Here is a yummy Summer Broccoli Salad recipe – great for backyard picnics!

Salad:

4 – 6 Cups Broccoli pieces

2 Cups green or red seedless grapes, quartered

1 Cup golden raisins

2-3 green onions, finely chopped

1 Cup celery, diced

1 Cup sunflower seed kernels

1 Lb. cooked and diced bacon  (you may substitute 1/2 Cup of Bac-Os for a vegetarian version of this recipe)

Dressing:

1 Cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1/4 Cup sugar

Whisk together mayo, vinegar and sugar.  Pour over salad and mix until evenly coated.  Serve chilled.

Great year round but especially for spring. Mix together in one bowl or on individual plates: Baby spinach leaves, sliced mushrooms, red onion slices and mandarin oranges. Dress with Pretty Pink Dressing available from Food For Thought.

For an entree, add a grilled salmon steak or chicken breast, hard boiled eggs, tomato wedges, more fruit, toasted almonds or walnuts. Again serve with Pretty pink dressing.

To order our special Pretty Pink Dressing, please call 303-425-5442.

Apples are a favorite fall treat. Slice and eat raw, bake in your favorite pie, be it tart or sweet, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with caramel sauce, there’s an apple for every taste. According to US Apple Association, here are some favorites: For eating raw, Granny Smith, Cortland and Braeburn are tops, others that rank high are Idared, Jonathan and Baldwin. For a sweet raw apple, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp and McIntosh score the highest. For the next sweet top winners try Fugi, Empire and Gala. For pies, top contenders are Granny Smith, Baldwin and Golden Delicious. Other good pie apples are Pinklady, Braeburn and Crispin. Like to slice up and eat with a dip? Some ideas for dip – Marshmallow cream mixed with crushed pineapple or Cool Whip with strawberry yogurt mixed in. Of course you can always order Food for Thought’s caramel dip!

1/2 package Nabisco Chocolate Wafers or prepared chocolate cookie crumb crust

1/4 cup butter melted

1 gallon coffee ice cream, softened

1 1/2 cups chilled fudge sauce

Sweetened whipped cream or purchased whipped topping

Slivered almonds

Whirl chocolate wafers into fine crumbs in food processor. Add butter, whirl another 5 to 10 seconds. Press crumb mixture firmly and evenly into a 9 inch pie plate. Spread soft ice cream over piecrust. Freeze until firm. Top with fudge sauce (place fudge sauce in freezer for a time to make spreading easier). Place in freezer 10 hours to set. Place slices on chilled plates, top with whipped cream and slivered almonds. Enjoy!

Food for Thought Catering is pleased to announce they were selected as one of two Wheat Ridge Business Association Members of the Year. The award ceremony took place on September 25, 2013 as part of the City of Wheat Ridge Business Appreciation breakfast.

Suzanne Smith, Food for Thought Catering, one of two 2013 Wheat Ridge Business Association Member of the Year winners

Perfect for spring!

2 pounds fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed

1-1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sesame oil.

Blanch asparagus in rapidly boiling water, until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and immerse in ice water. Drain and pat dry. Sautée mushrooms in about one tablespoon olive oil. Cool. Combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, salt and sesame oil. Combine asparagus and mushrooms.  About one hour before serving, toss with dressing mixture. Chill 30 minutes,