TUNA FRUIT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 4 Tbsp. oil
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. dry mustard
• dash white pepper
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 6 oz. can white tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 2 Tbsp. sliced green onion
• 1 cup cubed cantaloupe
• 1 cup cubed honeydew
• 1 cup red grapes
• 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple

PREPARATION:

In small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, mustard and lemon peel and mix well. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Chill for 1 hour and serve on lettuce-lined plates.

SHRIMP SALAD IN BREAD BOWLS

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Kaiser rolls, 4" in diameter, unsplit
• 1 lb. deli shrimp salad
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped green onions
• 2 Tbsp. lemon yogurt

PREPARATION:

Cut a thin slice from the top of each roll and scoop out center of each roll to within 1/4" of the edges. Crumble bread you remove from the rolls and freeze to use in other recipes.

In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Spoon into bread bowls and serve immediately. 4 servings

CRISPY CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups cooked cubed chicken breast
• 1-1/2 cups chopped, seeded watermelon
• 3 Tbsp. chopped red onion
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. mango chutney
• 1-1/2 cups fried chow mein noodles

PREPARATION:

In large bowl combine chicken, watermelon, red onion, and celery and toss. In small bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, and curry powder and blend. Pour over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Chill until serving time. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles just before serving. 6 servings

LETTUCE WRAP SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 leaves romaine lettuce
• 1 cup chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup Caesar salad dressing

PREPARATION:

Combine all ingredients except lettuce in medium bowl and mix well. Place mixture on lettuce leaves and roll up; serve immediately or wrap in foil and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

GRILLED FIVE SPICE PORK TENDERLOIN

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinate time: 2 to 24 hours
Cook time: 30 minutes

SAVORY SHISH KABOBS

Marinade:
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. vinegar, wine or sherry (I prefer red wine)
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
garlic to taste

Blend ingredients together, then marinate overnight 2 lbs. sirloin tips (1 inch
pieces), mushrooms (I prefer baby portabellas), green pepper cut into chunks,
and onions cut into chunks.

After marinating, skewer meat and vegetables, and broil for 20 minutes (or
grill outdoors), basting often. May add tomatoes for last 5 minutes if desired.

I usually make extra marinade, and use it to cook rice in as a side dish!
This may also be used for a vegetarian kabob. Simply leave out the meat and
marinate vegetable chunks such as zucchini, green pepper, etc.

Glazed Broiled Chicken
Recipe from: The Cook's Illustrated Complete Book of Poultry
 

Glazes, like barbecue sauces, are a quick way to add flavor to broiled chicken. Like barbecue sauces, they should be brushed in the last minutes of cooking so that they caramelize, but don't burn. For optimum browning, brush parts very lightly with vegetable oil before broiling.

Serves 4

·         3/4 cup kosher salt or 6 tablespoons table salt, plus more to taste

·         3/4 cup sugar

·         1 chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces

·         1 teaspoon vegetable oil

·         Pepper

·         1 recipe glaze ( three glaze recipes follow)

1.       If brining the chicken pieces: in a gallon-size sealable plastic bag, dissolve the 3/4 cup salt and sugar in a 1 quart of water. Add the chicken, pressing out as much air as possible, seal and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 1/2 hours.

2.       Rinse the chicken pieces well and pat dry. Arrange the chicken pieces on a broiler pan, skin side up, so that the wings and legs are around the perimeter of the pan and the thicker breasts and thighs are in the center. Brush the chicken with oil and lightly season with salt and pepper (be generous with salt if you have not brined the chicken). Adjust the oven rack so that the chicken will be no closer than 8 inches from the heating element and preheat the broiler.

3.       Broil the chicken until the skin is a rich brown color, about 12 minutes. Turn the chicken over; continue to broil until the juices run clear. The wings and legs should be done in about 7 minutes, remove them to a plate, cover with foil, and continue to broil the thighs and breasts for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

4.       When the remaining pieces are cooked, remove the broiler pan from the oven, turn the thighs and breasts skin side up, return the wings and legs to the pan skin side up, and brush each piece with a little of the glaze. Return the chicken to the oven; broil until the glaze begins to brown and bubble, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve.

1.  Chipotle-Orange Glaze

Makes enough to coat 8 pieces of chicken.

·         1 cup fresh orange juice

·         1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

·         1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, finely chopped

·         Salt and ground black pepper

1.       Bring the orange and lemon juices to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce to 1/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chile and salt and pepper to taste (use salt sparingly if chicken was brined). Cool to room temperature. Use in step 4 of the Master Recipe for Glazed Broiled Chicken.

2.  Honey-Pecan Glaze

A few simple pantry staples become a quick glaze for broiled chicken. Maple syrup may substitute for honey and walnuts or almonds may be used in place of pecans, depending on what you have on hand. Makes enough to coat 8 pieces of chicken.

·         2 tablespoons honey

·         4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

·         1/2 cup pecan pieces, finely chopped

·         Salt and pepper

1.       Combine the honey, mustard, nuts, and salt and pepper to taste (use salt sparingly if chicken was brined) in a small bowl. Use in step 4 of the Master Recipe for Glazed Broiled Chicken.

3.  Curried Apricot Glaze

The intensity of this hot-sweet glaze can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the quantities of curry powder and hot red pepper flakes. Makes enough to coat 8 pieces of chicken.

·         1/2 cup apricot nectar

·         1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

·         1/4 cup apricot preserves

·         1 tablespoon curry powder

·         1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)

·         Salt and pepper

1.       Bring the apricot nectar, lemon juice, and apricot preserves to a simmer in a small saucepan, and reduce to about 1/2 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste (use salt sparingly if chicken was brined). Cool to room temperature. Use in step 4 of the Master Recipe for Glazed Broiled Chicken.

Lemon Chicken and Rice

1 pound boneless skinless chicken, cut into strips
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup frozen peas

In a skillet, cook chicken, onion, carrot and garlic in oil until chicken is cooked. Combine cornstarch, broth, lemon juice, add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in rice and peas. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serves 4. Use two servings for dinner hot. Refrigerate leftovers and use 2 servings as salad the next day.

To Grill Vegetables

Ingredients:

• Fresh vegetables
• Oil
• Lemon juice
• Selection of herbs

Method:

1. Wash and dry vegetables.
2. For sliced vegetables, slice in 1/4 inch uniform slices or rounds. For small vegetables such as baby artichokes, slice in half or leave whole. Leave asparagus and small mushrooms whole.
3. Soak vegetables in cold water to prevent them from drying out on the grill.
4. To prepare, drizzle with oil and lemon juice, coarse salt, fresh ground pepper and herbs and spices of your choice. The salt draws out excess moisture and adds a hint of sweetness to grilled vegetables.
5. Grill larger vegetables directly on the grill. Thread smaller vegetables on metal or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak skewers for at least 30 minutes first. You can also use a grilling basket for smaller vegetables.
6. Grill vegetables over medium heat. If you're grilling the rest of your dinner, turn down the heat and grill vegetables after you've removed the meat and while the meat rests.
7. Brush vegetables with oil while grilling.
8. Serve immediately.

BEER GRILLED CORN

Not only does the beer add a unique flavor, but also it ensures that the corn comes off the grill sweet and succulent instead of charred and dried. Soaking the husks and leaving them on the corn prevents the corn from burning on the grill

Ingredients:

• 8 ears corn
• 4 12-ounce cans cheap beer
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• Salt to taste

Note:

• For best results, soak the corn overnight

Method:

1. Carefully peel back husks, but don't remove them. Remove corn silks with a small brush and wash corn.
2. Add the beer and corn to a large container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 6 or more hours, preferably overnight. You can divide the corn and beer and use several large zipper bags.
3. Remove corn from beer and pat dry.
4. Mix softened butter and salt and spread on corn. Cover corn with husks. You can tie the husks, but if you're careful when you turn the corn on the grill, there's no need to tie them.
5. Preheat grill to medium heat.
6. Place corn on grill for approximately 15 minutes, until corn is tender, and turn frequently.
7. Remove corn from grill; allow cooling slightly, and removing husks before serving.

Serves 8

Variations:

• Instead of butter and salt, wrap each ear of corn in a slice of hickory-smoked bacon and cover with husks while grilling.
• Substitute taco seasoning for salt for a spicy kick—great with fajitas.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS

Plentiful fresh asparagus heralds the arrival of spring! This simple recipe requires approximately five minutes of preparation and five minutes on the grill. Don't panic over the amount of salt—much of it will fall into the grill—and that which remains brings out the sweet, delicate flavor of the asparagus. Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds asparagus, washed and trimmed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons course salt

Method:

1. Brush the grill with oil, and preheat grill on high heat.
2. Pour olive oil onto a plate, and coat each asparagus spear.
3. Sprinkle salt evenly over spears on all sides.
4. Place the asparagus spears crosswise on the grill. Cook for a total of five minutes, turning 1/4 turn each minute. When the asparagus spears turn bright green, remove and serve immediately.

Variations:

• Marinate in olive oil, garlic, dill and lemon juice.
• Add a little oregano to the olive oil. Midway through cooking, remove asparagus from grill and wrap in prosciutto. Return to grill and cook until prosciutto is crisp.

Caramelized Salmon with Cherry Salsa

Preparing gourmet meals does not need to be very complicated!
 
You will need the following ingredients:

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 ripe mango or papaya, seeded, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen tart cherries, thawed, drained and halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, basil or cilantro
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen salmon fillet with skin

Stir together the first three ingredients. Rub the mixture over the fish and refrigerate for 2 to 8 the hot fish.