FAVOURITE SUMMER RECIPES

does anyone have a favourite SUMMER RECIPE to share?  I love to try new salad/barbecue recipes!!! I am looking for some new ideas to share this summer with my family and friends. can you help???

This is dessert - but I made it last summer and just made it this weekend. Its awesome

2 cans dark, seedless cherries
1 cup sugar
2 small boxes cherry Jello
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
12 oz. Coca-Cola
1 cup pecans, chopped

Combine cherries with juice and sugar in a sauce pan. Cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add jello, stirring until it dissolves. Add pineapple, Coca-Cola, and nuts. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Refrigerate until set.

Topping:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread jello on when set. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate

This is Plumcrazy (Karens) recipe

 I prepare the sauce in advance, for those hot days when I don't feel like making anything to eat but know I must eat something. This recipe is VERY flexible. Use what you have on hand.

Rainbow Peanut Noodles

From Asian Noodles: Mouthwatering Dishes to Twirl, Slurp and Savor, by Nina Simonds.

Makes 6 servings

1/2 pound thin noodles, such as linguine, cooked until just tender, rinsed under cold water, drained, and tossed with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (see NOTES)

     5 carrots, peeled and grated

     2 English (seedless) cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, shredded, and squeezed dry

     2 cups bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

     1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strings (about 1 cup)

     2 cups sliced cooked chicken (cut into thin strips)

     1 1/2 Tbsp minced scallion greens

     Chinese Peanut Dressing (recipe follows)

   1. Arrange the noodles in a large serving bowl.

   2. Arrange the vegetables in concentric circles over the noodles and then pile the chicken in the center. Sprinkle the scallions on top.

   3. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with the Chinese peanut dressing.

Chinese Peanut Dressing

     1 one-half inch thick slice fresh ginger, peeled and sliced in half

     8 cloves garlic, peeled

     1 tsp hot chile paste, or more to taste

     1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, or more to taste

     1/4 cup soy sauce

     3 1/2 Tbsp sugar

     3 1/2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce

     3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

     5 Tbsp Chinese Chicken Broth or water, or more if necessary

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, finely chop the ginger and garlic. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed and process until smooth. The dressing should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add more water or chicken broth; if too thin, add more peanut butter. Refrigerated, in a covered container, the dressing will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

NOTES:

Use a package of flat rice noodles, soaked for 20-30 minutes in hot water NO COOKING!

Use ANY cooked meat, including pork, chicken, shrimp, even tofu strips.

Can be served without meat.

Vary the volume of vegetable to suit (the above are way too much for me)

Use tahini instead of peanut butter.

Use hot sauce of any kind, or omit.

Use honey instead of sugar. 

Garnish with chopped peanuts.

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Add chopped fresh coriander for that special taste.

ViolaB 

oh boy! this is what i am talking about!! the recipes sound yummy! not sure what to try first!!!  the first potato salad, macaroni salad is always a tradition.........and then they get boring!! thanks for the great recipes!! i am going to put the ingredients on this weeks grocery list!

 Hi Katie--- this one from a Kraft booklet at the store has become a fav at my house especially once the tomatoes are ready.

Mama Mia Bruschetta Salad

Prep time 10 minutes

Toss 3 cups (750 ml) tomato chunks,  1 cup (250 ml) slivered red onion and 8 cups (2 l) day old bread cut into cubes with 1 cup (250 ml) Zesty Italian dressing and 1 cup (250 ml) finely shredded Parmesan cheese.

Serve Immediately.  Serves 8 

 Variation  use Mozza shredded cheese.(I do)

Kraft tip Cut fresh bread into cubes and let stand uncovered overnight.  For best results, use crusty, firm textured bread.

 My tweaks-- I let the tomato chunks  and onions (I don't think I've ever used a full cup)  marinate in the dressing for a few hours ahead.  I cut up my French bread the day before .  Assemble all ingredients about 1/2 hour before serving.  Toss well.

This is an unusual salad and  most enjoy it immensely.

 Another item I like to keep in my fridge for those "don't want to cook" days is a gazpacho. It's SO versatile, too. Most summer's there's a jug of it in the fridge!

Gazpacho

8 oz Ripe Tomatoes, quartered, I prefer romas, or use canned

1 Red Pepper

1/2 Cucumber, peeled

1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped

2 cups  Tomato Juice, or more

1/3 cup white wine, optional

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 Clove of Garlic

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Salt, Pepper & Sugar to taste

To Garnish:

Chopped Cucumber, Onion, Tomato, Chives & Parsley

METHOD:

Place the quartered Tomatoes in to a blender, add the White Wine and blend until smooth. Add the peeled Cucumber and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Next, de-seed the Red Pepper and blend with the Tomato Juice. When smooth, add to the Tomato and cucumber mixture in the bowl. Blend the Vinegar, Garlic, Olive oil, Sugar, Salt & Pepper. When thoroughly mixed, add to the mixture in the bowl, together with  Lemon Juice and mix well. Chill until very cold.  Add garnishes before serving. Serves 8.

NOTES:

Also add one or two pieces of good solid (day old) bread, pureed with the tomato juice. I like the texture that way. You may need to add more tomato juice or some water or stock or wine. I don’t get fancy with the order, but just throw it all into the machine together, or in smaller batches, or just use the immersion blender. (less to clean). I also like it a little chunky, so I don’t make it smooth. Sometimes I just chop the veggies fine, as well as the tomatoes, and puree the other ingredients together. I've thought of trying to use some V8 juice in place of only some of the tomato juice, but haven't tried it yet. In place of the bread in the soup, I’ll often serve it with croutons made from that bread. I use roasted peppers, and sometimes I'll add a little roasted garlic puree, if there's some in the fridge. And it last a few days in the fridge, too. SERVE ICY COLD!

Extra Note: This can be made into a salad by just dressing the vegetables with  the dressing type ingredients and leaving out the juice.

ViolaB 

  Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup halved, thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 quarts seeded, cubed watermelon
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup pitted black olive halves
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS

I serve this in a scooped out watermelon 

Gram's Mayonaise

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp flour (I use 2 Tbsp)

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cream or canned milk

1 cup vinegar

Heat vinegar.  Beat eggs and set aside.  Add milk to vinegar.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Stir in eggs.  Cook in microwave, stiring after a couple of minutes.  Continue cooking until thickened.

Another of my grandmother's recipes ( I make this more often):

Bring to a boil:

1 cup water

1/2 cup vinegar

Mix together:

4 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp flor

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

Add dry ingredients to the water and vinegar.  Stir and cook until clear and thickens a little.

Beat 2 eggs and add to the mixture.  Continue cooking a few more minutes.  Remove from heat and add a Tbsp butter.

*These recipes are a bit tangy from the vinegar. But that's how I love it

Frito Salad

1 chopped green pepper

1 chopped tomato

1 chopped onion

1 can kidney beans, drained

Mix all together in a big bowl.  Just before serving add 1 bag Fritos corn chips, 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese and 1 large bottle Catalina salad dressing.  

beesmom, that salad sounds so yummy. i think i will try it this weekend, as i am travelling to the states .  i could mix it up when i get there!! 

i am anxioust to try cathys grandmas recipe too!! summer is a relaxing time in the kitchen so it seems there is more time to try new things!!

i had a salad last weekend........feta cheese, black olives, peppers etc. anyone ever made this?? it was quite nice, DH loved it. i will look for that recipe , see if i can surprise him. 

 Katie, it is so good you won't believe it.  I don't even like onions or kidney beans and it's good.  I have a recipe something like you were mentioning but it has pasta in it.  I'll see if I can find it.  I can't stand it; but my DH loves it. 

 Greek Pasta Salad

3 cups tricolor spiral pasta        1 medium tomato cut in wedges

1 small red pepper sliced thin    1 small green pepper sliced thin

4 oz crumbled feta cheese        1/2 cup ripe olives sliced

Dressing: 2/3 cup olive or vegetable oil

1/4 cup minced fresh basil        3 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped green onion    2 Tbsp grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp salt                            1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

Cook pasta as package directs.  Drain and rinse in cold water.  Place in a large serving bowl; add tomato, peppers, feta cheese and olives.  In a blender combine (I just use a jar and shake it well)    dressing ingredients.  Cover and process until smooth.  Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or over night.  Toss before serving.  Make 10-12 servings.