Grilled Pizza With Summer Vegetables And Smoked Chicken

Grilled Pizza With Sumer Vegetables 

And Smoked Chicken

Active Time

25 Mins

Total Time

25 Mins

Yield

Serves 4

SOUTHERN LIVING

Make a grilled pizza just once, and you will fall in love with the ease and versatility of this easy dinner choice. Whether you have leftover baked chicken, a little bit of last night’s shredded bbq pork, or a surplus of garden vegetables, with a little imagination you can create a fabulous grilled pizza. Think outside the box to combine your favorite herbs, cheeses and fresh fruit into a one-of-a-kind grilled pizza.

Ingredients:

I medium sized zucchini, cut into 1/4" thick slices
1 cup thinly sliced red onion, from 1 small onion
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped (1 1/2 teaspoon)
4 teaspoons evoo divided, plus more for greasing
12 ounces fresh prepared whole-wheat dough, at room temperature
8 ounces smoked chicken shredded
8 ounces low moisture smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh basil and
Red pepper flakes for topping

Directions:
Preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F). Toss together zucchini, onion, corn, garlic, and 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large bowl. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a metal grilling basket lightly coated with oil. Place basket on grill grate, and grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until vegetables are charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from grill. Cut corn kernels from cob; discard cob. Set aside vegetables.

Roll dough into a 14- x 10-inch oval on a lightly floured surface. Place on lightly oiled grates; grill over high heat, uncovered, until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip over; brush top with remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Top with chicken; sprinkle with cheese, leaving a ½-inch border around dough edges. Arrange vegetables over pizza. Grill, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from grill.


Sprinkle with salt and black pepper; top with basil and red pepper flakes.

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms With Squash, Scallions, And Orange Vinaigrette

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms With 

Squash, Scallions, And 
Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette;

2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice, strained

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Salt and fresh ground pepper

*

Olive oil

2 bunches scallions, cleaned

4 portabello mushrooms whole, stems and

    gills carefully removed

3 to 4 thin yellow summer squash,  cut into

   1/2-inch slices

Salad greens your choice

Toasted Sesame seeds

*

Directions:

Vinaigrette

In a saucepan, reduce orange juice to 1/4 cup over medium high heat.  Whisk in sesame oil, then rice wine vinegar.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

*

Brush vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill vegetables over a medium-hot fire: mushrooms about 4 minutes a side, squash 2 to 3 minutes a side, and scallions about 3 minutes.  When grilled, arrange vegetables over greens and drizzle with orange vinaigrette.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serves four as a lunch or light dinner, eight as an appetizer.

Wine suggestion:  Beaujolais

Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps with Tarragon Butter Sauce

Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

With Tarragon Butter Sauce

Mushroom Caps

Butter

Crab meat

*

Remove stems from mushroom caps. In a skillet melt butter, place mushroom caps top side down and saute until partially cooked. Remove from skillet and place in baking dish. Place enough crab meat in each cap to create a small mound. Bake at 350 until crab is cooked but not dry. Place on serving dish and top with Tarragon Butter Sauce.

***

Tarragon Butter Sauce

Recipe divided for a smaller amount of sauce

1 tablespoon shallots, chopped                3/4 teaspoon

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped                   3/4 teaspoon

1 tablespoon onions, chopped                  3/4 teaspoon

1/2 cup white wine vinegar                      2 Tablespoons

1/2 cup dry vermouth                               2 Tablespoons

1/4 cup heavy cream                                1 Tablespoon

1 pound unsalted butter                            1/2 cup butter

3 black peppercorns                                 1 black peppercorn

4 tablespoons tarragon, finely chopped    1 Tablespoon

1/2 tablespoon salt                                    3/8 teaspoon salt

*

Saute shallots, onions and garlic until translucent. De glaze with vinegar, vermouth, and black peppercorns. Reduce to 1 tablespoon. Add cream and reduce to one-half. Turn flame off and add butter. Stir until homogeneous. Add tarragon to sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt.

Grilled Eggplant Salad

Grilled Eggplant Salad

3 Japanese eggplants

1 large sweet onion, peeled

4 plum tomatoes

1 green chili, jalapeno or Serrano

1/4 cup (40 mL) vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped ginger

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped garlic

1 tbsp (15 mL) ground cumin seeds

1 tbsp (15 ML) ground coriander seeds

1 tsp (15 mL) garam masala

3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped coriander

***

1. Cut eggplant into rounds about 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick. Slice 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick rounds and cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds. Brush everything with 2 tbsp (25mL) oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Grill eggplant and onions about 4 minutes per side turning vegetables once. Tomatoes grill for 1 minute per side. Chop into chunks. Grill chili about 2 minutes per side, or until beginning to char and peel around the edges.

3. Heat remaining oil in skillet on grill over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for one minute. Add cumin and coriander and saute for another minute. Stir in all the vegetables, season with salt, cover and saute gently for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to break down. Stir in garam masala. Reheat when needed.

4. Season to taste. Garnish with coriander just before serving. Serves 8

Refried Beans

Refried Beans

Pinto beans, prepared Mexican style, are such a staple. Although beans have a relatively long shelf life, the older they are the longer you'll have to cook them to soften them. Find a source that supplies fresh beans. If you have some that have been sitting around for more than a year, they'll be tough and not as good, you'll need to cook them longer. "Refried" is actually a misnomer. In this instance, refritos means "well fried", not "refried", though you can certainly reheat the beans as you go through a batch. Before frying them though you'll need to cook them, in water, to soften them. There are basically two ways to initially cook the beans - with a pressure cooker and without. Since we make beans so often, we use a pressure cooker. It greatly cuts down on the cooking time. Here are directions for both methods.

Refried Beans

Ingredients:

:2 1/2 cups of dry pinto beans (about 1 lb.)

3 quarts of water

1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)

2 Tbsp pork lard, bacon fat, or olive oil (for vegetarian option)

1/4 cup water

Salt to taste

Cheddar cheese (optional)

Method:

1 Rinse the beans in water and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans.

2 Cook the beans in water. Pressure Cooker method Put beans into a 4 quart pressure cooker with a 15 lb weight. Fill up the pressure cooker with water, up to the line that indicates the capacity for the pot. Cook for 30-35 minutes - until the beans are soft and the skins are barely breaking open.Regular method Put beans into a pot and cover beans with at least 3 inches of water - about 3 quarts for 2 1/2 cups of dry beans. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the batch of beans you have. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open.

Strain the beans from the cooking water.

3 Add the onions and lard/fat/oil to a wide, sturdy (not with a flimsy stick-free lining) frying pan on medium high heat. Cook onions until translucent. (Note the onions are optional, you can skip them if you want.) Add the strained beans and about a 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pan, while you are cooking them, until they are a rough purée. Add more water if necessary to keep the fried beans from getting too dried out. Add salt to taste. Add a few slices of cheddar cheese, or some (1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese if you want. When beans are heated through (and optional cheese melted) the beans are ready to serve.

Note that many recipes call for soaking the beans overnight and discarding the soaking liquid. We don't. We discard the cooking liquid and just add some water back into the frying pan when we are frying the beans.

Hummus With Green Goo

Humus With Green Goo

This hummus keeps nicely, refrigerated, for a few days, but is best served at room temperature. As Heidi notes in her recipe, the hummus might thicken in the refrigerator. If this happens, you can simply thin it with a splash of water. Adjust with salt and lemon juice if needed as well. If you are sensitive to heat, you can deseed and devein the jalepeno.

***

Ingredients:  
Humus:
1 Pound dried chick peas or garbanzo beans, soaked in water for at least 4 hours

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water, scant

1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt

1/3 cup tahini

***

Green Goo:

1/4 cup Italian parsley

1 jalapeño, destemmed

1 large clove garlic

sacnt 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

***

In a large pot cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the baking soda, and reduce the heat. Simmer, skimming any foam from the surface, until the chickpeas are soft but still structured, roughly an hour. Drain. Place 4 cups (1.5 pounds) of the cooked chickpeas in a food processor. (You can set aside any remaining chickpeas and have them as a snack or use them in a stew or soup.) To the food processor add the water, lemon juice, and salt. Process for three minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice along the way. If you like your hummus thinner add more water a small splash at a time. Add the tahini, process one more time. Taste and adjust the seasoning, add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl.

***

To make the "green goo" rinse out the food processor bowl, and use it again, and if you don't have a food processor, you can certainly do a hand-chopped version. Pulse the parsley, jalapeño, garlic, and salt in the food processor. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture while the processor is running, until an green emulsion is created. Transfer to a jar, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Drizzle the hummus generously with the green goo. Serve with pita chips, crackers, flatbread, or toasted lavash. 
Makes 4 cups of hummus.

Adapted from

Insalata's Mediterranean Table written by Heidi Insalata Krahling of Insalata's Restaurant in San Anselmo, California. Sent to me by Heidi Swanson og 101 Cookbooks Blog.

Provencal Tomatoes

Provencal Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 medium ripe flavorful tomatoes, halved horizontally

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon salt

8 black peppercorns

1/4 nutmeg, finely grated

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped

a handful of crushed herbs, i.e. chives, parsley, tarragon, borrage, oregano, and sage, or 2 teaspoons dried Herbs of Provence if fresh herbs are not available.

***

Directions:

Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard the seeds and juice.

***

Using a pestle and mortar, grind together the salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Stir in the nutmeg. Sprinkle the tomatoes with this mixture, and put some shallots inside each one.

***

Pour the olive oil into a large wide heavy based skillet and heat hard for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes in a single layer, hollow side up. Scatter the garlic and half the herbs, then cook for 2 minutes on a fairly high heat, uncovered.

***

Now add 2 Tablespoons of the water, stock, or wine. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, and cook for 10 minutes more.

***

Using a spoon and a palette knife to turn the tomatoes, being careful to keep neat shapes. If the liquid is evaporated, add 2 Tablespoons more of the water, stock, or wine. Cover the skillet again and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. By now the tomatoes should be sticky, nearly collapsed, and very fragrant.

***

Serve them right side up, with any of the sticky residue from the skillet, and sprinkled with the remaining fresh herbs and a few toasted bread crumbs. Enjoy hot, warm or cool. Serves 4

From the cookbook Flavors of Provence.

Zucchini Stuffed Baby Bellas or Portobellos

Grilled Baby Bellas

I enjoy summertime grilled vegetables and this recipe probably tops the list. It is not difficult to prepare but does require a little planning as the zucchini must be sliced and salted, allowing 1/2 hour to help dehydrate the excess moisture.  Made on the grill or in the oven these will be a hit!

Ingredients:

Tender small zucchini ( 1" diameter)

1 teaspoon salt

olive oil

spring onions

garlic clove

chopped basil leaves

Parmesan cheese

2 1/2 inch portobello mushrooms or Baby Bellas

Directions:

Use a mandolin to slice zucchini into thin slices: sprinkle with salt and place in colander to drain excess moisture for thirty minutes. Rinse with cold water to remove excess salt and drain well.

Remove stem from mushroom caps being careful not to break cap or edges. Scrape dark gills from underside of mushroom cap as these are bitter to taste.

Place caps with underside up and place 1 teaspoon of olive oil in caps.

In a saute pan, place a small amount of olive oil enough to saute the thinly sliced green onion until transparent, add garlic to saute 1 minute. Add drained zucchini slices and allow to saute until slightly cooked. The zucchini will take on a glossy appearance. Add the chopped basil leaves

Fill the cavity of each mushroom and top with Parmesan cheese. I place on the grill and use a very low setting of heat or in the oven 325*F. They are done when the mushroom cap gives easily when a spoon is pressed against the edge. These can be made in the oven and finished under the broiler for a brief period to add a little color.

* The amounts are not specific as tastes vary and also the amount you want to make. I use a 6" zucchini, 2 spring onions and one garlic clove with four chopped basil leaves for two mushroom caps. Also use a smaller portabella mushroom as the larger mushrooms have a stronger flavor that I find distasteful.

Chili Lime Corn On The Cob

Chili Lime Corn On The Cob

Cooking corn on the cob in its de-silked husk keeps the kernels moist. Feel free to husk it and wrap in foil.

***

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon finely shredded lime zest

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

6 ears sweet corn

***

Directions:

Combine butter, zest, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl. Stir well to incorporate flavors. Chill until ready to use.

***

Pull back husk without detaching at base and remove as much silk as possible, and fold husks back over ears and tie in place with kitchen string. Soak ears for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Drain ears, open husks, dry ears with paper towels and spread evenly with butter mixture. Refold husks over ears and tie with kitchen string. Corn can be kept at this point chilled up to 24 hours.

***

Prepare grill for indirect medium heat (350F to 450F, you can hold your hand 5 inches above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Then turn off one burner and lower the others to medium. Grill corn over cooler spot, grill lid covered, until tender and charred, 20 minutes. Serve with salt for sprinkling.

Grilled Potato Salad

Grilled Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 lbs. new red or white potatoes, unpeeled

Vegetable oil for brushing

5 slices lean bacon

***

Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons chopped dill pickle

salt and freshly ground pepper

***

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley (optional)

***

Directions:

Parboil the potatoes just so they can be pierced with the point of a knife but not completely tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain, pat dry, Brush the potatoes with oil. Place on a grill over the hottest part of the fire, turning once or twice until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.

***

Chop the bacon into small bite size pieces and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels to remove any excess fat.

***

Transfer the potatoes to a cutting board, let cool just until they can be handled, and then slice into chunks discarding any loose skin.

***

To make the mustard vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, pickle, and salt and pepper to taste.

***

In a large serving bowl, toss the warm potatoes, bell pepper, and onion with the vinaigrette until all of the ingredients are evenly coated. Let stand for up to 30 minutes to blend flavors. Add the bacon to the salad and mix it into the salad. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6

Grilled Vegetables

Grilled Vegetables

Summer time with the abundance of fresh vegetables and the opportunity to grill make dinner preparation such a breeze! This is a Williams and Sonoma recipe which is a favorite. I hope it will become your favorite.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup olive oil plus 2 Tablespoons for brushing

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 eggplant( 1-1/4 lb.) trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2" thick slices

2 zucchini trimmed and thickly sliced lengthwise

2 red or yellow bell peppers

6 green onions, including the tops, trimmed

Sea salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, *optional

Directions:

Mince together the garlic and parsley. Transfer to a small bowl and add the 1/2 cup olive oil and the vinegar and mix well.

***

Oil the grilling rack. Brush the vegetables with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Using tongs lay the eggplant and zucchini slices, the peppers and the green onions over the hottest part of the coals or grill. Cook the eggplant and zucchini slices, turning once, until both sides have grill marks and the slices are tender, about six minutes total for the egg[plant and about 3 minutes total for the zucchini. Grill the green onions, turning as needed, until the skin is blackened and evenly blistered on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Grill the peppers, turning as needed, until the skin is blackened and evenly blistered on all sides, about 10 minutes total.

As the vegetables finish cooking, transfer the eggplant, zucchini, and onions to a platter. Place the peppers in a bag and fold over the top so they will steam. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove from bag and remove the skins and stems. Slit the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips. Add the peppers to the platter.

***

Drizzle the olive oil-parsley mixture evenly over the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and if using the red pepper flakes. Serve at once.

***

TIP I grill my bell peppers first and then proceed with the remaining vegetables so everything is completed at about the same time.

Baked Beans and Broccoli Slaw Salad

Toni Ravella Baked Beans

Meet Connie Jo and John aka "JB"

Connie and John lived neighbors to Tom and Susan. A year ago they moved but the friendship has remained. John, Connie, and her wonderful mother Marilyn came to the party Saturday evening at Tom and Susan's home. Connie always brings such great dishes which we truly enjoy. I was a little late with the camera as the salad was eaten when I got into the kitchen but I did get a good photo of the baked beans. Connie was so kind to share the recipes. Try these recipes and I know they will remain as favorites of yours also. Thanks Connie for sharing.

***

Toni Ravella Baked Beans

Cooking Time 1.5 hours

1/2 pound bacon cut into 1" pieces

1 pound ground beef

1 red onion chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 Tablespoon mustard

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 Tablespoon salt

1-16oz. can Campbell Pork and Beans

1-16oz. can lima or cannelini beans (drained)

1-16oz. kidney beans

1-28oz. can Bushes Baked Beans (Original)

Directions:

Cook bacon in deep pot on stove top. Drain bacon on paper towel, reserve 2 Tbsp bacon fat. Add beef to skillet and cook until brown. Drain fat. Pour all ingredients in baking dish or to pot. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours OR cook on stove top. Cover and stir often.

***

Broccoli Slaw Salad

2 packages Ramen Noodles Beef, Chicken, or Oriental (keep flavoring pouches to add to dressing) Crush in package with palm of hand. 16 ounce package Broccoli Coleslaw (from Produce Dept.)

1 cup sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted

3/4 cup slivered almonds (brown slightly in oven or in buttered saucepan)

1 bunch green onions including stems, chopped

***

Dressing

3/4 cup oil

3/8 cup sugar

1/4 cup vinegar (Connie uses 1/2 Balsamic vinegar and 1/2 another type)

Flavoring packages from both packages of Ramen Noodles

***

Directions:

Mix dressing ahead of time and shake well in jar to dissolve sugar. (let set out at room temperature.)

Place all ingredients in large bowl and mix together. Add the dressing and toss at the last minute. This recipe goes together in minutes and is served at room temp. Enjoy!!! Connie