Etiquette Dinner

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We had quite a fun experience last night teaching three teenage boys to cook. My husband works with the young men in our church group ages 12 - 18. Last night they were having an etiquette dinner at 6 p.m. with the young women where they learned manners, etc. The young men were in charge of cooking dinner so they met at our house at 4 p.m. to make this dinner:

- A spinach salad (with roasted almonds) - see recipe below
- Bread sticks
- Chocolate Lush Dessert

Some of the other boys were making chicken stroganoff at another home for the main dish. They made enough food to feed 36 people with some leftovers. I was so impressed with the boys and what they were able to accomplish in only 2 hours. The food was beautiful and tasty and they had a lot of fun doing it. We only had one mishap with a pan of roasted almonds, but I was so impressed with how they cleaned it right up and we still had plenty of almonds for the salad.

These recipes are really simple and perfect for cooking with your kids!

Roasted Almond Spinach Salad
Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

1 10-oz. package fresh spinach
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 Cup dried cranberries
1 Cup roasted, slivered almonds
raspberry vinaigrette dressing (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

Isn't it colorful? This picture is taken without the roasted almonds and the dressing. They added those just before serving.

We made three batches of this Chocolate Lush dessert:

Chocolate Lush

Printable Recipe

*Serves 12-15

*Note: This dessert is put together in 4 layers.

2 Cups Flour

3/4 Cups butter

1 Cup chopped walnuts

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 8-oz. Carton Cool Whip, divided

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

3 Cup milk (whole is best)

Crust Layer:

Mix together 2 Cups flour, 3/4 Cup butter and 1 Cup walnuts with a fork. Spread in a 9 x 13" ungreased pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool completely before adding the next two layers.

Cream Cheese Layer:

Mix together 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, 1 Cup powdered sugar and 1 Cup Cool Whip in a bowl with an electric mixer. Spread layer of cooled crust.

Pudding layer:

Put 1 small package chocolate pudding, 1 small package vanilla pudding and 3 Cup milk in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Then spread pudding mix on top of cream cheese layer.

Cool Whip Layer:

Spread the remaining Cool Whip onto the top of the pudding layer. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired, chocolate sprinkles, or a grated chocolate bar.

Then chill until serving.

Variations:

You can also use another kind of pudding in place of the chocolate. For example Lemon Lush would use 1 pkg. Lemon Pudding, Butterscotch Lush would use 1 pkg. butterscotch pudding, Pistachio Lush would use 1 pkg. pistachio pudding.

Finally, we made three batches of bread sticks. Here's the recipe. Make LOTS! Nobody can eat just one! *Note: Sometimes for our family I make them whole wheat. Click here for the whole wheat recipe.

Bread Sticks after Raising

Bread Sticks
Printable Recipe

*Makes about 24 breadsticks

1 1/2 Cups Water
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. powdered milk
1 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
1-1/2 Cups Freshly-ground Wheat flour
3-4 Cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tbsp. SAF instant yeast

1/4 Cup melted butter

Heat water in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes or until hotter than 110 F. Then add water, salt, milk, and sugar in Bosch mixer. Add 1-1/2 Cup wheat flour. Then add the yeast on top. Set mixer at 2nd speed and mix adding the white flour until barely begins to pull from sides (you may not need all of it). Mix to let gluten work in for about 6 min.

Roll the dough into "snakes" to the size that you desire. Brush tops with 1/4 Cup melted butter, and sprinkle with any topping such as garlic or onion salt, parmesan cheese, sesame or poppy seeds, or seasoned salt. Allow to rise 15-20 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees about 10-15 minutes. They are great dipped or spread with butter as you eat them.

*Note: People eat a lot of these so always make more than you think!