We ate it all. . .

The title says it all today. I actually for once, got all domestic and decided to cook dinner. It turned out so well that I forgot to take pictures before now. Luckily, I've still decided to share the recipes with all of you anyway.

Spinach Salad
-A bottle of Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing
-8 oz. sliced mushroom's
-1 package of baby spinach
-1 head of lettuce
-1 purple onion
-5 slices of bacon crumbled
-1 can (11 oz.) of mandarin oranges
-4 oz. grated Swiss cheese
-1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

Marinate mushrooms in poppy seed salad dressing for four hours (or overnight) in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Prepare spinach and tear lettuce to bite sized pieces. Toss. Add oranges, lettuce, a few thin slices of the purple onion, grated cheese and bacon. Immediately before serving toss with dressing and mushroom mixture. Serves 8-10.

***My Version***
Skip lettuce, onions and almonds. Add more spinach because that's all you have. Add some wonderful cranberries because it sounds good! And it was great!

This salad is also called, Kevin's wedding breakfast salad. I grew up making this salad all summer long with a dear neighbor who made this for formal events.

Then to go with it, some yummy Chicken Marsala.

-3/4 cup all purpose flour
-2 tsp. course salt
-1/2 tsp. ground pepper
-4 boneless chicken breasts
-3 T. extra virgin olive oil
-4 T. unsalted butter
-10 oz. white button mushroom
-2 cup sweet Marsala wine (I used white wine vinegar)
-1 clove of garlic
-3 T. squeezed lemon juice
-2 T. finely chopped parsley

Combine flour, salt, pepper in a large shallow dish, set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, tapping off excess, set aside. Add 3 T. of oil to the skillet. When oil is shimmering add chicken and cook until light browned. Put the chicken in a plate and set aside.

Then, heat 2 T. butter in the same skillet. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and all released liquid is evaporated.

Remove skillet from heat and add wine (or vinegar). Return skillet to heat, scrapping any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add garlic, lemon juice, remaining 2 T. of butter and parsley. Cook for two minutes till reduced and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust as needed. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

I remember my mom making this dish whenever we had company over. Always a very special thought when I make it for company too.

Add some rice and there you have it! Your dinner guests will be asking for seconds and thirds!

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