Beef skewers and potatoes
Red Wine and Garlic Marinated Beef Skewers
Red Wine and Garlic Marinated Beef Skewers
3/4 cup Rosemount Pinot Noir
1/3 cup top quality balsamic or olive oil vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary, basil or herb blend
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 pound boneless beef, cut into very thin bite-size strips
Combine all ingredients except beef in a large resealable plastic bag. Remove 1/4 cup mixture and set aside. Add beef to marinade; seal bag and chill for several hours or overnight. Thread beef onto skewers and grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side. Place in shallow dish and pour reserved marinade over the top.
Make ahead tip: Prepare marinade at home and store in a large resealable bag in the cooler. Beef may also be sliced and frozen and stored in another resealable bag in the cooler. It will be ready to add to the marinade once it’s thawed, making this dish a snap to prepare on site. Makes 4 servings.
Foil Wrapped Potatoes Au Gratin
2 (1.6-ounce) packets Alfredo sauce mix
1 cup Rosemount Chardonnay
1 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 (5-ounce) package shredded Swiss cheese blend (or 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese)
1 1/2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved and sliced
Sliced green onions and black pepper
Whisk together Alfredo sauce mix, wine, milk and mustard in a medium saucepan until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; stir in cheese. Place equal amounts of potatoes onto 4 large pieces of lightly buttered heavy-duty foil. Top with equal amounts of cheese sauce then fold in top and sides of packets to seal, leaving room for air to circulate. Place on a grill or near a fire over medium-low heat and cook for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, turning packets occasionally to avoid hot spots. Top with green onions and black pepper.
Make ahead tip: Prepare cheese sauce at home and store in a tightly sealed container in the cooler. Warm slightly before pouring over potatoes. Makes 4 servings.
-Courtesy of Foster’s Wine Estates/Family Features.
1 rack baby back ribs
2 tablespoons Cajun Shake
3 tablespoons Original Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 cup Cajun Injector BBQ Mesquite Marinade
As is true of many Chinese dishes, the most difficult part of the recipe is in the sauce, and making it can be daunting for the home cook. But now, dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken are easy to make at home when using a purchased bottled sauce, such as Annie Chun’s Kung Pao sauce. Traditional Kung Pao sauce is made with naturally brewed soy sauce, roasted sesame oil, ginger, garlic and chili.
4 No Name Pecan Crusted Chicken Breasts
4 cups field greens, chopped
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
12 to 16 Kalamata olives
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
4 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
8 lime wedges
1/2 cup light or regular ranch dressing
It’s a great time to be a fan of grilling. Exciting flavors and fresh ingredients make it easy to give simple summer parties an unforgettable flair.
For a menu that goes beyond the basic grilled meat and separate side dishes, think about mixing things up. Side dishes don’t have to stay on the side, and the grill enhances the fresh flavor of fruit. The bold flavors of Uncle Ben’s new whole grain rice products and fresh mangos make these recipes sumptuously special.
• Involve your kids in cooking and planning meals. Talk about what makes some ingredients better than others.
• Fast food visits are sometimes hard to avoid - so pass on the “value-size.” Avoid double meat and bacon. A serving size of meat is 2-3 ounces. Substitute mustard for the mayo and other calorie-laden dressings and sauces.
