Portobello Burgers

Jack discovered and prepared this tasty burger for us this summer. It has become a meatless favorite.

Portobello Burgers
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee via Foodnetwork.com 

Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time:10 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 serving

Ingredients
4 portobello mushrooms, stems on
2 teaspoons grill seasoning
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup grated Cheddar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 hamburger buns, toasted
4 leaves romaine lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
Directions
Rub the mushroom caps with a damp cloth to clean. Remove stems and reserve for Round 2 recipe "Stuffed Zucchini".

In a small bowl combine the grill seasoning, oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Brush over the mushrooms making sure to coat completely. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for the aioli.

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill on medium heat. Put the mushrooms, gill side down, onto the grill and grill about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. After you flip the mushrooms top each with 2 tablespoons of Cheddar.

While the mushrooms are grilling, make the aioli sauce by combining the remaining 2 tablespoons of the marinade with the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Spread each hamburger bun with aioli sauce. Remove mushrooms from the grill and serve on the toasted buns with lettuce and tomato slices.



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com

C&M's Fresh Lime Freeze

My brother Chad and his wife Merrie, make this refreshing lime freeze. They first served us this treat when they came to visit us when we lived in upstate New York. Over the summer I got several limes in one of my bountiful baskets and had to call her for the recipe. Thank you Chad and Merrie for sharing this refreshing recipe.

C&M's Fresh Lime Freeze

1-2 Limes, wash limes and cut in 1/2 or 1/4's and place (peels and all) in a blender.

Add 1 cup of water and blend well. Strain limes and water through a fine mesh strainer, catching in a bowl all the lime juice and water. There may be some contents left in the blender. Add a small amount of water to clean/rinse it out and strain anything left on the blender sides.

Place the strained lime/water liquid back into the blender add 2-3 cups of water.

Add 3/4 cup sugar and fill the blender up with ice and blend. (In place of the ice vanilla ice cream can also be added.)

**If you like a stronger lime flavor you can increase your limes or cut back on the sugar.

Fruit Slush

(Fruit slush prior to freezing)

This is a refreshing and light slush. Perfect for those hot summer day BBQ's right around the corner. This recipe is T. Mangus adapted recipe from a Taste of Home recipe. T. Mangus has the "great cook" title hooked to her name here in our little town. They say whatever recipe she submits to the hospital cookbook, shares, etc. Is always sure to be a hit. For me this one was no exception. When we were served this at a small church gathering they served it with a dollop of canned whipped cream on it--the added touch.

Fruit Slush (T. Mangus)

1 (12 oz) can frozen lemonade

3-4 Bananas

1 can pineapple crushed or tidbits, with juices

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 can peaches with juices

1 can pears with juices

1 container of frozen strawberries (I used a frozen bag and put it what I thought looked good)

1-2 cups frozen blueberries or other berries

6 oz can of Orange Juice, undiluted

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer 45 minutes before serving. Mix in 1 (20 oz) bottle of Sprite or 7-Up before serving.

*Red grapes halved can be used instead of blueberries. The berries just give it more contrast and sweetness verses a tart flavor.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo

This sandwich was nice for a quick weeknight family meal. Its a good mix-up to an original ordinary sandwich. Jack thought that they were hard to eat on the Ciabatta. He thinks they would be easier for kids to eat on a softer style roll. I liked the Ciabatta flavor and texture, but agreed with Jack it is quiet the mouthful. The one perk of buying Ciabatta bulk par-baked at Costco is that I can under bake them slightly so the crust isn't so crisp.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo

1/4 cup Basil Pesto (I buy mine in bulk at Costco and then divide it up into 1/4 cup baggies and freeze them. We use it for a pasta sauce too.)

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (or 8-10 tenders depending on how many sandwiches you need)

4 Ciabatta rolls or French rolls, split horizontally (I buy my Ciabatta by the case at Costco too and split it with some one)

8 Thin slices provolone or other Italian cheese

Preheat grill or broiler. Spread 3 Tablespoons pest over chicken breast. Place remaining pesto and mayo in small bowl and combine until smooth. Chill until ready to use. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes over medium high heat; turn over. Grill for an additional 3-5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Spread pesto mayo over bread and top with chicken and cheese. Add lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and onions if desired.

Serves 4-6 depending on the size of your eaters! :-)

Clubhouse Chicken Squares

I got this recipe from one of my Pampered Chef Cookbooks. This a tasty appetizer that we actually had for a dinner on one of our warm spring days-not like the snow today! The kids liked it and it was tasty, but loaded with calories and fat! Because of its high fat and calorie content it is probably best served as an appetizer (Each square if you get 12 servings out of your creation according to the book has upwards of 300 calories and 20 g of fat. Now if you used reduced fat products like I always like to do I can't tell you what the counts are, but I bet it doesn't change them all that much!---DARN!). This would be a fun party or shower finger food.

Clubhouse Chicken Squares

2 packages (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened ( I personally think you could go less here!)

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1 teaspoon Dill mix (I used McCormick's "It's a Dilly mix)

1 can (10 oz) Chunk white chicken, drained and flaked (I cooked and diced chicken tenders)

1/2 small cucumber, seeded, sliced, and quartered

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used slicing tomatoes I had on hand)

1/2 cup (2 oz) Shredded Cheddar cheese

6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll one package of crescent rolls across one end of stoneware pan with longest sides of dough across width of pan. Repeat with remaining package of dough, filling pan. Roll dough to seal perforations and press up sides to form crust. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool completely.

In a bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, pressed garlic and dill mix; mix well. Spread mixture evenly over crust; top with chicken.

Thinly slice cucumber and cut into quarters. Dice tomatoes and grate cheese. Sprinkle cucumber, tomatoes, cheese and bacon over chicken. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

Serves 12.

We didn't wait for it to cool. We just ate it up the way it was and were content that dinner was accomplished! :-)

Refrigerated Salad

This is one of those dishes I made a LONG time ago! (June to be exact.) It was crisp and refreshing during those hot summer months. This is one I don't want to forget. It is a recipe of our family friend Camille Fowler.

Refrigerated Salad

Break up one head of lettuce in a bowl

Then layer the following ingredients on the lettuce:

layer of fresh sliced mushrooms

Bean sprouts (I can't typically leave this out)

Grated Carrots (I use my Julienner; I love it! It makes the perfect little sticks.)

Frozen peas

Water chestnuts [optional] (I leave them out)

Ice with mayonnaise and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and bacon bits.

I typically use: (It is a one to one ratio--example: 1/2 cup mayo. 1/2 T. sugar)

1 cup or less of Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon or less sugar

Stir it together and then spread it on top. I omit the ice part because I don't want to deal with the sogginess that it can make it I don't think the entire salad will be eaten. Simply make what you think would be appropriate for your size of salad. Enjoy!

Rainbow Pasta Salad

I got this recipe from my Taste of Home June/July 2000 (p.51) issue. This is another recipe I made back in June and discovered that I hadn't posted yet. It is a great salad to use up some of the fresh veggies from the garden.

Rainbow Pasta Salad

1 pkg (16 oz) Tricolor spiral pasta

2 cups chopped broccoli florets

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup tomatoes

1/2 cup cucumber

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

1 jar (6.5 oz) marinated artichoke hearts (optional! I never have used them-don't typically have them on hand anyway.)

1 bottle (8 oz) Italian Salad dressing

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a bowl; add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Yields 12-14 servings