10 No-Cook Dinners To Beat The Summer Heat

10 No-Cook Dinners To Beat The Summer Heat

Cranberry Spritzer - Cool Summer Drink

Cranberry Juice
Sprite , 7-up, Mellow Yellow, Mountain Dew, or Ginger ale
Ice
Blender

Fill the blender about 1/4 of the way with ice cubes.
Place a mixture of 3 parts cranberry juice and 1 part soft drink.
Blend until a Fruit smoothie consistency.

For an adult version add 1/2 to 3/4 shot of Rum

Serve Immediately in a glass.

Grilled Summer Veggies

3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning  (optional)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small onion, julienned
1/2 medium green pepper, julienned
1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 celery rib, cut into 3/4-inch slices
4 whole fresh mushrooms, quartered

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the salad dressing, vinegar, parsley, lemon-pepper and Cajun seasoning. Add the vegetables; seal bag and turn to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes; drain. Arrange vegetables on a grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until tender, turning frequently. 4 servings.

Summertime Fruit Slush

3 ounces any red fruit flavored gelatin 1 cup boiling water
3 cups cold water
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
12 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
12 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
lemon lime flavored carbonated beverage, chilled


Serving Size: 8 ounces

Servings: 20

Container: punch bowl or large pitcher, small bowl, non-metal freezer container

Prep Time: 10 minutes

In small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
In freezer container, combine dissolved gelatin with remaining ingredients except carbonated beverage. Cover.

Freeze until slushy consistency, about 8 hours or overnight.
To serve, spoon 1/2 cup mixture into serving glass, then fill with carbonated beverage.

Note: If slush is frozen, let stand at room temperature for at least an hour. Diet or sugar free ingredients are fine in this recipe.
For adult flavor: add vodka or gin if desired.

Beautiful Cookware!

Fresh Broccoli Salad

2 heads fresh broccoli - washed, cut into bite sized pieces
1 red onion - chopped to desired size
1/2 pound bacon – fried crisp, cooled and crumbled
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup sliced almonds or your favorite nuts (walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.)

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar


Mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

The secrets to grilling great vegetables by Stephen Kember

The ten secrets to grilling great vegetables outdoors
by Stephen Kember

Vegetables are excellent subjects for grilling,but not all. Cooking times vary dependent on the vegetable. Do remember that vegetables are delicate, far more so than meats. if you have a grill on gas or charcoal it doesn’t matter, albeit, the smoke from a charcoal grill will greatly enhance the flavor of your vegetables.

Just ten simple outdoor cooking guidelines will best ensure that you grill perfect vegetables every time.

1. Be relaxed, grilling vegetables is very straightforward; just follow 5 simple’ steps: clean, soak, dry, cut evenly and then cook quickly; ……….avoid at all costs overcooking;

2. Use a medium to hot grill; to judge this hold your hands 3-4 seconds over the fire; less and its too hot; more and its too cool;

3. All vegetables take different times to cook, see my guidelines below. Its best to cook vegetables in a grill basket; if not use a lightly oiled heavy duty piece of kitchen foil;

4. You should not grill: the majority of greens, celery, cucumbers and watery or leafy vegetables; they are all highly unsuitable;

5. Soak vegetables in cold water before grilling for 30 minutes then dry;

6. Vegetables make great subjects for marinading before grilling, many herbs and spices can be used to great effect, its down to your tastes; but remember don’t salt before grilling, salt after;

7. Because most vegetables are irregular in shape cut then into even strips so they cook evenly;

8. Brush vegetables ideally with olive oil or if not butter;

9. You can cut coarse vegetables into even shaped cubes and grill using skewers;

10. A list of vegetables that are ideal for grilling are as follows; cooking times are total times:
* Corn: Remove husks, rinse and wrap individually in foil. Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes;
* All types of potatoes: No need to peal, wash then cut into favorite shape, chunks, wedges etc.With whole un-peeled. Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes; baked potatoes 45-60 minutes;
* Eggplant: Cut lengthwise or horizontally for larger eggplants. Cooking time: 2 to 3 minutes;
* Garlic: Use whole bulbs without the root. Brush with olive oil, place cut side down. Cooking time approx.10 minutes or when skin is brown;
* Mushrooms:Rinse & grill whole unless they’re large. Cooking time: 4 to 7 minutes, size dependent;
* Tomatoes; Best cut in half. Cooking time 2 to 3 minutes
* Carrots: Wash and peel. Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes;
* Small zucchini and summer squash: No need to wash. cut into 1/2″ slices. Cooking time: 6 minutes
* All bell peppers: Seed and rinse then slice into strips or squares. Cooking time: 5 to 7 minutes;
* Asparagus: Remove tough areas. Trim 3/4″ from the bottom of each stem, then wash to remove grit; Cooking time: approx. 6 to 8 minutes;

About the Author:
Stephen Kember is a acknowledged outdoor cooking expert. He operates The outdoor cooking equipment Store, which you can visit by going to the link. If grilling is your love have a look at one of the latest ceramic grills that can grill, BBQ, bake & smoke and where for a limited period prices have been significantly reduced.

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“OLIVE GARDEN” TOMATO/BASIL CROSTINI

2 6″ Boboli bread shells or Similar Italian flat bread

2 Tbsp Ex-virgin olive oil with 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic - Mix and set aside

2 Tbsp Fresh parmesan -- grated
1 1/2 c TOMATO/BASIL TOPPING

Tomato/Basil Topping:

1 1/2 c Roma tomatoes – seeded & diced
1 Tbsp Fresh basil -- chopped
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with foil. Lay bread on pan and dribble 2 Tbsp garlic oil over Boboli, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until hot, but not crispie or dried. Cut the Boboli into 6 wedges or 2x2″ squares.

Remove to a serving plate and cover, generously, with a cold tomato/basil topping, serve immediately.

TOPPING-Blend all ingredients thoroughly and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Just prior to serving, drain in a colander or strainer to eliminate excess liquid.

When is Your Grilled Steak Done?

First important rule, have your grill very very hot!

Testing a steak’s doneness by touch (the poke test)

NEVER cut into a piece of meat being cooked, you'll release the juices and have a very dry steak!

Here is the method the pros use, a simple poke with your finger and you can judge the approximate doneness.

Use the list below as a guide, but experience is the best teacher.

Very Rare Steak – feels soft and squishy

Rare Steak – soft to the touch - - similar to your thigh (unless of course you're a bike rider or wrestler, haha)

Medium-Rare Steak – yields gently to the touch -- make a relaxed fist and the soft part between your thumb and forefinger

Medium Steak – yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up -- like the med rare only a bit farther up your hand where its not as soft

Medium-Well Steak – firm to the touch

Well-Done Steak – hard to the touch

Take the steak off the grill and put onto a heated plate, allow it to sit 4 - 5 minutes before eating so the juices can saturate the entire steak.

Wonderful article on brining meats!

How to Brine Meats
Get Moist, Tender Meat Every Time
By Angela Harris

A basic brine consists simply of water and salt. Brining forces water into meats, causing them to be more juicy and tender. Don't brine foods for too long, or they will become too salty.
If you have never eaten any brined meat, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Brined meats are much more tender and moist than meats cooked the regular way. Meats can be brined before cooking, baking, even grilling or smoking.

What goes into a brine? Most brines are mostly composed of water and some salt and sugar. Kosher salt is preferred to regular salt. Different spices, herbs, and vegetables may be added.
What are the benefits to brining? Brining makes meats more moist and tender. Brining works by forcing additional water into the meat. The extra water is why the meats become more tender and moist. Any added spices and herbs are also forced deep into the muscles of the meat, resulting in deep, rich flavor.

Brining is great for making tender, juicy chickens or turkeys. If you brine a turkey at Thanksgiving, you will never make a roast turkey the old-fashioned way again. Leftover poultry that has been brined also stays moist. But brining is not just for poultry. Brining also works well with pork, especially pork roasts.

The basic recipe for a brine is 3/4 cup of kosher salt or pickling salt and 1/2 cup of sugar or brown sugar per gallon of water. (You may use regular salt if kosher or pickling salt is unavailable.) The sugar cuts down on the salty taste.

The rest is up to you. Try onions, cloves of garlic, and any other herbs or spices that you wish to add. You may also add other types of liquid to the brine, but avoid acidic liquids such as orange juice or vinegar.

To brine a whole turkey or chicken, completely cover the bird with the brining solution. Keep the whole turkey or chicken in the brining solution for about twelve hours. Whole turkeys should be kept in the brine for at least twelve hours, preferably overnight. Keep the brining solution and bird in the refrigerator, if possible. If not, keep the bird and brining solution covered with ice in a cooler. If neither of these are options and weather permits, keep the brine and turkey outside. Do this only if outdoor temperatures are going to stay below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Different types of foods require different brining times. Shrimp and other shellfish take only about thirty minutes. Whole chickens require about three hours per pound, up to twelve hours. Chicken pieces takes about one hour to brine. Whole turkeys should be left in the brine for about twenty-four hours. Pork chops take at least twelve hours to brine, up to twenty-four hours. Let whole pork loins brine for 2-4 days.

After brining, be sure to rinse the meat very well. Rinse at least two times, drying the meat well after each rinsing. Then season the meat as usual, but omit any salt.

If the meat ends up too salty, you brined the meat for too long, didn't rinse the meat well enough, or added too much salt or not enough sugar to the brine. You can counteract this by decreasing the salt slightly. Don't decrease the salt by too much, as salt is an essential ingredient for the brining process. You may also decrease the brining time, although this also will interfere with the brining process if the meat is removed from the brine too soon. A good way to remove much of the salty taste without losing the benefits of brining is to soak the meat for about an hour in regular water before proceeding to cook the meat.

Keep in mind that brined meats cook faster than meats that haven't been brined. Keep a close eye on the meat. Be sure the meat is done by using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of poultry should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

2010 © Associated Content, All rights reserved.

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