You know the saying Work Hard, Play Hard? That’s good advice, but we’ll add this: Eat Hard!

Once a month here at Union Furniture & Flooring, we have what we call a Food Day. Everyone brings in a dish to share, and we set up a buffet in our kitchen area.

We are lucky enough to have some really good cooks on our staff, and there’s enough food to last for more than a couple of days, so we eat well for awhile.

If you’ve been shopping with us during one of our food days, you’ve seen the fun we have together on these special days, but we took a few snapshots during our last event to share with you.

Of course, we didn’t want to tease you with these great food photos without giving you the recipe to try making them for yourselves. Bon appétit!

Laurie’s Layered Greek Dip

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning

2 minced garlic cloves

10 oz. roasted red pepper hummus

¾ c. chopped cucumber

¾ c. chopped tomato

½ c. chopped Kalamata olives

½ c. crumbled feta cheese

¼ c. chopped banana pepper rings

Pita chips

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl add the cream cheese, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, and garlic. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto a serving dish. Spread the hummus on top of the cream cheese mixture and layer with remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving garnish the dip by sticking some pita chips around the edges of the dip.

Gail’s Crock Pot
Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

2 lbs. pasta of choice

1 stick butter

¼ c. flour

2 ½ c. half and half

2 c. milk

¼ t. dry mustard

1 c. chicken broth

8oz Monterey jack cheese

8 oz mild Cheddar cheese

¾ c. Velveeta, chopped in small cubes

Instructions:

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Do not burn. Add milk, dry mustard, and 2c. half & half, bring to a gentle boil. Add shredded cheese and Velveeta, turn down to low. Stir until all cheese is melted. Pour melted cheese mixture into crock pot on low. Boil noodles just to el dente and add to cheese mixture 30 minutes before serving. If the mixture needs thinned down, add some additional half & half and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This dish is great to make the day before a holiday or party. For this, after you pour the melted cheese mixture into the crock pot, store in the fridge.  The next day turn the crock pot on low to warm the cheese mixture, stirring often. Add ½ c of half & half and 1 c. of chicken broth to thin out cheese mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Boil noodles just to el dente and add to cheese mixture 30 minutes before serving.

Donna’s Cheesy Caprese Dip

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

¾ c. pesto (Donna uses her homemade pesto, but  store bought will work too)

½ c. mayo

½ c. shredded parmesan cheese

1 tomato

1 t. fresh basil chopped

Directions:

Soften the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-60 seconds. Add mozzarella cheese, pesto, mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.

Spread the mixture in a 9-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe dish. Slice the tomato, remove the seeds and cut the tomato into small pieces. Sprinkle the diced tomatoes evenly over the dip in the pan. Bake the dip at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with fresh, chopped basil and 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese.

Instructions:

Season chicken breasts with paprika, salt, and pepper. Wrap with bacon. In a small bowl combine the dijon mustard and maple syrup. Stir until well combined. Brush half of the mixture over the top of the wrapped chicken. Reserve the other half for garnish. Bake at 400 degress for 22 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Bobbi’s Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. garden rotini

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped cucumbers

Chopped red onion

Italian dressing

Garlic Salt

Instructions:

Cook pasta to el dente, cool. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Stir in Italian dressing and garlic salt to taste. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Matt’s Buffalo
Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

4 c. shredded cooked chicken

2 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 c. Frank’s Red Hot sauce

1 c. ranch dressing

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions:

Place cream cheese in slow cooker. Top with chicken, Frank’s RedHot, ranch dressing and 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese. Cover. Cook on high 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until heated through. Stir until well-mixed; top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese .

Directions:

Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and placing the whites on a serving platter. Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add sugar, parsley, pepper, hot sauce, relish, mustard, and mayonnaise. Mix well. Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Garnish with a sprinkle with paprika and dried parsley.

Linda’s Thai Chicken Curry Soup

 Put in enough butter and oil to cover the bottom of a very large stock pot 

2 leeks cut into small pieces

4 celery ribs cut into small pieces

1 cup chopped up carrots

5 garlic cloves minced

Sauté the above ingredients in the butter and oil until tender (about 10 minutes)

Put 8 cups water into the pot and put on high heat

Stir in all the ingredients below except for the chicken

3 tablespoons roasted chicken flavored Better Than Bouillon brand (or to taste)

3 tablespoons seasoned vegetable base Better Than Bouillon brand (or to taste)

3 lbs yellow dutch small potatoes, cut into 1/4's or 1/2's (depending on size)

3 cans coconut milk (not sweetened)

2 tablespoons yellow curry (or to taste)

Stir the above ingredients together and do a taste test prior to putting in the chicken breast 

2 1/2 lbs cut up chicken breast

Put in the chicken, then bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook until chicken is cooked and the potatoes are tender

Optional garnishes: hot chili oil, cilantro, green onions, peanuts

Maria’s Brownie Trifle

Ingredients:

Prepared brownies (9” x 13” pan)

3 c. cold milk

 1 pkg. chocolate Instant Pudding Mix (5.9oz)

16 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

4-5 Milky Way Candy Bars

Chocolate Shavings to garnish

Caramel Sauce to garnish

Instructions:

Prepare pudding mix as directed on box and put in fridge to set. Cut brownies into 1 inch cubes. Chop candy bars.

Place half of the brownie cubes into the bottom of a trifle bowl or large glass serving bowl. Top with 1/3 of the chopped candy bar, ½ of the pudding, and ½ of the cool whip. Repeat to form a second layer. Top with remaining 1/3 of chopped candy bar, chocolate shavings, and caramel drizzle.

Linda’s Cherry Jubilee

Ingredients:

1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs

¼ c. sugar

1/3 c. melted butter

1 c. powdered sugar

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz creamy Cool Whip

1 t. vanilla

28 oz can cherry pie filling

Instructions:

For crust: In a small bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter. Toss until combined. Spread evenly into a 9 inch pie plate. Press onto bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cool whip. Mix with electric mixer until smooth.  Add vanilla. Spread into pie plate. Top with cherry pie filling. Chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Dixie’s Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. vegetable oil

1 - 15oz canned pumpkin

Icing:

1 - 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter

2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl, add remaining ingredients with mixer until blended well.
Lightly coat pans with oil (2-9" pans or one 9x13) and sprinkle pan with flour. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes depending on the oven, and remove when a toothpick comes out clean.

Icing Directions:

Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free. With the mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Stir in the chopped pecans. Use to frost completely cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, keep chilled until serving.