Grilling Party Menus

Real Simple June 2011

Turf Menu: Bourbon and Orange Smash, Chorizo and Pepper Skewers, Grilled Steak with Caper Sauce, Grilled Asparagus with Manchego, Tomato Salad with Pickled Onion

Veggie Menu: Pomegranate Lime Fizz, Grilled Feta with Thyme, Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables, Spiced Chili Oil, Chickpea and Raisin Salad

Surf Menu: Rosemary Rose Spritzer, Grilled Coriander Shrimp with Aioli, Plank Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Fennel, Wild Rice and Pine Nut Salad, Greens with Radishes and Snap Peas

Citrusy Mashed Squash with Toasted Pecans

BHAG October 2012

Kickoff Cheese Ball

Parents Feb 2012

Cheese Plate Pairings

Byerly's & Lunds Magazine September 2012

Patchwork Fruit Tart: Fruit Pizza

Nonstick cooking spray

1 8 ouncerefrigerated crescent dough

1/2cuphoney

1/3 cupwater

1/4 cuploosely packed mint or basil leaves

2/3 cupmascarpone or cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoonshoney

3/4cupwhipping cream

6 cupsberries (red and/or golden raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and halved or sliced small strawberries), not mixed together.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with heavy foil, extending foil beyond pan edges. Lightly coat foil with nonstick cooking spray. Press dough evenly into bottom of pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Meanwhile, for syrup, in a small saucepan combine the 1/2 cup honey, the water, and mint or basil. Bring to boiling. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand to cool. Strain syrup, discarding herbs. Set aside.

3. For cheese layer, in a medium bowl stir together mascarpone and 2 Tbsp. honey. (If using cream cheese, beat until smooth, then beat in honey.) In a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; gradually stir into cheese. Spread cheese layer on crust. Use a knife tip to mark two lengthwise lines and three crosswise lines for form 12 squares.

4. In separate bowls toss berries with about 1 Tbsp. syrup for each cup of berries. Spoon about 1/2 cup berries in each square. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Drizzle with remaining syrup, if desired.

5. Lifting foil edges, transfer tart from pan to serving platter. Serve immediately or chill up to 4 hours. Tart is best when served the same day it is prepared

Got from Better Homes and Gardens

Simple Party Idea Food

Shrimp Skewers, edamame, and a chicken salad w/white wine and a bowl of oranges for a center piece.

BHAG July 2012

Awesome Cranberries for Thanksgiving

Recipe from Rodger Hagen/Gina Hagen

2 bags fresh cranberries
1 peeled and cored apple
1 peeled orange
1 1/2 - 2 cups sugar

Chop and blend all fruit in an electric chopper and add in sugar to taste. Let sit overnight and drain off excess liquid. Needs to sit for 24 hours before serving.

Had it for Thanksgiving and it was delicious!!!

Lemony Maple Sweet Potatoes

People December 20, 2010

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" X 2" chunks
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tb maple syrup
2 Tb lemon juice

Preheat to 375.

Toss sweet potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper in large glass baking dish.

Cook until almost tender, 25 - 30 minutes.

Whisk syrup and lemon juice ina small bowl.

Remove potatoes from oven and drizzle 1/2 maple-lemon mixture over potatos

Stir gently, return ot oven and bake additional 10 - 15 minutes - or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

Remove from oven, drizzel with remaining maple-lemon mixture and serve.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

nonstick cooking spray
1 14 oz box gingerbread or spice cake mix
1 8 oz bar cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced candied ginger

Heat oven to 350 and coat 36 mini muffin tins withcooking spray.

Prepare cake mix according to package. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins and bake until toothpick comes out clean, 10 - 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the frosting and top with the ginger.

Real Simple December 2010

Roasted New Potatoes

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/roasted-new-red-potatoes/Detail.aspx

This recipe is AWESOME! I put tin foil down on the pan and did it at 425 because I was cooking chicken at the same time. Moved the rack to the lowest I could in the oven. Didn't measure the olive oil salt and pepper, but it still worked great! Cut side was down.

3 pounds small red new potatoes, halved
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss potatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange, cut side down, on a large lipped cookie sheet or jellyroll pan.
Roast until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes (check after 20 minutes). Transfer to a serving dish.

Jello Recipes

Got These from All Recipes and wanted to keep them for reference

Lime Jello Salad

7 fluid ounces lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (3 ounce) package lime flavored gelatin mix
8 ounces cream cheese
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions
1. In a saucepan, combine the carbonated beverage and marshmallows. Stir over medium heat until marshmallows melt. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Add the gelatin and cream cheese and mix until gelatin is dissolved.
3. Add the pineapple and juice, pecans, mayonnaise and whipped topping. Mix well and pour into a 7x11 inch dish and chill until set.

**Tips were to make sure to measure the 7 up to get exactly 7 oz and to make sure to use 3 oz package of jello


Orange Jello

2 (6 ounce) packages orange flavored gelatin
4 cups boiling water
1 quart orange sherbet
2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges
3 bananas, sliced
Directions
1. Combine the gelatin and boiling water; stir until dissolved. Add sherbet and fruit; mix well.
2. Pour into a 9x13 dish and chill until set. Serve cold.
**Tip was to Use pinapple instead of bananas

Cranberry Jello

2 (0.3 ounce) packages sugar-free cherry flavored gelatin mix
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1. Combine the gelatin and boiling water; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Mix in cranberry sauce and pineapple.
2. Transfer to glass serving dishes. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill until set and serve.
**Tip was to use use cranberry gelatin and whole berry cranberry sauce. Omit pecans

Ribs for Christmas Eve

Think this looks like a good Christmas Eve Recipe: http://www.smithfield.com/guest_blog/entry/slow-cooker-dry-rub-ribs

3 pounds baby back or pork spareribs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried minced onion flakes
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 ears of corn (optional)
aluminum foil (for the corn)
Instructions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the ribs into the bottom of your cooker---you many need to use poultry scissors to cut the rack to get everything nestled properly. In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, onion flakes, and other seasonings. Rub this mixture all over the ribs inside the pot. Do not add water. Cover and cook on low for 6- 7 hours, or on high for 3-4.
If you’d like to cook your corn in the same pot, wrap each shucked cob individually in a length of foil. Put the foil-wrapped cobs directly on top of the ribs and cook together for the last 1-2 hours, or until the corn is bite-tender (I cooked my cobs the last 90 minutes with the ribs on high, then let everything sit on warm for another 2 hours).
The Verdict
I was impressed at how many ribs the kids ate. My girls are now 6 and 9, and they each packed away quite a bit of meat. The cayenne is noticeable, but wasn’t a deterrent to my little carnivores. The heat sneaks up--you don’t feel it at the front of your tongue, but in the very back. If you’ve got little ones with sensitive palates, you might want to omit the cayenne altogether. Adam was thrilled to have a “cave man” dinner of ribs and corn. My only complaint was with my family continuously licking their fingers—I put out napkins—but they sat unused. I’m glad Grandma wasn’t over!

Roast Chicken (Whole)

Got from People December 2010

1 4 lb Chicken whole
8 oz butter (1 stick) at room temp
1 head garlic, peeled and minced
1 tb sesame oil
2 tb chopped fresh chives
1 tb fresh thyme
zest of 3 lemons
zest of 1 orange
1 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Rinse chicken and allow to air dry for 30 minutes
heat oven to 300
Place butter in a mixing bowl. Beat in garlic, oil, chives, thyme, zests, correander, salt and pepper
coat entire chicken with the butter mixture (including the cavity and under the skin)
Place the bird in a casserole or roasting pan and roast covered for 1 hour. Uncover pan and roast for 1 hour more or until the bird reaches an internal temperature of 165
Turn the oven up to 400 and continue roasting until chicken skin is golden brown, about 10 minutes
Remove chicken from oven and let rest on a wooden board for 10 minutes before carving

G & PG Movies to see

Alice in Wonderland
Bolt (PG)
Monsters Inc
A Bugs Life
Ponyo
The great mouse detective
Mary Poppins
Mulan
The incredibles
The Aristocats
Tarzan
Oliver and Company
Pocahontas
The Rescuers
Meet the Robinsons
Narnia
The Fox and the Hound
The Sword in the Stone
Brother Bear
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Disneynature: Earth
Pete's Dragon
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hercules
The Wild
Enchanted
Chicken Little
Dinosaur
Underdog
The Emperors New Groove
My Neighbor Totoro
Space Buddies
Micky Mouse Clubhouse Movies: Choo Choo Express, Great Clubhouse Hunt, etc.
The Muppet Movie

Apple Bacon Burger

Mix 1/2 lb italian sausage with 1/2 lb ground beef and 1 cored and finely chopped green apple. Shape into burgers and grill until no pink remains.

Make a tangy sweet spread by stirring together 2 Tb of mayonnaise, 1 Tb dijon style mustard and honey to taste.

Put spread on bun, top with burger, core and slice 1 additional green apple. Pile on top of the burger with crisp cooked bacon.

Better Homes and Gardens July 2010

Chicken Burger

1 Tb light olive oil
1/3 cup diced onion
1 small clove garlic chipped
8 oz ground chicken
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/3 cup grated apple
bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a small pan and saute the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool. Then in a large bowl mix together chicken, sage, apple, bread crumbs, and sauteed onion mixture. Season to taste and form into four burgers.

Grill burgers OR you can bake them in an oven by searing the burgers in a frying pan for 2 minutes on each side and then baking them in the oven at 400 for 10 minutes.

Got from Scholastic Parent & Child June/July 2010

Entertaining Muffins

Would like to try this recipe:

1 15 oz box raisin bran cereal
3 cups sugar
5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 quart buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400

Mix try ingredients in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Fill mini-muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes

Got recipe from Scholastic Parent & Child June/July 2010

Seems like it makes A LOT of muffins though....and quite a bit of sugar and oil....

Chicken Skewers

1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
5 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tb olive oil
2 Tb light brown sugar
2 tsp hot sauce
3 lbs boneless chicken breast or thigh meat, cut length wise into 1 inch wide strips
36 - 40 wooden skewers (6 inches in length)

Combine everything except chicken and skewers in large glass or stainless steel bowl. Wisk to combine. Add chicken and toss to cote. Cover and marinate in fridge for at least 45 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Heat oven to 425. Remove chicken from marinade (reserving marinade) and thread 1 piece onto each skewer. Arrange skewers on a foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. Heat reserved marinade and boil for 3 minutes. Let cool.

Back in middle of oven for 10 minutes. Flip dkewers and baste with remaining marinade (you don't have to use it all). Bake for about 5 more minutes until golden brown on both sides.

Got from People, June 21, 2010