Caryn's 'crab' salad is good potluck option

Caryn and I had two church potlucks on the schedule this weekend, so she volunteered yesterday to make a double batch of this super-easy salad to take to both events. It is SO nice having this girl around. I'm a fan of imitation crab meat-- it's non-fat and not high in calories. There's no mayo in this either, so in spite of the yummy cheddar cheese, this dish is relatively healthy.

Easy 'crab' salad with green peas

4 8-ounce packages imitation crab meat
2 cups frozen peas
4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 6-ounce cans black olives
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Break crab meat into bite-size chunks. Let peas soak in cold water until thawed, about 10 minutes. Slice olives. Combine all ingredients. Chill 'til ready to serve.

Tuna casserole offers comfort on a January night

Daughter Caryn made supper tonight, a tuna noodle casserole that's earned her a degree of fame in our family. This is delicious and creamy, with bites of crunchy celery, green peas and cheddar cheese. On this windy, cold January evening, what comfort it was to have dinner on the table, cooked by our darling girl.

Best-ever tuna-noodle casserole

3 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup of onion
1 can tuna in water, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. In a separate saucepan, mix cream of celery soup with milk. Heat through, add cheese. Heat 'til cheese melts. Drain noodles, add to a casserole dish with tuna, celery, mayonnaise, onions and noodles. Mix well. Pour cheese sauce over. Stir 'til well blended. Top with sliced almonds if you'd like. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

Jazz up dinner with cheesy scalloped potatoes

Tonight I baked some boneless, skinless chicken breasts for dinner, and steamed some broccoli, all healthy stuff. But boring. What made dinner special tonight was a casserole of scalloped potatoes, with a bit of sweet onion, cream sauce, a little white wine and dry, sharp white cheddar. Cooked to perfection.

The secret to elegant scalloped potatoes is slicing the potatoes nearly paper-thin , and cooking at least 90 minutes. Here's my recipe:

Scalloped potatoes with white wine and cheddar

8-10 medium new potatoes
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3/4 cup white wine (I used Wishing Tree Unoaked Chardonnay, left over from the holidays)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour

Slice potatoes in a food processor. In a skillet, cook onions in butter until
translucent. Add flour, stir with wire whisk. Add milk all at once. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Add 3/4 cup cheese and wine. Continue stirring until cheese melts. Place half the potatoes in a buttered casserole dish. Pour half the cheese sauce over. Spread the rest of the potatoes evenly in the dish. Top with remaining cream sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 50-60 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.

Easy apple tarts warm a winter night

My daughter has just moved to Wichita from the Bay Area. She arrived this weekend with a friend and will be staying with us for two weeks 'til the apartment she's rented is remodeled. I relish the idea of sharing family dinners now that she's here! Last night we had easy bean soup and green salad. After this light supper, I decided we needed a slightly decadent dessert, so I pulled some puff pastry from the freezer and made apple tarts. I topped each warm-from-the-oven tart with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Hershey's caramel sauce.

Quick apple tarts

Thaw one sheet of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry until it's easy to unfold (30 to 40 minutes.) Cut into six rectangles and place on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Peel and slice two large apples (thin slices!) in a small bowl. Add two tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the apples. Melt 3/4 cup apricot jam and brush to coat pastry crusts, leaving edges uncoated. Arrange apple slices on top and brush again with apricot jam. Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees, until apples are soft and shells are golden brown. Serve warm.