Hi All,

Well, today was the great escape to the grocery store to stock up on ingredients needed for the Labor Day Get Together...now my husband has upped the guest list to 11 adults, 5 children and 2 babies....the more the merrier I say! I did include one more appetizer, Warm Artichoke and Crab Dip in a Round of Bread, and added 2 more desserts, Mango Bars and Chocolate Cake. And you know what? Just in case...some hot dogs for the kiddies...

For Wednesday evening's supper, we will keep it light, therefore I will be serving, An Autumn Dinner Salad, Spinach Strudel and Magnolia Farms Sweet Mint Tea. I figure, "let's save all the calories for the weekend".

AN AUTUMN DINNER SALAD

serves 4-6

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/4 t. blk. pepper
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. onion juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 c. olive oil

SALAD:
2 T. butter
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
3 T. brown sugar
Mixed salad greens: I use romaine, leaf lettuce, boston lettuce and radicchio
1 firm apple or pear
alfalfa sprouts
3 scallions, chopped
3-4 oz. crumbled blue cheese

To prepare the balsamic vinaigrette, combine the dry mustard, seasoned salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar, onion juice and garlic. Let stand 1 hour. Just before serving, pour thru a wire-mesh strainer to remove garlic. Beat in olive oil with wire whisk and serve with salad.
To prepare salad, melt butter in skillet over med. heat. Add walnuts and brown sugar and saute til nuts begin to soften. Remove from pan to cool. Wash and drain lettuce. Tear into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. At serving time, core fruit and cut into pieces, Toss lettuce, fruit, sprouts, scallions and half the nuts and cheese with balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle remaining nuts and cheese over top. Serve immediately.

SPINACH STRUDEL
serves 4-6
6 mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garmic, minced
2 T. butter, melted
1 10 oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thaw and drain
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. blk, pepper
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
2 T. water

Saute mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter til tender. Add drained spinach and cook 2 mts. or until excess moisture is evaporated. Add cream cheese and stir til well blended. Add slat and pepper and nutmeg. Cut equally spaced 1/2 inch strips along both long edges of pastry, leaving strips attached at center. Place cooked spinach mix in center. Fold strips over mix forming a Chevron pattern. Combine egg and water. Brush egg mixture over pastry. Bake 350 for 20-30 mts.

MAGNOLIA FARMS SWEET MINT TEA

1 family size tea bag
1 c. sugar
5-10 sprigs fresh mint or 1/8 t. mint extract (Not Peppermint)
2 quarts boiling water
1/8 c. lemon juice
Place tea bag, sugar and mint in a 2 qt. container. If using fresh mint, twist the leaves but not the stems. Pour boiling water over - cover - let steep. Discard mint and tea bag. Cool, add lemon juice. Por thru a wire mesh and refrigerate.