A Labor Day Grilling Menu

Labor Day weekend signifies the end of summer for many people in the U.S., but I actually enjoy the cool days of fall more than the hot, humid days of August. We still have close to two months of good grilling weather left, even in the Northern climates. Today I'm sharing an end of the summer menu that is perfect for Labor Day or any weekend when you get the urge to use your grill.

This dip doesn't use the grill but it's a great appetizer to serve while dinner is cooking.

Spinach Queso Dip

Ingredients:
8 ounces pepper jack cheese
16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
10 ounce frozen chopped spinach
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream

Chop the cheese into small pieces. Defrost the spinach and drain. Saute the onions until softened and just starting to turn golden. Mix all of the ingredients, except for the sour cream. Microwave in 2 minute intervals, stirring each time until the mixture is smooth and melted. Stir in the sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

I also like this simple recipe because it uses all fresh ingredients and tastes better than anything you can buy in the store.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
5 small or 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 Jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Serve immediately or within a couple of hours. Better at room temperature and served fresh. Serve with tortilla chips or toasted pieces of French or Italian bread.

Notes: The trick to this recipe is using ingredients that are as fresh as possible. I use sweet onion, but any type will work. You can also use other peppers besides Jalapeno but beware of their heat level. You may only need one if it's especially hot. Be careful not to touch your eyes or face after seeding the peppers until you've washed your hands well.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Combine the peppers, garlic, oil, lime juice, salt in a blender or food processor and process until fairly smooth. Place the shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag, add the marinade and close the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for about an hour. Thread on to skewers OR use a grill pan that can be put on the grill. Grill over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, turning or stirring, until shrimp are pink and done.

Notes:I have also made a pan out of foil that has been doubled and folded on the sides. The best method I've found is the round grill pans with holes in them and a handle. The shrimp can be stirred while it's grilling.

Garlic Butter for Steaks

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp. chopped thyme
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix the ingredients until combined. Chill until ready to use.

To use: Grill your favorite steak until done. As soon as it's removed from the grill place on a platter, and top with a little bit of the butter. Serve
when melted.

Grilled New Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 lbs. new red potatoes
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Scrub the potatoes, but don't peel and poke each one twice or three times with a fork. Microwave the potatoes for 4-5 minutes or so in batches of 5 or 6 depending on size. You want them to be almost tender. If potatoes are large, cut in half AFTER microwaving. Place potatoes in disposable foil pan or use a large sheet of foil that will hold the potatoes. In small bowl, combine butter, garlic, pepper and salt; pour over potatoes. Cover the pan with foil, or fold over the large sheet of foil so potatoes are enclosed. Place potatoes on a gas grill over medium heat. Cook 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Notes: I adapted a recipe to create this one, and the timing on microwaving the potatoes is kind of tricky. Some cooks like to boil them until partially cooked, and that works fine too. What I do is cook them in the microwave as directed above using the "potato" setting. I set it at 1 potato, turn it on, then check the potatoes to see they are tender. Sometimes half of them will be ready, other won't be, so I remove the tender ones and cook a minute longer, NOT using the potato setting. Repeat until the potatoes are all tender. It's important NOT to overcook. They should be barely tender before grilling.

On OFL we have another Labor Day Menu:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/entertaining2.html

Sunday Summer Recipes

The time will come when winter will ask you what you were doing all summer. ~Henry Clay

I'm still in denial about the summer coming to an end. Although it's so dry and hot here that I feel like fall is a very long way off. That might be part of the problem. I was cleaning over the weekend and ran across some of my clipped recipes from at least ten years ago. I sorted through them, and found some good end of summer meal ideas. As I mentioned before, I'm really trying not to use the oven until things cool off, but I have the grill and stovetop, which is what I've been using.

Pork Chop Marinade

Ingredients:

1 cup Italian dressing

1/2 cup salsa or tomato sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic pepper (or garlic powder)

4 fairly thick pork chops *see note

Combine the ingredients (except the chops) into a small bowl to mix. Place the pork into a plastic or ceramic dish, and pour over the marinade. Turn to coat them on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more (over night is fine). Remove the chops from the marinade and grill until they are no longer pink, turning often. If you want to baste the chops while grilling, hold out some of marinade when you make it, and put it in a small container, NOT on the pork with the remainder of the marinade.

Note: You can use any type of chops-- boneless pork works really well, and you can use the same amount of marinade with more of those since they are thin.

Sausage, Cabbage and Potato Skillet

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage, cut up into smaller pieces

4 large potatoes, cut into chunks

1 pound Polish sausage, Brats or Italian sausage, cut into thick slices

1 cup chicken broth or water

1 tablespoon spicy mustard

Optional: ground black pepper

In a large skillet or pan, mix the broth and the mustard. Add the cabbage and potatoes, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the sausage, cover again, and cook until the sausage is done.

Note: I like using the sausage that is made at the store, so it's not cooked. This recipe can use leftover grilled sausage, or you can cook it on the stove in a little water while the cabbage and potatoes are cooking. If you use smoked sausage then you just slice and add to the pan without cooking ahead.

Sauteed Mushrooms

These are so easy to fix on the stove while burgers or steak are cooking. Serve them at the table to top the burgers, or they can be eaten with steak.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. minced fresh garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. spicy steak sauce

Melt the butter, add the mushrooms and other ingredients. Cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat as low as you can, and simmer the mushrooms for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Spicy Shrimp Marinade

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced fine

1/2 tsp. hot pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Combine the ingredients and add shrimp of any size that has been cleaned, peeled and deveined. Let the shrimp marinate for about 15-30 minutes. The shrimp can be cooked in a large skillet for a couple of minutes on each side until they are no longer pink, or they can be grilled. We use a grill pan, stirring them while they cook. They only take a few minutes to cook. Sprinkle them with fresh lemon juice and serve warm.

I always serve salad, fresh tomatoes, and baked potatoes or bread with the grilled meat. We also eat a lot of fruit instead of dessert, except when we splurge on ice cream as we did tonight. My husband and daughter picked up "Death by Chocolate" ice cream:)

~Brenda

A Sunday Dinner Menu

While we try to teach our children all about life,Our children teach us what life is all about. ~Angela Schwindt

I always loved Sunday dinners as a kid, so I try to make sure my kids are home with us so we can have our family together. During the summer it's nice to grill, and get everyone involved in the meal, then afterwards play a game of horseshoes, swim or take a walk. Today I have a nice menu for a relaxing Sunday summer meal. I've used lemon thyme in the recipes, but if you don't grow it, you can use dried thyme instead. I've also crushed dried thyme and dried lemon rind together for a nice alternative. I have included an easy fruit dip instead of a dessert.

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients:

1 can (14.75 ounces) salmon

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon minced chives or green onion

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tsp. minced fresh lemon thyme (1/2 tsp. dried thyme)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Hamburger Buns

Drain the salmon and pick out the bones. Combine all the ingredients, except for the buns. Chill the mixture for 1/2 hour or longer. It will form into patties much easier. After chilling, form this into 4-6 patties, depending on the size you make them. The recipe easily doubles. Place a piece of foil over the grill grate and spray it with cooking spray, or melt butter/margarine on the foil. Place the patties on the foil and cook until the patties are browned on each side, and cooked through. You can also pan fry these.

Lemon and Herb Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 medium red potatoes

2 tsp. lemon thyme, minced

1/2 tsp. dried, crunch rosemary

4 tsp. vegetable oil

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Scrub the potatoes and cut into cubes. Place in a pan, cover with water and boil until they are just tender. Drain. In a large skillet place the oil and heat on medium. When the oil is heated, add the potatoes and brown lightly. Sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the lemon juice over that, and toss/mix everything in to the potatoes with a spatula. Serves 4-6

Green Beans and Onions

1 lb. fresh or frozen green beans
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Wash, and snip the ends of the beans, then cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Cook the beans in boiling water for 10-12 minutes until just tender. Drain. Heat oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion until . Stir in green beans, salt and pepper. Heat through.

Note: You can use frozen green beans if you thaw them first.

Summer Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 small jar marshmallow cream

Place marshmallow cream and cream cheese into a bowl and combine with a mixer til smooth and creamy. Use as a dip for strawberries, apples or other firm fruit.

Note: You can add a little vanilla extract, milk or fruit juice to this to thin it and add a slightly different flavor.

On OFL we have another great summer grilling menu.

Easy Grilling: Tilapia with Herbs

Once the weather warms up, I grill as much as possible. I alternate between fish, chicken and boneless pork, depending what is on sale. Fish is especially easy and fun to experiment with as long as you take it easy and don't over do the herbs or spices. Frozen tilapia is often on sale, and this is one method I used that turned out tasty and moist.

First, I gathered a small bunch of lemon thyme from the garden. I stripped about a teaspoon of the leaves off the stems and placed it in a bowl. I added about a tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of garlic pepper and the same amount of kosher salt. I mixed this together well and brushed it on the thawed fish, which I had placed on a sheet of foil. I then placed the remainder of the lemon thyme on top of the fish, leaving on the stems.

I preheated the grill, then turned it down on low. I placed the foil with the fish on the grill and closed the lid. I turned it once, leaving on the loose thyme so it was on the bottom. I continued to check it often, and turned it once more. It was almost cooked to where it was flaking, so I dotted the fish with a small amount of butter (at the most a tablespoon). When it was melted, and the fish cooked, I removed it from the grill and placed it on plates. I served it with potatoes I had microwaved, then cut in chunks and sauteed in a pan with butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. (I also like sauteing sliced sweet onion before adding the potatoes.)

Variations: If you don't have lemon thyme, regular garden thyme will work, plus a little lemon juice added to the mixture. You can also use minced or crushed garlic and freshly ground pepper instead of garlic pepper. This method would work with any white fish fillets such as whitefish, catfish or perch.

Visit OFL for a warm weather menu, including Italian Grilled Chicken.

~Brenda

An Easy Grilled Menu

Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognize his values.... God made life simple. It is man who complicates it. ~Charles A. Lindbergh

I've been grilling on days that it's not too windy, nor too cold, or it isn't sleeting, snowing or raining. In Michigan those days can never be planned for:) I have two recipes below that you can use for an easy grilled menu by adding a salad or rice and a simple dessert. The kabobs call for steak, but you could use boneless pork or chicken as well. I hope everyone is enjoying spring!

Guacamole With A Twist

Ingredients:
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red onion, minced
2 tablespoons orange juice (fresh if possible)
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno or other chilies
2 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt

Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed. Use a spoon to remove the avocado from the skin. Cut it into 1/2 inch chunks and place into a bowl. Add the tomatoes, onion, orange juice, cilantro, chilies, lime juice and salt. Mix and serve with tortilla chips.

Savory Grilled Kabobs

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless top sirloin steak, fat removed
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt
pan spray
1 large red onion, quartered and separated
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, 1 inch chunks
16 cherry tomatoes

Cut the steak into one inch cubes and place into a bowl. Sprinkle
with the spices. Salt can be left out or used sparingly. Toss with
the steak, and allow to sit for 15 minutes or up to an hour in the
refrigerator. Thread the steak, and the vegetables on metal skewers,
alternating. Cook on a preheated grill that the rack has been sprayed with
the cooking spray beforehand. Grill about 4 minutes on each side until
the steak is done to desired doneness. Serves 4.

On OFL we have another nice grilling menu.

~Brenda