What's for dinner mom?

I am fortunate to have two weeks off over the holidays this year.  I really enjoyed our trip to Florida followed by a week of "nesting".  I made home-made yogurt.  It turned out so good that I've ordered a yogurt maker from William Sonoma so I can make it all the time using organic skim milk.  Here is what I did this week:  Heat one quart of milk (I used 2%), TO 180 degrees, let cool to between 110 - 120 degrees, at that time stir in store bought yogurt - 2 teaspoons, I used Greek   While working on this turn on the oven to 350 for maybe 3 minutes, just long enough to warm it.  Then pour into a glass bowl, wrap with 2 kitchen towels.  Put the bowl in the over, turn on the oven light and let it sit 8 - 12 hours.  I could not wait longer than 9 hours.  It turned out like rich Greek yogurt.  Annie's Eats blog has more information on this.  Keep posted for how the yogurt maker works, I will be sure and blog an update.

 I roasted a small turkey for New Years day.  I made turkey stock with the carcass.   I put the carcass in a crock pot, added celery, onion, carrot, garlic and some parsley then topped it with hot water.  Turned it on the medium for about 10 hours.  Then poured into some old jars, capped and froze.

 We were invited to an after the holiday dinner party at a director's house that I work for on Friday night.  I threw together a salad.  Everyone seemed to really like it so here is how I put it together.
1 bag baby spinach
1 baby baby greens
1 carton strawberries, thin sliced
1/2 small red onion, thin sliced
spiced pecans I doubled mixure the below and added to a whole bag of the pecans you buy in the baking section:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t allspice
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/3cup pecan halves
preheat oven to 350
combine all of the above dry ingredients.  Rinse and soak pecans in water while oven preheats.  Drain but do not dry.  Toss in the dry ingredients, arrange on baking sheet, I used parchment paper, if you don't have that give a good spray of Pam.  Bake for 10 minutes, stirring a couple times.

Dressing:
I "doctored" up store bought, which is a trick I do all the time.
1/2 bottle of raspberry vinaigrette, Target brand
Add juice from one lime
two really good long squirts of honey
2 T sugar
1/8 cup of oil - I used canola
sprinkle with poppy-seed
shake all up in a jar.

dress lightly, this gives you more dressing that you need.