided it was warm enough to make the first strawberry rhubarb pie of the summer. Here is the recipe that I use and have tweaked over the years.  Let me know what you think.  

3 cups Fresh Strawberries, sliced

3 cups Rhubarb, cut into 1- inch pieces

3/4 cup Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp. Lemon Juice

4 tbsp. Quick-Cooking (Instant) Tapioca

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. 

2 Frozen deep dish ready made pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Pie Filling

Toss the fruit with the Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Lemon Juice and Tapioca in a large bowl.  Let stand for 15 minutes. 

Prepare pie crusts, (Now you can make your own, but this is where "nobody's got time for that" comes in. 

Pour filling into one of the crusts

Scatter butter pieces over the filling 

Place the other pie crust on top

Put the pie on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes

Turn the heat down to 350 and continue to back for another 30-40 minutes or until juices bubble and crust turns brown.
We always spoon a little locally made Vanilla ice cream on top, but for some reason this time Front Porch Praline Crunch found its way into my shopping bag, (I could have sworn I grabbed Vanilla).  But it was actually even better than regular vanilla. 

ENJOY!