Spark of Inspiration

I recently became a member of MyBlogSpark, and my very first assignment was to vote on my favorite cover for the September issue of the Betty Crocker Fall Baking Magazine.



Here was my choice:

Those pumpkin faces got me right away.

Now, I am not one much for the baking--that is Big Daddy's domain--but it must have gotten me into creation mode.

For dinner, on the spur of the moment, I made the BEST apple salad. Ever. Hands down. Even Nicholas said, "If you took out the apples and just left the rest, this would be the best apple salad EVER."

When his daddy reminded him that without the apples it wouldn't be an apple salad, he replied with, "Well, you could call it Various fruits and Whatnot salad."

I see his future as a cookbook writer already.

Ironically, as I was making this I thought, "I really should take some measurements or write something down because I know this is going to be blog worthy."

Perhaps I haven't lost all of my psychic abilities, after all.

I am going to share with you my first "recipe." This is probably why I don't like baking, I am not an-exact-measurement kind of gal. My best dishes are the ones that I throw together willy-nilly.

Best Apple Salad Ever (aka Various Fruits and Whatnot Salad).

Need:
6-8 medium apples, chopped. I used a mix of Fuji and Gala. Obviously, a tart(er) apple works better, but whatever you have on hand or like will work.
Celery stalk, finely chopped
Couple handfuls of chopped walnuts
A handful of dried cranberries
1 package of low fat cream cheese, warmed. Again,this is what I had on hand.
2 containers of Activia Vanilla and Cereal Yogurt. I would have used plain vanilla yogurt, but again, just going by the seat of my pants. It was either this, strawberry, or coffee.
About 1/3 cup of low fat sour cream
Several Tbsp of sugar.

In one large bowl, mix* the cream cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and sugar. Start with a couple of Tbsp of sugar, mix well, and then add more to taste. Totally up to you. Once you have the dressing mixed to a loose but creamy consistency, it is ready to mix with the "various fruits." I put the chopped stuff into the dressing, mixed, and then transferred to a serving bowl. Prepare for your family to be wowed by your salad and ask what's in it. Answer with, "Ancient Chinese Secret", in an Asian accent. Enjoy!

*I used the stand mixer but a hand mixer would be fine.

Not necessarily a low calorie side dish, but the fiber from the Activia yogurt, celery, and apples can't hurt.

If you have the same dinner we had, your husband/partner will proclaim lovingly, "It's a good thing it was so good, because it totally counteracted the undercooked potatoes in your potato salad."

I guess they all can't be winners.

Disclaimer: I did not receive payment, nor was I asked to make this posting. Links to BlogSpark and Betty Crocker are for your reference only.