Olive Garden Salad & Bread Sticks

Forgive my absence. I had to go to the doctor and ER last week. Another bout of kidney stones. I can't even begin to describe the pain and the pain meds make me loopier than usual. =)

Saturday my daughter, Samantha, took me out to lunch with her boyfriend and his mother. We went to Olive Garden. My main entree' was alright, but I still love the salad and bread sticks the best. I looked around online and found these recipes to share with ya'll today.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 Tbls. corn syrup
2 Tbls. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbls. Romano cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 Tbl. lemon juice

Olive Garden Salad Mix
1 bag American blend Dole Salad
4-5 slices red onion
4-6 Black olives
2-4 Banana peppers
1/2 cup croutons
1 small tomato, quartered
Freshy grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender or processor until well blended. If this is a little too tart for your personal taste, add a little sugar.

Olive Garden Breadsticks
Ingredients
1 Loaf unfrozen bread -- thaw in bowl at room temp
Pam
Garlic powder
Dry oregano leaf -- rub to a powder between fingers

Directions
When dough is soft enough to knead, spray your fingers with Pam or oil and knead just until you can shape into cigar-sized pieces (about 8 to 10). Place these 3" apart on Pam-sprayed cookie sheets. Let rise in warm place until doubled - about 1-1/2 hours. Then holding Pam (I use butter flavored Pam for this) about 8" from sticks, lightly spray top of each and then dust with garlic powder and oregano. Bake at 375 for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack to serve within a day or two.

Mothers Day was a really good day. Ray made me breakfast in bed...really! LOL It was a great start to the day. I had bought wooden picture frames about two weeks ago and had Rylie paint them for her grandma's, so we had those to give them. So that morning Rylie and I went to the nursery and bought a planter for both grandmothers.

Ray, Rylie and I spent the day working outside and whatnot. Then we took our mom's to Red Lobster for dinner. We only go there about once every 3 or 4 years so, of course, we made pigs of ourselves. It was delicious. I think, if I let him, Ray could eat two of the Ultimate Feasts all by himself. LOL

By the way, did anyone watch the Celebrity Apprentice? OMGosh...I could not have been more annoyed. When we first started watching the series I kept ignoring Ray and the smart alec comments he would make about Joan Rivers and her daughter, Melissa. However, several weeks ago that ol' hag Joan started showing her true colors and let me tell you, she is a very ugly person inside. I believe if you lifted up their shirts you'd see the umbilical cord which still has Melissa attached to her mommy.

Joan attacked another woman, Annie Duke (a famous poker player) week after week. All because she thought Annie had "betrayed" her daughter. Give it up Joanie...it's a flippin' game! I'm sorry, I never saw the scene where anyone swore allegiance to her precious lil' Melissa. What the heck? But apparently when you "betray" that old woman's daughter you better be prepared to be viciously attacked by an old vile mouthed plastic faced viper that wears a ton of make-up.

I guess I expected a little more class from an old woman like Joanie. For someone who thinks she is so much better than everyone else she behaved like pure trash! I'll just say this, I am a mother of four, I shop at Aldi's and live in a double wide and I believe I have more class in my little finger than ol' Joanie has in her entire body. Joan Rivers may have won the Celebrity Apprentice, but I'd give the award for grace and class under attack to Annie the poker player. Annie also appears to be a much better business person too.

Old Joanie was also infamous to attacking Clint Black, accusing him of being egotistical. OMG, is that calling the kettle black or what?! I don't think I've ever seen anyone as egotistical, nasty, vile, and sure of their superiority than old lady Rivers. Just my opinion.

Anyway, I'm hoping for a nice day here. I'd really like to get outside and work in the garden.

Have a good one!
Hugs,
Jill Marie