And the subject is..... FOOD!
With the 4th of July coming up in just one week, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my current favorite summer cookout recipes. So, without further ado:
Orange Chipotle Barbecue: from eat make read
(This is a sauce recipe - you can pour the whole patch over a tenderloin or Boston Butt and throw it in the slow cooker for 12 hours, or you can use it as a glaze on smoked meat and pass the rest at the table. I've tried both and enjoyed both! It's spicy and sweet, and perfect for summer!)
Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - rinse and seed the peppers, then puree or mince (leaving the seeds in makes it A LOT spicier - I like spicy foods, but I still remove all the seeds!)
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable or light olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - rinse and seed the peppers, then puree or mince (leaving the seeds in makes it A LOT spicier - I like spicy foods, but I still remove all the seeds!)
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable or light olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whisk and enjoy.
Summer's Best BBQ Beans: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, June 2007
(This has been a long-time favorite - delicious baked bean flavor with lots of fresh veggies! Added bonus? It's super healthy!)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 red or green sweet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cans beans rinsed and drained (this is where the "adapted" part comes in. The recipe calls for kidney beans, but I think Great Northern beans - the white ones - are so much better. Take your pick, or combine different kinds!)
- 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, UNdrained
- 1 TBS molasses
- 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
Coat large saucepan with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add onion and sweet pepper, cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, undrained pineapple, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 10 minutes more (or longer) until you reach a consistency that looks good to you. Serve hot or cold!
My Hubby's Amazing Grilled Corn
Corry loves to grill everything in the summer, and veggies are no exception. Most recipes tell you to wrap corn on the cob in its husk or in foil and grill directly over the flame, but Corry grills "naked" corn on the top rack, and it is UH-ma-zing. (I mean it!)
Husk your corn, lightly brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill on the top rack for "till it's done" (when pressed further, he suggested about 10 or 15 minutes, or when some of the kernels start to get little black marks on them), turning every few minutes.
And last but not least, Blueberry Crisp: adapted from an old-school Ukrop's Bakery recipe
(This has ALWAYS been my favorite summer dessert. I requested it instead of a birthday cake growing up!)
- 3-4 cups FRESH blueberries (frozen do not work. I know; I've tried.)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 TBS flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
For the crisp topping: (The amounts below are half of what the original recipe calls for; I think it's plenty, especially since you HAVE to top with ice cream!)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 TBS butter
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9-inch square glass baking dish. Combine first 4 ingredients and pour into bottom of the baking dish. For the crisp, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl; use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the berries and then bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
You'll want to enjoy this warm with (duh) vanilla ice cream.
Now get to grilling!
