Party Slush

3 packages any flavor koolaid
3 cups sugar
3 quarts of water
1 cup of pinapple juice
Sprite or 7-up

Combine all the ingredients in a freezer safe container. Ice cream buckets work well. You can split it into two things if you don’t have a large enough container. Mix it really well until all of the sugar is dissolved. Freeze until solid. Usually takes at leat 24 hours so you need to make it in advance. Take it out 2-3 hours before you need it and start chopping at it to break it up. Once it is slushy, add Sprite or 7-up and serve. I like a 3:1 ratio of slush to sprite because I like my slush thick. You are supposed to do 2:1.
You can use all one flavor of Koolaid or mix them to make a specific color or flavor. Lime by itself is really good. We also like strawberry, orange and lemonade mixed together (that is what I had at my wedding). Tropical punch, orange and lemonade are really great together too. This is super fun for b-day parties, baby showers or just a refreshing summertime drink.

Spinach Salad

I do a variation of this salad at least three times a week. The best part is you can add or subtract about anything and it is still going to taste fabulous. I buy the huge bag of spinach at Costco and it lasts a week or two. It is also way easy to take to dinners or pot lucks.

Spinach
1 small Johnny Gold apple, chopped
1/2 and english cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup grated motzarella cheese
1/3 cup craisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup thin sliced red onion

VARIATIONS:
Add cubed cooked chicken or canned chicken to make it a meal
Add a couple chopped hard boiled eggs
Use sliced grapes instead of craisins
Crush pistachios instead of sliced almonds
Add halved grape tomatoes
Add skinned grapefruit or orange chunks
Add chopped avacado
Add diced pear instead of apple
Basically look in your fridge, see what you have, and throw it all together.

Fill a LARGE salad bowl 3/4 of the way with spinach. Add toppings. Dress salad with poppy seed dressing (just enough to coat) and toss. See recipe in post below for poppy seed dressing.