Tasty Tuesday: Spinach Salad with Roasted Pecans

I know that you probably already have a ton of salad recipes, but I wanted to share this one with you. You're probably looking at the title and thinking, "Eww, spinach is disgusting!" I thought so too, until my aunt made a salad similar to this one, and then I loved it. So give it a try. You never know, you may like it.

1 package baby spinach
1 package romaine lettuce hearts
1/2 c. pecan halves
1 tbsp. sugar or brown sugar (depends on which you prefer. I usually use brown sugar)
1 tbsp. butter or margarine

In a frying pan, melt butter over low heat. Add pecans and sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes or until caramalized, stirring constantly. (Note: You can also get a bag of pecans that are already caramalized. They're usually by the other nuts in the baking section) Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, toss together lettuce and spinach in a salad bowl. Once pecans have cooled, toss those in with the lettuce and spinach. Serve with dressing of your choice.

Note: You can also add in other items such as apples, raspberries, cheese, etc.

Tasty Tuesday-Strawberry Chocolate Trifle

Hello all!! I know that summer's over and fall is here, but I just couldn't resist sharing one of my favorite summertime recipes with you. I came up with this recipe a couple of years ago when I was looking for a quick and simple summer dessert. I make this almost every time I have people over and also for potlucks and such. It's so simple and delicious, and I get rave reviews every time I make it. If you like strawberries, then I guarantee that you'll like this recipe.

Strawberry Chocolate Trifle

1 loaf angel good cake

1 package instant chocolate pudding

1 carton strawberries

1 8oz container cool whip

1/4 bag chocolate chips

Cut up the angel food cake into 1 inch cubes. Set aside. Core strawberries and slice into quarters.Cover the bottom of a trifle bowl with 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes. Layer 1/4 of the strawberries on top. Sprinkle 1/4 of the chocolate chips over the layer. Mix the instant pudding according to package instructions and pour 1/3 of it on top of the strawberries. Cover with 1/3 of the cool whip. Repeat for two more layers. On top of the final layer of cool whip, arrange the remaining strawberries as desired and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Refrigerate until chilled (about 2 hours).

Note: You can also add (or substitute) other fruit as desired. I've added raspberries and blueberries before, but I'm sure you could use any of your favorite fruits in this.