As we head into the summer months, the weekends are filled with BBQ's, get togethers, reunions and birthdays. So, if you are stumped on what to bring, heres a few tips.
-Try to make dishes that are easy to transport if you are the guest.
-Avoid any dishes containing Mayo if your gathering is outside!
-When making spicy dishes, use minimal heat. You can always add more but you can't take the heat out.
-If you are cutting vegetables, fruits, bread chunks, or using pasta, keep it simple and bite size. No one wants to wrestle their food.
-Variety in colors and textures makes a dish great.
————————————————————
Salads:
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
4 Medium Sized Cucumbers
3TB Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1C White Vinegar
4TB Salt
1 Small White Onion Cut into thin rings
If desired you can peel cucumbers or leave the skins on. Next, cut cucumber lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Slice cucumber halves into thin, long, narrow strips and place into a bowl. Add salt, onions and vinegar and let marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Stirring every 10 minutes or so to mix salad. After marinating, pour out 3/4 of liquid and stir in red pepper flakes. ENJOY!
Carolina Carrot Salad
Ingredients:
1# of Carrots thinly sliced on the diagonal
1\4C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2TB Sherry Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
2 Garlic Cloves minced
1 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB Minced Shallot
1 TB Chopped Parsley
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Sugar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Salt the water, then add the carrots and cook until they are barely tender about 3 minutes; drain them.
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, shallot, parsley, mustard, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve the carrot salad chilled or at room temperature.
Cilantro Potato Salad
Ingredients:
2# Red Bliss Potatoes
Kosher Salt
1/2C Olive Oil
1/2tsp Lemon Zest
Juice from 2 Lemons
Black Pepper
1/2C Lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions sliced
Slice potatoes and boil in water with 1TB salt. While potatoes are cooking, whisk together remaining ingredients in a large bowl and when your spuds are done, drain and toss in dressing.
Four Bean Salad
Ingredients:
1 Can Kidney Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
1 Can Green Beans (Drained)
1 Can Wax Beans (Drained)
1 Can Garbanzo Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
1TB Celery Seed
1 Sm Onion Cut into thin Rings
Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Drain and Rinse all beans, then place into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate up to one hour.
Grilled Potato Salad
Ingredients:
2# Small Red or White New Potatoes(Or a blend of both)
1/2C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3tsp Dijon Mustard
3TB White Wine Vinegar
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1tsp Granulated Garlic Powder
3 Scallions (Sliced)
Prepare your grill to a medium-high heat. If your potatoes are larger that 2 inches in diameter, cut them in half. Place them in a medium bowl and toss them with 2 TB olive oil. Place them on grill to cook, turning and moving them occasionally until potatoes are lightly browned and just tender until pierced with a fork. (About 15-20 minutes)
In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in remaining oil until blended. Pour dressing over potatoes, add scallions and toss to coat.
Harvest Salad
Ingredients:
4C Mesculin Mixed Greens
1C Sliced Seedless Grapes
1/2C Chopped Walnuts
1/2C Feta Cheese
Toss above ingredients together in bowl.
Apple Cider vinaigrette
1/2C Apple Cider
1/4C Olive Oil
1/4C Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Whisk above ingredients together and drizzle over your salad.
Tomato Basil Salad
Ingredients:
2TB Dijon Mustard
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2C Olive Oil
5 Lg ripe tomatoes, mixed colors(cut into wedges)
1 SM red onion(diced)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard and lemon juice. Drizzle in oil and contiunously whisk until emulsified. Add the tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper. Right before serving, fold in the basil leaves. ENJOY!
———————————————————
Drinks:
Saturday Sangria
Ingredients:
1 Lemon Cut into slices
1 Lime Cut into slices
1 Peach Quartered
1 Pear Quartered
1 Sm Can of Pineapple Slices
1 Granny Smith Apple Cored and Quartered
8oz Brandy or Rum
1 Bottle of Yago Sangria (Can be found in most Liquor stores)
Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher and using a wooden spoon, crush fruit lightly to release flavors and citrus oils. refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Serve chilled in festive glasses and top with a splash of soda water or 7UP!
Red Table wine can be substituted for the Yago Sangria Blend. If using Red Table wine, add 4TB Sugar and 1/4C Orange Juice
Waverunners
Ingredients:
2 Scoops Orange Sherbet
1 Banana
1C Orange Juice
Handful of ice, about 5-6 Cubes
1/4C Pineapple Chunks
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. If a more slushy texture is desired, add more ice and blend. Pour into glasses and garnish with fruit!
If you'd prefer a drink with more of a kick, add 1/4C Vodka or Rum to blender and blend till smooth.
——————————————————————
For the grill:
Black Jack BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tsp black pepper
2 TB vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup malt vinegar
2 TB brown sugar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TB Worcestershire Sauce
2 TB Honey
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add vegetable oil and saute onion and garlic.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 mins uncovered.
Five Alarm Strip Steaks
Ingredients:
1/2 C Prepared Horseradish
1/4 C Spicy Mustard or Creole mustard
10 Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4TB Cracked Black Pepper
2-4 New York strip Steaks or Porterhouse Steaks
to taste Salt (kosher salt is great)
In a small bowl, mix the horseradish, mustard, chopped garlic,
olive oil and black pepper.
Spread generously over the beef and place the beef in a covered
dish in the refrigerator and marinate for 4 hours.
After marinating, remove the steaks and season with a little salt
and more cracked black pepper. Grill your steaks to desired doneness and serve with a side of Horseradish!
Polynesian Chicken
Marinade:
¼ C Vegetable Oil
1/3 C Brown Sugar
¼ C Pineapple Juice
¼ C Soy Sauce
½ tsp. Ground Ginger
Whisk together and pour over chicken in a plastic bag, return to refrigerator and let marinade for 2-3 hours. The longer the marinade time, the more intense the flavors will be.
Grill for 20-25 minutes until thoroughly done and serve with Salad and veggies.
Enjoy!!
Grilled Antipasto
Ingredients:
1/4# Sliced Hard Salami
1/4# Sliced Sandwich Pepperoni
Assorted Olives
1 Red Onion
8oz Fresh Mozzarella
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Small Eggplant
3 Plum Tomatoes
4C Spring Mix Lettuce
1C Balsamic vinaigrette Salad Dressing
8 Button Mushrooms Left Whole
In a Medium bowl, combine your red onion that has been cut into chunks, mushrooms, peeled eggplant cut into 1 inch disks and your red bell pepper cut into 6-8 pieces of sectioned strips. Drizzle with 2 TB olive oil and toss to coat. Get those veggies on the grill! In the meantime you can begin your salad!
In a large bowl or plate start to assemble the rest of your antipasto. (Lettuce, tomatoes, salami, pepperoni, olives, mozzarella.) Take your 1C of Balsamic Dressing and place into a Medium Bowl. (Save some time by using the same bowl our veggies were in before they hit the grill!) Add your grilled vegetables to the dressing and let them soak for 1-2 minutes. It acts as a quick marinade! Using a pair of tongs, take your veggies and place them on top of your Antipasto. Grab the bread and dig in! You can use the extra vegetable marinade remaining in the bowl to drizzle on your salad.
Note: You should never re-use remaining marinade if it had raw poultry, meat or seafood in it. Since ours was used for vegetables, it's ok to use it again.
——————————————————————
Salsa Anyone?
Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients:
2-15oz Cans of Black Beans(Rinsed and drained)
1-15oz Can of Whole Kernel Corn (Rinsed and drained)
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper (Chopped)
8 Scallions (Sliced Thin)
1/3C Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1/4C Lime Juice
2tsp Ground Cumin
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/4tsp Salt
Optional - 1 Fresh Jalapeno Minced (More or Less to taste)
In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Place into fridge for 1 hour. Stirring again after 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Watermelon Salsa
Ingredients:
1/4C Lime Juice
2TB Brown Sugar
3C Diced Watermelon (Seeded)
1C Honeydew Melon
1 Medium Cucumber (Peeled, seeded and diced)
1/2C Chopped Red Onion
1/4C Chopped Fresh Mint
2TB Minced Jalapenos
Whisk lime juice and sugar in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Add watermelon and all remaining ingredients; toss gently. .
A great dip:
Fruit Dip
Ingredients:
16oz Marshmallow Fluff
8oz Cream Cheese(Softened)
3TB Seedless Raspberry Preserves
Beat cream cheese with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Stop mixer and add in 16oz of Fluff and Fruit Preserves. Beat again at medium speed until incorporated and smooth. Serve with your favorite fruit for dipping.
Other dip ideas:
Try replacing Raspberry Preserves with other fruit flavors or try a chocolate fruit dip by adding 3TB of Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Dip.
Matt Twardy
Interactive Media Director
