Grilled French Bread and Veggie Salad

Submitted by Janet Schlosser


1/2 Loaf of French or Italian Bread
1 Yellow squash
1 cucumber
1 bell pepper
1/4 block cheese (favorite - mozzarella balls go really well in this salad)
1 Tomato

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

Grill cubed bread until toasted and lightly browned. Add veggies and drizzle with dressing.

Firecracker Burgers

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chunky salsa
4 frozen breaded cheddar cheese jalapeno peppers, thawed (I've used the cream cheese poppers as well and they were still great)
1/4 cup guacamole
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
4 lettuce leaves
1/4 cup salsa con queso dip
1/4 cup sliced plum tomatoes
2 Tbsp sliced ripe olives
4 thin slices sweet onion

In a bowl, combine the beef and salsa. Shape into four patties. Place a jalapeno popper in the center of each; wrap beef around the jalapeno, forming a ball. Reshape into patties, about 3 1/2 - 4 in. in diameter and 1 in. thick.

Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink. Spread guacamole over toasted side of bun tops. On each bun bottom, layer lettuce, a burger, con queso dip, tomatoes, olives, and onion; replace tops

Yield: 4 Servings

Ginger Chicken

Submitted by Heather Sheehan


Combine:
1 can Gingerale
1/3 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cups soy sauce
1 tsp Sesame oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Marinate 1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken overnight.
Grill as desired.

Rattafruitti

This dish was inspired by the making of Ratatouille, which was inspired by the movie. I just made it with fruit and ice cream instead of veggies and tomato sauce.


Fruit of choice (bananas, strawberries, apricots, kiwi, mangoes, etc.)
Cheddar Cheese
Angel Food Cake Bar
Ice Cream
Rich Hot Fudge Sauce (recipe below)
Frozen Blueberries
Whipped Cream

Pick several fruits that are about 1/2 dollar sized in circumference to your preference & different in color: I chose the fruits listed above (ok so the last isn't the right size, but I love them, so I used them and then cut the slices to size with a round spice jar lid.) Slice all the fruit very thin with a mandolin (or as thin as you can with a knife.) Slice the cheese and Angel Food Cake as thin as you can and cut into circles with a 1/2 dollar sized jar lid. In a Tupperware bowl, stack the fruit, cheese, & cake, with each circle sightly exposing the one underneath, alternating flavors and colors, in a spiral fashion until you run out of most items. This can then be covered and saved in fridge until you're ready to serve the dessert.

In a small bowl, heat the blueberries in the microwave until thawed and slightly cooked. Beat until smooth or mash and remove skins. Store in fridge.

When you're ready to serve, Heat up some fudge sauce, drizzle some on plate. Drizzle some blueberry sauce on plate, & place a scoop of ice cream in middle. Carefully pick up a small length of rattafuitti layers and place around and up the sides of the ice cream. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Hot Onion Souffle’ Dip

Submitted by Heather Sheehan


1 large yellow onion, chopped.
2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened.

Best if spread on something firm such as crackers, bagel chips, or fresh veggies.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients well in large bowl.
Pour into 2-quart souffle’ or casserole dish.
Bake 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Allow to cool on stove top 10-15 minutes before serving.

Fresh Pico De Gallo

Submitted by Heather Sheehan

Chop finely:
1 Red onion
2-3 tomatoes (avoid using Steak tomatoes-little flavor.)
1 c. Cilantro
2 ripe but firm avocados
1 c. mango, peaches, or pineapple; any one. (Canned may be used if fresh is not available. Strain the juice.)

Add:
1 can of corn
1 can black beans (strained and rinsed.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. lime juice

For more of a kick, finely dice 1 Jalapeno pepper. Remove the seeds and membrane to avoid too much heat, unless that's your desire!

Strawberry Vinegrette

1 package (16 oz) frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
6 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp poppy seeds

Place the strawberries in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Add lemon juice and sugar. While processing, gradually add vinegar and oil in a steady stream; process until thickened. Stir in poppy seeds. Transfer to a bowl or jar; cover and store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 1/2 cups