Nectarine Salad with Honey-Apricot Vinaigrette

 

Summertime is a season for salad for me.  I love a good salad with fruit, nuts, cheese, and sometimes protein.  This salad is versatile and delicious.  It pairs with almost any dish beautifully.  

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apricot nectar

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

9 cups fresh mixed salad greens (about 8 oz)

3 ripe nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced

1/4 cup slivered dried apricots

1/4 cup toasted slice almonds

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

For vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, apricot nectar, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper.

Place greens in a large bowl.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette; toss to coat.  Top with nectarines, apricot slivers, sliced almonds, and feta.  Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

Brisket Sliders with Cherry-Bacon Jam

Honestly, who doesn't like brisket?  And, who doesn't love a slider?  This recipe is a keeper.  It will always be a crowd pleaser.

5 slices hickory-smoked bacon
1 cup finely chopped red onion
3 cups fresh pitted tart cherries

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt 

3 cups coleslaw mix

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

12 brioche slider buns, sliced

 1 lb sliced cooked brisket, warmed

Dill pickle slices or spears

For jam, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for 8 minutes or until crisp.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towels; reserve 2 Tbsp drippings.  Add onion to skillet, stirring to scrape up any browned bits.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 8 - 10 minutes or until onion is soft and lightly caramelized, stirring occasionally.  

Meanwhile, chop cooked bacon.  Return to skillet.  Stir in cherries, maple syrup and vinegar.  Continue cooking over medium low, 15 minutes more or until thickened, stirring occasionally and slightly mashing mixture.  

For slaw, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Add coleslaw mix and cilantro and toss to coat.  

Fill buns with brisket and serve with cherry-bacon jam, slaw, and pickles.  

Summer Sangria

I am a big fan of Sangria for parties.  It's easy to make.  It's refreshing.  It's fruity.  What's not to like?

1 1.5-liter bottle dry white wine

2 cups peach nectar

1 1/3 cups peach-flavored vodka

4 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced

2 mangoes, pitted, peeled, and sliced

2 cups ginger ale, chlled

2 cups fresh red raspberries

Frozen red raspberries (optional)

Combine wine, peach nectar, and vodka in a pitcher.  Stir well.  Add peaches and mango.  Chill 2 - 24 hours.  When ready to serve, stir in ginger ale and fresh raspberries.  

If you'd like, garnish servings with frozen raspberries.  Enjoy!!

 

Melty Monterey Jack Burgers

This is a recipe I discovered back when I would order meal boxes from Hello Fresh.  This was one of my hubby's favorites!

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red onion

1 medium zucchini

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tsp dried oregano

20 oz ground beef

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

4 Potato buns

4 Tbsp ketchup

Wash and dry all produce.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  

Mince garlic until you have 1/4 tsp (you will have a clove left over).  

Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion.

Cut zucchini into 3" long pieces, then halve each piece lengthwise.  Cut into thin wedges.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise and as much of the garlic as you like.  Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook tossing occasionally, until caramelized, 8 - 10 minutes.  Stir in balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp sugar.  Continue cooking until syrupy, 1 - 2 minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from pan and set aside tn another small bowl

While onions cook, toss together zucchini and 1/2 Tbsp aioli in a medium bowl until wedges are evenly coated.  Add panko, oregano, and a large pinch of salt land pepper and toss so that crumbs stick to zucchini.  Spread on a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Bake in oven until panko is golden brown, about 15 minutes, tossing halfway through.  

Wash out and dry the pan you cooked the onion in.  Heat a drizzle of oil in it over medium-high heat.  Shape beef into four patties.  Season all over with salt and pepper.  Add to pan or grill and cook until burgers almost reach desired doneness, 3 - 5 minutes per side.  Top each with cheese and allow burgers to finish, about 1 minute.  

Split buns in half and place on another baking sheet.  Toast in oven or on grill until golden, about 3 minutes.  Spread split sides of bunds with ketchup and remaining aioli.  Top each with a burger and as much onion jam as you like.  Serve with zucchini fries on the side.

Fried Pickle Dip

Looking for something original for your next party?  Fried Pickle Dip may just be the answer.  toasted panko, chopped pickles, and crushed potato chips top off this sour cream-based dip that mimics fried pickles but with far less effort.  

3/4 cup drained and chopped dill pickles

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp dill pickle juice, or more to taste

1/4 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs, toasted

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill 

Wavy and/or salt-and-vinegar potato chips for serving plus crushed chips for garnish.

Stir together 1/2 cup chopped pickles, the cream cheese, sour cream, and pickle juice in a medium bowl until smooth and combined.  

Chill, covered, at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours).  Bring to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes.  Top with panko, dill, and remaining 1/4 cup chopped pickles.  Garnish with crushed potato chips.  Serve with potato chips. 

Note:  To soften cream cheese, put unwrapped cream cheese on a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 15 seconds.  

Portabella Satay with Spicy Cucumber Relish and Peanut Sauce

I discovered this Indonesian-inspired dish on www.mushroomcouncil.com and it is so full of flavor.  Thick slices of portabella are grilled on wooden skewers to add smoky flavor to this meaty mushroom.  They are served with creamy peanut dipping sauce and a spicy relish of diced cucumbers, shallots and hot honey & chili crisp to bring freshness and crunch.  It's an ideal appetizer for your next cookout.  
 

2 - 3 cucumbers, cut into 1/4" dice

1/4 cup hot hone and chili crisp

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp kosher salt, divided

4 portabella mushrooms, wiped clean and bottom of stem trimmed

Vegetable oil, for brushing

1/2 cup Asian-style peanut sauce

In a small bowl, combine cucumber, shallot, hot hone, vinegar, sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt.  Cover and refrigerate relish to at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before serving.  

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.  

Cut portabella mushrooms into 1/3" thick slices.  Thread mushrooms lengthwise onto skewers, then brush mushrooms lightly with oil and season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt.  

Grill mushrooms, turning once, until tender and lightly charred on both sides, 2 - 3 minutes per side.

Transfer grilled mushrooms to a serving platter, then drizzle with some of the peanut sauce.  Spoon some of the cucumber relish over the mudrooms and around the platter.  Serve the rest of the relish and more peanut sauce on the side.  

Note:  If using wooden skewers, soak for at lelast 20 minutes before grilling.  

Fried Rice with Yum Yum Sauce

The key to good fried rice is to keep it crispy.  The best way to do that is to prepare it hours to a day before you plan to use. it.  Leftover long-grain rice, such as jasmine, provides the best texture for fried rice dishes.  Freshly cooked rice and/or short-grain rice will be stickier and fail to crisp.

4 tsp olive oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten

2/3 cup chopped carrots

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup frozen peas

4 green onions, sliced, plus more for garnish

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups shilled cooked rice

1/4 cup soy sauce, or to taste

Yum Yum Sauce (recipe follows)

Chili crisp, for serving

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tsp oil.  To scramble eggs, cook eggs in hot oil, gently folding occasionally with a spatula, until eggs reach desired consistency, about 2 minutes.  Transfer eggs to a plate.  Remove wok from heat; carefully wipe out wok.  Return to medium-high heat.

Heat remaining 3 tsp oil.  Add carrots, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes.  Stir in peas and green onions; cook, stirring constantly until peas are heated through, 1 - 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium.  Stir in garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  

Add rice, scrambled eggs and soy sauce to wok.  Cook, stirring until heated through, 2 - 3 minutes.  Top servings with Yum Yum Sauce.  Serve with chili crisp and garnish with green onion and/or cilantro.  

For an even more decadent dish, top each serving with a fried egg.  

This is super simple and really delicious!

Yum Yum Sauce

Stir together 14 cup each mayonnaise and sweet chile sauce in a small bowl.  Chill, covered, until ready to use (or up to 4 days).  

 

Candied Bacon

The only thing I like more than bacon is candied bacon.  This recipe uses a candied mixture of brown sugar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and black pepper to upgrade bacon to million-dollar status.

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lb thick cut bacon slices

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk together brown sugar, vinegar, maple syrup and pepper in a small bowl.

Arrange bacon slices in an even layer on a wire rack set on a foil-lined large rimmed baking sheet.

Bake 10 minutes.  Turn slices; bake 5 minutes more.  Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Brush bacon with brown sugar mixture; bake about 40 minutes more, basting with brown sugar mixture every 5 minutes, until bacon is browned and desired crispiness.  Let cool slightly before serving.  

Ultimate Cowboy Breakfast Sliders

As a lover of all breakfast sandwiches, this one is a favorite for sure.  It is satisfying and savory all in one bite.  Just settle in and enjoy the fantastic flavor of this sandwich.  Just be sure to make the Cowboy Butter recipe before preparing this.

1 lb breakfast sausage (I like Johnsonville the best)

8 eggs

3 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 (12 oz) pkg Hawaiian sweet rolls (12 rolls)

4 Tbsp Cowboy Butter (see recipe on blog)

3 green onions, sliced thinly (1/4 cup)

8 slices of your favorite cheese

Set one oven rack in the center and another about 6" from heat source.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 9 x 13" rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Press sausage to fill bottom of pan, forming a rectangular shape just larger than the Hawaiian roll loaf.  Bake sausage loaf on center rack 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, generously coat a 9 x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.  Crack eggs into prepared dish.  Use a knife to break yolk of each egg and slightly spread yolks.  Drizzle cream over eggs.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

Bake eggs on top rack until set, 5 - 7 minutes. Remove eggs (and sausage) from oven and preheat broiler. Return pan with sausage to top rack; broil until browned on top, about 3 minutes. Pour off grease. 

Turn off broiler, adjust oven to 375 degrees. Put Hawaiian roll loaf on a cutting board. Holding a knife parallel to cutting board, halve roll loaf horizontally. Spread 2 Tbsp Cowboy Butter on cut side of loaf bottom. Put browned sausage loaf on loaf bottom. Carefully slide eggs from baking dish onto sausage; trim off any excess, if needed. Sprinkle evenly with green onions. Top with cheese slices and loaf top. Carefully transfer filled loaf to baking dish and spread roll tops evenly with remaining 2 Tbsp Cowboy Butter. 

 Bake on center rack until butter is melted and rolls are lightly browned and toasted, about 5 minutes. Cut between rolls into 12 servings.

Trust me . . . this will not disappoint.

Cowboy Butter

Cowboy butter can be added as solid slices over top hot dishes so that it flavors the food as it softens. It can also be spread on cornbread or melted before serving and used as a dip for grilled steak in true cowboy fashion.

Other than the traditional steak pairing, smokey, spicy, herbaceous cowboy butter — with a nice punch from Dijon and lemon — is delicious on chicken, pork, fish, roasted veggies, bread, crackers, and more. It's really very versatile.

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon zest

2/3 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Combine butter, garlic, parsley, chives, mustard, lemon zest and juice, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, thyme, chili powder and crushed red pepper in a small food processor.  Cover and process until well combined.  

Transfer butter mixture to a piece of plastic wrap, then wrap and roll into a log.  Holding both ends of plastic wrap, twist the log until tight and uniform in shape.  Chill at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days) to allow flavors to meld and mixture to firm.