Sensational Summer Sizzlers
There's a mystery ingredient in summer cooking that makes everything taste better when eaten outside.
by Carol McGarvey
Summer cooking is all about maximizing flavor. Taste buds are ripe for the experience, to be sure. From fresh produce from the farmer’s market to full-bodied entrées from the grill, summertime
eating is a special treat.
Transport any meal of the day, big or small, to the deck, patio, front porch, or park and you can’t help noticing a difference. Your senses are alive, and that adds a full measure of flavor to the
simplest of foods. With just a few ingredients, you can dish up tastefulappetizers and entrées.
It’s easy to get lost in the hustle-bustle of the day. Make a point to add the word—and the experience—of picnicking back into your summer schedule.Bruschetta Burgers • Quick 'n' Easy Nachos • Classic Beef Kabobs
Orange Cream Dessert Squares • Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
Bruschetta Burgers
Ground black pepper
1 pound ground beef
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper
4 slices crusty bread, cut ½ inch thick
Olive oil
Bruschetta Topping:
¾ cup chopped red tomatoes
½ cup chopped yellow tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon saltCombine Bruschetta Topping ingredients in medium bowl; set aside.
Combine ground beef, cheese, green onion, and garlic in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four ½-inch-thick patties.
Place patties on grll over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 11 to 13 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 7 to 8 minutes), turning occasionally, until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into centers registers 160°F.
Meanwhile, brush both sides of bread slices with oil. About 3 minutes before burgers are done, place bread on grill. Grill untillightly toasted, turning once.
Season burgers with salt and pepper, as desired. Place 1 burger on each bread slice; top each with ¼ cup topping. Serve open-face. Makes 4 servings. (Recipe from The Beef Checkoff)Quick 'n' Easy Nachos
1 bag Crispy Rounds
1 jar salsa
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded American cheese
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded mozzarella cheese
Jalapeños and other desired toppings (sour cream, tomatoes, beans, etc.)Arrange rounds on a microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle shredded cheeses on top as desired. Microwave on medium for 30 seconds. Top with salsa, jalapeños, and other toppings, as desired. (Recipe from Tostitos)
Classic Beef Kabobs
1 pound well-trimmed boneless beef top sirloin
or beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1 inch thick
8 ounces medium mushrooms
2 medium red, yellow, or green sweet peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
Seasoning:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:
1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
1⁄3 cup finely chopped, seeded cucumber
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon saltCut beef steak into 1¼-inch pieces. Combine seasoning ingredients in large bowl. Add beef, mushrooms, and sweet pepper pieces; toss to coat.
Alternately thread beef and vegetable pieces evenly onto 8 (12-inch) metal skewers, leaving small spaces between pieces.
Place kabobs on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill kabobs, covered, 7 to 9 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 9 to 11 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once. Season kabobs with salt, as desired.
Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients in small bowl. Serve with kabobs.
(Recipe from The Beef Checkoff)Orange Cream Dessert Squares
One of 100 finalists in Pillsbury Bake-Off— Bonny Boyd
of Dubuque, Iowa
1 roll (16.5 ounces) Pillsbury® Create ’n’ Bake®
refrigerated sugar cookies
2 tablespoons grated orange peel (from 2 large oranges)
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup Domino® or C&H® Granulated Sugar
½ cup Smucker’s® Sweet Orange Marmalade
1 teaspoon orange-flavored liqueur or ¼ teaspoon orange extract
2 eggs
3 tablespoons whipping cream
2 drops orange food coloring (or 2 drops yellow and 1 drop red food coloring)
1 ½ teaspoons Land O Lakes® Butter
½ cup white vanilla baking chipsHeat oven to 350°F. Press cookie dough evenly on bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. (If dough is sticky, used floured fingers.) Sprinkle evenly with orange peel.
In medium bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, marmalade, and liqueur with electric mixer on medium-high speed about 1 minute or until well blended. Add eggs; beat about 2 minutes or until well blended and mixture is creamy. Spread evenly in crust.
Bake 29 to 36 minutes or until crust is golden brown and center is set. Cool 1 hour.
In small microwavable bowl microwave whipping cream and food coloring, uncovered, on High about 30 seconds or just until boiling. Add butter and baking chips; stir until chips are melted. Spread mixture evenly over bars. Refrigerate about 1½ hours or until chilled and firm.
To serve, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows, using thin sharp knife and wiping blade occasionally. Cover
and refrigerate any remaining dessert squares. Makes 24 squares. (©2008 General Mills, used
with permission)A $1,000,000 Cookie
Carolyn Gurtz of Gaithersburg, Maryland, won $1,000,000 recently in the Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest for this Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies recipe. It is touted as a twist on the classic peanut butter cookie, crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, with just a hint of cinnamon.
Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
¼ cup Fisher® Dry-Roasted Peanuts, finely chopped
¼ cup Domino® or C&H® Granulated Sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup JIF® Creamy Peanut Butter
½ cup Domino® or C&H® Confectioner’s Powdered Sugar
1 roll (16.5 ounces) Pillsbury® Create ’n’ Bake® refrigerated peanut butter cookies, well chilledHeat oven to 375°F. In small bowl mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar, and cinnamon;
set aside.
In another small bowl stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into 24 (1-inch) balls.
Cut roll of cookie dough into 12 slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.
Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat mixture completely onto balls. On ungreased large cookie sheets place peanut butter balls 2 inches apart. Spray bottom of a drinking glass with nonstick cooking spray; press into remaining peanut mixture. Flatten each ball to ½-inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into dough.
Bake 7 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store tightly covered. Makes 24 cookies. (©2008 General Mills, used with permission)Welcome HOME Magazine, Television and Radio
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