Winter Fruit Green Salad

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce
½ c cashews (can also use pecans or almonds)
¼ c dried cranberries
1 apple (cored & sliced)-also toss in ½ tsp. Lemon juice
1 pear (cored & sliced)-toss in w/ lemon juice
4 oz. Shredded Swiss cheese (can also use feta or drained & rinsed cottage cheese)

Dressing:
¼ c sugar
¼ c lemon juice
1 tsp. Diced onion
1/3 c olive oil
2 tsp. Poppy seeds
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. Salt
dash of pepper

Blend dressing in a blender, adding oil during blending process. Toss salad ingredients and dressing together just before serving. Serves 12

Recipe Requests

There are a few recipes that I've been hoping to see on Becoming Betty.
I figure if I it publicize it, it might happen faster.
So here are my requests:
Jen...those heavenly bread sticks
Bonnie...that rice pudding you brought my mom
Holly...the rocky road brownies
*Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving*

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was the best pumpkin dessert I have ever had.

Bread pudding
2 cups half and half
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Caramel sauce
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream

Powdered sugar

For bread pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce:
Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

PULLED PORK SANDWICH

I got this recipe a long time ago from a Tyler Florence Food TV episode and I changed it a little. His marinade seemed a little bitter so I just made a few changes. We love this and it's so great to have as leftovers.

4-5 lbs boneless pork shoulder

2 T. kosher salt
1 T. black pepper
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. paprika
1/2 T. thyme (or 2-3 sprigs fresh, leaves only)
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
Scant 1 T. cayenne pepper
3 T. virgin olive oil

Place salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika, thyme, garlic, vinegar and cayenne in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add olive oil until you have a nice paste. Rub all over the pork, being sure to it into the nooks so the salt can penetrate the meat well. Place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight (preferred).

Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Place the pork in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert. I place aluminum foil under the rack for easier clean-up. Roast the pork for 3 1/2 hours uncovered at 325 degrees. The outside will get crispy-brown and will look like mahogany. Let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing or shredding. Serve on Kaiser rolls or sliced Ciabatta rolls. Delicious with a side of coleslaw**

**We actually like to put coleslaw on top of the meat in the sandwich. Sounds weird, I know but is really yummy (if you like coleslaw)!

No Bake Cookies

Raise your hand if you had Ms. Weber for Home-Ec at TJH! 
This is one of my favorite recipes from that class. Me and my friends used to make these every Sunday night and we usually ate them all before they even made it into cookie form.
Easy to whip up when you don't have time to bake cookies!

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups quick oats

Mix sugar and cocoa in a sauce pan.  Add butter and milk.  Mix well and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches a full roiling boil. Boil for one minute and then remove from heat.  Add pb, oats and vanilla.  Stir really well and then drop by spoonful onto waxed paper.  Let cool for about an hour or put in fridge to cool faster.

Mango Salsa

BC came home from a missionary open-house in our ward, raving about this mango salsa. Sister Alston was nice enough to e-mail me the recipe and I can tell it will be a regular item on the menu at our house.1 ripe mango, diced

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

3/4 cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 Tbs. lime juice

1/2 tsp. tobasco sauce

Kosher salt, to taste

*Mix all ingredients well and chill before serving. This recipe doesn't make a whole lot, so if you're making it for a crowd, you'll want to double or triple it.

Pork Chalupa

I walked into Brett's parents' house the other day and smelled something heavenly cooking. I asked what it was and his mom told me about this pork chalupa recipe that her friend had given her. It is really good and really easy. 3-4 lbs. pork loin roast

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans pinto beans

1 Tbs. cumin

2 Tbs. chili powder

1 Tbs. oregano

1 can diced green chiles

1 Tbs. salt

*Cook on low all day in Crock-pot. Serve over chips or in a burrito or like tacos.