Mom Week: Cauliflower Salad

I have to confess that I am a way pickier eater than my mother. She frequently encouraged me to try new foods and sometimes I liked them. I appreciate that she tried to expand my palate--in spite of my resistance. Cauliflower might be among the foods I tolerate but do not regularly eat. So I'll confess that while I've eaten this salad, I've never actually made it. But, in celebration of my mom and winter white food, here it is!

Cauliflower Salad

1 head cauliflower
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1-8 ounce package cream cheese
1 carrot, grated
1 small jar pimentos
Minced onion to taste

Wash cauliflower and break into bite-size pieces.  Blend Miracle Whip and cream cheese.  Add carrot, pimentos and onion.  Add cauliflower and toss to coat evenly.

Mom Week: White Salad

I have not had this salad for years, but I fondly remember it from my growing up days. Cottage cheese has always kind of made me gag; however, my mom must have learned that I'd eat it if cleverly disguised.

Dream Whip makes me nostalgic, but in keeping with the non-processed theme, I'd like to try this with real whipping cream. Not sure what to do about the marshmallows, though I once clipped out a Martha Stewart recipe for homemade. It sounds like something I might attempt.

If I served this with lettuce and garnished it with a cherry half, my kids would definitely not eat it. But I do love that my mom came from a generation that took time to do things like that, and also use serving dishes.

White Salad

1 pound marshmallows
1/2 cup  milk
1 cup cottage cheese
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
1 package Dream Whip

Melt marshmallows in milk over low heat.  Watch and stir often.  Beat cream cheese with cottage cheese.  Add to marshmallow mixture.  Add pineapple.  Prepare Dream Whip and fold in.  Place in 9" x 13" pan.  Chill.  Serve on lettuce and garnish with cherry half.

Lisa Week: Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I can't imagine who thought of combining pretzels with jello but it's good. Try it for Valentine's Day!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup butter
3 teaspoons sugar
1-8 ounce pkg cream cheese
1 cups sugar
1-9 ounce carton Cool Whip
2 small packages strawberry Jello
2 cups boiling water
2-10 ounce packages frozen strawberries

Combine pretzels, butter, sugar and press into a 9 X 13 pan. Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool. Mix cream cheese, sugar, and Cool Whip and spread over the cooled crust. Let stand 10 minutes, then refrigerate until set. Mix the Jello, water and strawberries and let set in refrigerator until slightly thickened. Pour over the cream cheese mixture and chill well.

Lisa Week: Arkansas Green Beans

I don't know if she's ever been to Arkansas, but these are really good green beans. We had them at Christmas and it was nice to have something green on the plate. I'm going to try this with fresh green beans--guessing they need to be cooked a little before starting out, but I bet it's really good that way too.

Arkansas Green Beans

5 (15 oz. cans) green beans, drained
7 slices of precooked bacon
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
7 teaspoons soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, pressed and minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the drained green beans in a 9 X 13 in. baking pan. Lay bacon on top of green beans. Combine brown sugar, butter, soy sauce and garlic. Pour over green beans. Bake for 40 minutes.

Tomorrow we'll round out Lisa week with her yummy pretzel jello. Fun to serve for Valentine's Day! Have you subscribed to Comfort Food yet? The first issue is out today! Subscribe by emailing or leaving a comment below.