Tasty Delight

Still don't have a dinner reservation for tomorrow night? How about a romantic dinner for two? Here's a great salad that can be made as either a first course or a whole meal, if you add shredded chicken.  

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 lb. Strawberries, hulled and sliced

3 tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1 12 oz. Bag of Spinach

3/4 cup Toasted Chopped Walnuts

Directions:

Dressing -  Puree 3/4 c. of strawberries.  Add lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  In large bowl, toss with remaining strawberries, spinach, and walnuts.   

To make a meal, add 2 cups of shredded chicken.  If preferred, substitute toasted almonds for walnuts.

Have left over strawberries?  Wash and dry them completely.  Dip in melted chocolate and let cool on wax paper.

Cheap Gourmet

A gourmet meal at a restaurant can cost upwards of $200.  A gourmet meal at home costs upwards of $50.  

Christiane Jork is here to help.  She recently published The 99 Cent Only Cookbook, adapting many recipes from The Joy of Cooking using only ingredients found at the 99 Cent Store.  Talk about being resourceful.  The book sells on Amazon.com for $10.39 new, but buy it used for as little as $7.72 and save enough to make one of Christiane's recipes.

Just be certain to check the expiration date on those packages!  

(And then head to Trader Joe's for some $5 flowers and $2 Charles Shaw to complete the experience.)