Easy Summer Dining

I'm getting tired of summer and the awful heat. I've never been a summer person, now winter is my season. Jerry and I are looking forward to our winter get-a-way in Breckenridge, CO for some fun in the snow and skiing, but we will have to wait a few more months for that. Today, there are some nice thunderous noises coming from the west so hopefully a delightfully wicked rain storm is on its way. I need to sit on the front porch with Jerry and the dogs and enjoy some lightening, thunder and rain. Here are a few quick and easy recipes to get you through this week. I've been busy cooking and organizing recipes this week and I've got some good ones coming your way. This has also been one of those weeks friends are in need and I've been praying, praying and more praying.


Quick Chicken Skewers


6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into lengthwise 1/2 inch strips
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbl. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced
sesame seeds, lightly toasted


Soak 6-inch skewers in water for 1/2 hour. Into a ziplock bag, add hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, Sriracha sauce, salt and pepper. Add chicken, mix around in bag to coat, then refrigerate for 2 hours.


Heat up grill, add chicken to skewers and grill until done. Place on platter and sprinkle with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with grilled vegetables and couscous.


Grilled Asparagus with Pesto Mayonnaise


1 1/2 lbs. asparagus
1 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbl. pesto
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest


Heat grill, toss asparagus in some olive oil, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on grill and grill for about 5 minutes. In a bowl, add mayonnaise, pesto, lemon juice and zest, mix well. Place grilled asparagus on platter and serve mayonnaise in a bowl on the side. Serve with a nice piece of grilled fish, chicken or steak and some rice pilaf. Or you can serve as an appetizer.

Chicken Salad Roll Ups


3 cups cooked chopped chicken breasts
4 scallions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise - I don't like too much
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Green leaf lettuce
6 flour tortillas


In a bowl, mix chicken, scallions, cranberries, pecans, mayo, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper. Lay tortillas on work surface, add lettuce leaf and spread on chicken mixture almost to edges. Roll up each tortilla and slice in half. Serve with mixed fruit salad.


Bruschetta Salad - one of my daughters favorites
 10 plum tomatoes, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup mixed olives, sliced
1 Tbl. capers, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly grated black pepper
4 Tbl. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
mixed micro greens
Fresh Parmesan cheese


In a bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, mozzarella, olives & capers. In a covered jar, add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, Dijon and Parmesan cheese, shaking vigorously. Pour over ingredients in bowl and mix gently. Cover and place in frig. Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings, place greens on platter and pour over marinated vegetables. Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese, which you have shaved with a vegetable peeler. Serve with garlic rubbed toasted baguette slices and a nice glass of wine.

Strawberry and Avocado Salad - very refreshing and light

3 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and spun dry in salad spinner
1 cup red seedless grapes, if they are big slice in half
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned & sliced in half
2 cups whole strawberries, sliced in half
2 lovely Haas avocados, seeded, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup pecans, chopped and lightly toasted
1 cup strawberry yogurt (good quality)
2 Tbl. honey

Place everything except yogurt, honey onto a large platter, gently mix. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and honey together and pour over salad. Serve with some warmed croissants.

Black Bean and Rice Salad

1 (15 oz) can black beans
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 ruby red tomato, seeded and diced
3 scallions, sliced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 cup corn, cut from the cob
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1 large avocado, peeled, seeded and diced (mix with a little lime juice to prevent discoloring)
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. Dijon
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain beans and rinse well. In a large bowl, combine beans, rice, peppers, tomatoes, scallions, olives, cheese, corn, avocado and cilantro. In another bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk together, taste and adjust seasonings. Pour over salad and mix to combine. Serve with warmed flour tortillas and orange butter. If desired, you can add diced grilled chicken or sliced grilled beef for entree salad.

Grilled Turkey Burgers with Cranberry Ketchup

1 lb. ground turkey
2 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground sage
sharp cheddar cheese slices
burger buns
Mayonnaise
Cranberry ketchup
sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, lettuce
Ketchup
1/2 cup whole cranberry sauce
1 tsp. orange zest
2 Tbl. tomato paste
1 Tbl. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. onion powder
salt and black pepper

In a small saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium low until cranberry sauce melts, stirring occasionally. Cool in frig. When ready to serve, grill burgers, add cheese to melt. Butter buns and grill lightly. Spread mayo and ketchup on buns, add lettuce, tomatoes, red onion slices and burgers. Serve with cold pasta salad and baked beans.

I was going through a magazine at an appointment the other day and came across this recipe that sounded very good. I'm one of those awful people who rip out the pages. It's a grand prize winner from Barbara Estabrook of Rhinelander, WI. She won in a Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe contest.

Cheese, Wild Mushroom Bacon Pie - Barbara Estabrook

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp. canola oil
4 Oscar Mayer bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used a thick cut smoked bacon)
1 lb. assorted fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3 eggs
1 package (8 oz) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry (I made homemade pie crust)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbl. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 tsp. paprika

Place garlic on a double layer of heavy duty foil, drizzle with oil, wrap and bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes until softened. Remove and cool.  In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels reserving 2 tsp. drippings in skillet. Saute mushrooms and onion in drippings until tender.  In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add softened cream cheese and beat well. Mix in salt, pepper, mushroom mixture and softened garlic.

Unroll pastry in a 9-inch pie plate, trim and flute edge. Fill with cheddar cheese and bacon. Pour egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. I would suggest serving with a nice tossed salad and crisp glass of white wine.

Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa

1 1/2 cups or about 4 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 Tbl. red onion, finely chopped
4 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. brown sugar
3 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Chops
1 Tbl. chili powder
olive oil
4 (1-in thick) bone-in pork chops

In a bowl, combine salsa ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate covered. Heat grill. Rub olive oil on chops then rub in chili powder on each chop. Place on grill and cook covered about 10 minutes per side with no pink showing or to your liking. Place chops on platter and garnish with salsa or serve in bowl on side. Serve with grilled vegetables and grilled sliced of potatoes, tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper. When cooked potatoes are cooked (grilled), dust with fresh Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and chopped parsley.

Mom's Eleven Layer Salad - I'm sure most moms made this classic summer salad at one time or another. Most recipes called for seven layers, but we like to be different!

6 cups iceberg lettuce or Romaine lettuce, chopped
10 radishes, thinly sliced
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced - one of my favorite kitchen tools is the egg slicer it makes perfect slices every time
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced including green part
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 package smoked thick sliced bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 1/2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (save 1/4 cup for topping)
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbl. chopped parsley

In a saute pan, add chopped bacon and cook until crisp, remove to paper towels to drain. In an attractive glass deep salad bowl, add lettuce, layer on radishes, eggs, tomatoes, scallions, celery, bacon, peas, cheese, olives.  In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper and whisk well. Spread mayonnaise dressing over top of salad completely covering to seal edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Remove from frig, sprinkle extra cheese over mayo and sprinkle on chopped parsley. Serve with hot crusty garlic bread and a glass of white wine. Nice easy dinner.


Brownie Ice Cream Pie - Yummy and easy

1 box of your favorite brownie mix - I know, but it's easy if your a purist make your own brownies (sometimes even I like a shortcut!)
4 cups French Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
4 cups Coffee or Rich Chocolate Ice Cream, softened
1 cup hot fudge sauce
1 cup fresh raspberries
Freshly whipped cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 (9-inch) springform pans with foil; grease bottoms with cooking spray.  Make brownie mix per box instructions, divide equally between pans. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely in pans, do not remove from pans. Spread coffee or chocolate ice cream evenly into each pan over brownies. Freeze covered. Remove and add second layer of ice cream equally into each pan. Freeze covered about 2 hours until ice cream is firm. Spread with hot fudge sauce, add freshly whipped cream that you have whipped with some powdered sugar. Remove from springform pans, add fresh raspberries. Drizzle with more hot fudge. Store covered in freezer.



Bon Appetit

"Yet those who wait upon the Lord

Will gain new strength

They will sprout wings like eagles

They will run and not get tired

They will walk and not become weary"

Isaiah 40:31