Monday, June 30, 2014

Bacon Wrapped Barbeque Burgers

Ingredients:
8 bacon slices
1 (4.5 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained and chopped
½ cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup bottled honey barbeque sauce, divided
1 ½ pound ground beef
Wooden picks
4 sesame seed hamburger buns, toasted

Directions:
Arrange bacon on a paper-towel lined microwave-safe plate; cover with a paper towel. Microwave bacon on high for two minutes or until edges begin to crinkle and bacon is partially cooked.
Sauté mushrooms and onion in oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat 4-5 minutes or until tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce.
Preheat grill to 350-400 degrees. Shape ground beef into 8 (5-inch) thin patties. Place 2 tablespoons mushroom mixture in center of each of 4 patties. Top with remaining patties; pressing edges to seal. Wrap sides of each patty with two bacon slices; overlapping ends on each slice. Secure bacon with wooden picks. Cover and chill 10 minutes.
Grill patties, covered with grill lid, for 5 to 6 minutes on one side. Turn and baste with half of remaining barbeque sauce. Grill 5 to 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink in center. Turn and baste with remaining barbeque sauce. Remove from grill and let stand five minutes. Remove wooden picks.
Serve burgers on buns and top with remaining mushroom mixture.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Lemon Blueberry Cream Pie

Ingredients:
· 1 prepared graham cracker crust
· 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
· 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
· 1/4 cup powdered sugar
· 1 (3 ounce) package of lemon instant pudding mix
· 2 teaspoons lemon zest
· 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
· 1 pint fresh blueberries
· 2 tablespoons blueberry preserves or jam
· Whipped Cream to garnish

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, milk and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in lemon pudding mix, lemon zest and lemon juice until just blended.
2. Pour half of your lemon mixture into your prepared pie crust. Stir together the blueberries with the blueberry preserves in a small bowl. Pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the top of lemon pie layer.
3. Top the blueberry layer with the other half of the lemon mixture. Chill pie at least two hours. Remove pie from fridge and cut into wedges. Serve with a garnish of whipped cream.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Blueberry Pineapple Crunch Cake

Ingredients:
· 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)
· 1 pint blueberries
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 cup liquid – juice from pineapple plus water
· 1 yellow cake mix
· 1 stick butter, melted
· ½ cup chopped nuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. Layer all of the above ingredients, with the exception of the whipped cream, in the order listed in the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until brown.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

All about the Blueberry!

Check out Crevolyn's latest column in the Gainesville Times here about the goodness of blueberries, some freezing tips and a great pie recipe! 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Blueberry Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1(20 ounce) can pineapple chunks (with unsweetened juice)
1(15 ounce) can sliced peaches (with unsweetened juice)
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 medium firm bananas, sliced
1 cup green grapes, halved
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions:
Drain pineapple and peaches, reserving juices; set aside.
Combine the fruit in a large bowl.
In another bowl, combine fruit juices with pudding; mix well.
Pour over fruit and toss to coat.
Chill before serving.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

Ingredients:
· 1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare cake mix
· ½ cup mashed bananas
· 2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding
· 4 cups milk
· ½ cup sour cream
· 4 medium bananas, sliced
· 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip
· 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers
· ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray.
2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, adding the bananas. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 – 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Poke holes in the cake using a wooden spoon.
3. Mix the pudding mix with the milk, about 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Pour over cake and let sit for 10 minutes.
4. Once set, top with sliced bananas and spread with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with vanilla wafers and pecans.
5. Serve immediately. Best if refrigerated 2-3 hours before serving.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Summer Vegetable Bake

Ingredients:
· 1 medium onion, chopped
· 1 teaspoon minced garlic
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
· 1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
· 1 potato, thinly sliced
· 1 tomato, thinly sliced
· 1 teaspoon dried thyme
· Salt and pepper to taste
· 1 cup shredded Italian cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Sauté onion and garlic in a skillet with olive oil until softened (about five minutes).
Spray the inside of an 8x8 square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish.
Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Summer Bean Salad

Ingredients:
· 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
· 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
· 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 green bell pepper, chopped
· 1 red bell pepper, chopped
· 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
· 1 red onion, chopped
· 1 medium tomato, diced
· 1/2 cup olive oil
· 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
· 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
· 1 tablespoon lemon juice
· 1 tablespoons white sugar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon pepper
· 1 clove crushed garlic
· 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, corn, red onion and tomato.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic and cilantro.
3. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Sirloin Kabobs

Hey all!  How's everyone's summer going so far?  I thought this week we might talk about some recipes that are perfect for summer suppers.  Darrell's mom sent us the very first squash out of her garden last night so I am going to be cooking up some for supper tonight.  Sirloin Kabobs would be a great main dish to go with our squash.  Let's fire up that grill, fix us a cold beverage and enjoy the sunshine.
Happy Monday!

Ingredients:
· ¼ cup soy sauce
· 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
· 3 tablespoons vinegar
· ½ teaspoon garlic powder
· ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
· ½ teaspoon garlic pepper
· ½ cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
· 2 pounds beef sirloin steak, cut in 1 ½ inch cubes
· 2 green bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
· ½ pound fresh mushrooms, stems removed
· 1 pint cherry tomatoes
· 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, garlic pepper and lemon-lime beverage. Reserve about ½ cup of the marinade for basting. Place steak in a large resealable bag. Cover with remaining marinade and seal. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add green peppers and cook for 1 minute, just to blanch. Drain and set aside.
3. Preheat grill for high heat. Thread steak, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and pineapple onto skewers in an alternating fashion. Discard marinade.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Cook kabobs for about 10 minutes or to desired doneness. Baste frequently with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Italian Ranch Steamed Veggies

Ingredients:
1 medium yellow summer squash, halved and cut into ¾-inch slices
1 medium zucchini, cut into ¾ inch slices
6 large fresh mushrooms, quarter
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into thin slices
1 cup fresh baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
¼ cup prepared ranch salad dressing
¼ cup prepared Italian salad dressing

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, toss vegetables together. Divide the vegetables between two pieces (about 18x18 inch) of heavy duty foil. Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly.
2. Grill, over medium heat, for 10-13 minutes on each side or until vegetables are tender.
3. Open foil to allow steam to escape. With a slotted spoon remove vegetables to a serving dish.
4. Combine the salad dressings and drizzle over the vegetates, tossing to coat.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Father's Day

Another great column from Cooking with Crevolyn about Father's Day, memories of Dad, and a great recipe to make for Dad this weekend!  Check it out here.

Grilled Italian Meatball Burgers

Ingredients:
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ pound Italian sausage
Sliced mozzarella cheese
8 hamburger buns
1 cup prepared spaghetti sauce, warmed

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Crumble ground beef and sausage over the mixture and mix well. Shape into 8 burgers.
2. Coat the grill rack and heat to medium heat. Grill burgers covered for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees and juices run clear.
3. Cover burgers with cheese slices. As soon as the cheese is melted, remove from grill and keep warm.
4. Grill buns for 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Remove from grill and spoon some spaghetti sauce on each bun. Top with hamburger patty.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Wonderful Waffles

Ingredients:
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· 3 teaspoons baking powder
· ½ teaspoon salt
· ¼ cup sugar
· 1 ½ cups milk
· 2 egg yolks
· 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· ½ cup butter, melted
· 4 egg whites

Directions:
1. Preheat the waffle iron to the regular setting
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg yolks and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir gently until about halfway combined. Add the melted butter and mix gently until combined.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until stiff. Slowly fold them into the batter.
5. Spoon the batter into your waffle iron in batches and cook according to the directions.
6. Remove and serve immediately with butter and syrup.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Grilled Pound Cake with Berries

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon butter, softened
6 slices pound cake (about 1 inch thick)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Beat in remaining sugar. Add the lemon juice and zest; beat until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
3. Spread butter over both sides of cake slices. Grill, uncovered, over indirect medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until light golden brown. Serve with berries and whipped cream.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Campfire Potatoes

Ingredients:
· 5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
· 1 medium onion, sliced
· 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small squares
· 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
· 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
· 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· 1/3 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes and onion on a large piece of heavy-duty foil (about 20 inches square) and dot with butter.
2. Combine the cheese, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture over the potatoes.
3. Fold foil up around the potatoes and add broth. Seal the edges of foil tightly.
4. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Grilled Salmon with Bacon and Corn Relish

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
2 ears white corn
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
Salt and black pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
2 (8-ounce) center cut boneless salmon fillets
1 cup fresh spinach leaves (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
2. Cook bacon crisp in a skillet or microwave; then crumble and set aside. Cut kernels from corn ears into a large bowl using a sharp knife. Scrape cobs with the back of a knife into the bowl to get the juices.
3. Stir together the green onions, bell pepper and corn in a medium saucepan; cook and stir until vegetables start to get tender, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper. Stir in olive oil and vinegar. Turn off heat under relish.
4. Spread vegetable oil onto both sides of salmon fillets and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook on the preheated grill until fish shows grill marks; it flakes easily and is still slightly pink in the center; about 5 minutes per side.
6. Spread spinach leaves onto serving platter and top with salmon fillets. Serve with Bacon and Corn Relish.