A Summer Menu for Company
By Brenda Hyde
It's hot, it's humid and you've had a dinner planned for guests
for weeks. How can you enjoy the day without melting from
the heat while you fix dinner. Fix it ahead and grill the main
dish! Everything but the kabobs in this menu can be fixed early
in the morning while it's still cool. Prepare the kabobs early too,
and all that will be left is the grilling. Put a nice big fan near
the grill where you can watch the kabobs and pour a large, cool
glass of iced tea!
Beef and Vegetable Kabobs
Ingredients:
1 pound round steak; cut into 1 inch chunks
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, quartered
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange or apple juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 red or green pepper
1/2 lb. medium mushrooms
1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes
In a medium sized bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients.
Cover mixture and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring
occasionally. Prepare the grill, or preheat gas grill. Cut
zucchini and yellow squash into 1 inch chunks. Cut the
pepper into 1 inch pieces. On long skewers, alternately
thread zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, tomatoes and
mushrooms, beef and onions. (leave off whatever someone
doesn't like) Save the marinade for later.
Place kabobs on grill over medium heat. Cook about 10
minutes, brushing with the reserved marinade Turn skewers
several times while brushing frequently. Serve with rice or
pasta and a fresh salad.
Fruity Spinach Salad
Ingredients:
1 cantaloupe half, seeded and skin removed
7 cups torn fresh spinach
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup halved green grapes
Dressing:
3 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. chopped onion
Dash pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted.
Cut melon half in 1/2 inch rings, then into 1 inch pieces;
place in a bowl. Add spinach, mushrooms, onion and grapes.
Chill for at least 2 hours. Place sugar, orange juice, vinegar,
onion, orange peel and pepper in a blender, cover and blend
until smooth. With blender running, gradually add oil until
slightly thickened. Stir in poppy seeds. Cover and chill. Just
before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss. Top with
pecans. You can substitute other fruit such as strawberries
or blueberries for the grapes, or other types of melon.
Green Bean Salad
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon pepper
In a saucepan, cover beans with water, cook until
crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water; place in
a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients;
toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.
Strawberry Glazed Cheesecake
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1-3/4 cups sugar
1-3/4 tsp. lemon rind, grated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 lbs. cream cheese, softened
3/4 tsp. orange rind, grated
1-1/2 Tbs. all purpose flour, sifted
3 eggs, room temperature
2 Tbs. heavy cream
5 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1/4 cup cold water
1/8 tsp. salt
1-1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. butter, softened
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup
sugar, 1 tsp. lemon rind and half the vanilla in a bowl.
Add 1 egg yolk and 1/2 cup butter. Use your hands to
mix until blended. Pat or spread onto bottom and sides
of a 10 inch pie pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until
lightly browned. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature
to 250 degrees. Beat cream cheese in a bowl with an
electric mixer until soft. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 tsp.
lemon rind, orange rind and 1-1/2 Tbs. flour-mix. Add
eggs and 1 remaining egg yolk one at a time, beating
after each addition until just incorporated. Beat cream
and remaining vanilla. Pour into crust and bake about 1
hour until edges are firm and center jiggles slightly.Cool.
Puree 1 cup strawberries in a blender. Press through a
strainer. Combine strawberry purée, 3/4 cup sugar, cold
water, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil,
stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes, still stirring. Remove
from heat and stir in 1 tsp. butter. Cool slightly. Arrange
whole berries over top of cheesecake. Serve glaze over
cheesecake. Serves 12 people.
About the Author
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three, living in
the midwest United States. She is also a freelance
writer and editor of Old Fashioned Living. Sign up for
her free newsletters here.
