Try making these six recipes for your Memorial Day picnics
Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are almost upon us, so it’s time to light up the grill, gather up a handful of recipes and get a Memorial Day party going this weekend.
What’s on the menu? Keep it traditional, with a kick: Potato salad and a corn and bean salad that start on the grill; Italian herb-seasoned stuffed burgers you won’t forget; a couple of sauces to top any burgers — remoulade and avocado; and a patriotic red and blue berry pie with a creamy filling.
Loaded Roasted Potato Salad
3 pounds red potatoes, cut into uniform bite-sized pieces
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 entire head of garlic
2 slices of turkey bacon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for roasting
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1/2 of a juicy lemon)
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, chopped
2-3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil.
Combine chopped potatoes and green beans in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Spread out evenly on baking sheets.
Slice the top of the garlic head off so cloves are exposed. Coat the top of the cloves with 1 tablespoons olive oil and wrap entire head in foil. Place vegetables and garlic head in the oven or on a medium. Roast vegetables for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and give them a good toss. Place back in the oven/grill for an additional 20 minutes.
While vegetables roast, cook turkey bacon on a non-stick skillet over medium-heat high. Once browned, set aside to cool. Chop into small pieces.
In the meantime, prepare sauce by whisking together 1/4 cup olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, herbs, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Once vegetables have roasted for a total of 45 minutes and garlic has roasted for 60 minutes, remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Remove all garlic cloves from shells and roughly chop.
In a large bowl, combine roasted vegetables, garlic, turkey bacon and dressing. Toss to evenly combine. Top with extra herbs (optional) and serve.
Serves 7, each 3/4 cup with 265 calories, 9.5 grams fat, 37 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 290 mg sodium, 8 grams protein, 3 mg cholesterol.
Grilled Corn and Bean Salad
SALAD:
4 fresh or frozen ears of corn, husks removed
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno or serrano chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (wear plastic gloves when handling)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
DRESSING:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 large or 4 small limes)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch chili powder
2 cloves garlic, pushed through a press
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Hot sauce
For the salad: Preheat a grill on high for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium high and grill the corn, with the cover closed and turning occasionally, until some kernels are black, about 12 minutes. Remove and allow the corn to cool slightly.
Using a sharp knife, cut off the kernels into a very large, deep serving bowl.
(Hold the narrow end of the cob, point the other end into the bowl and cut downward, so that flying kernels are trapped by the bowl itself.) Add the black beans, chickpeas, cilantro, green and red bell peppers, onions, chile peppers, salt and pepper to taste to the bowl and toss.
For the dressing: Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, salt, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with hot sauce.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to thoroughly coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, toss again and serve. The salad can be made a day in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving. Yield: 12 to 14 servings.
Foodnetwork.com/adapted from “One Dish at a Time: Delicious Recipes from My Italian-American Childhood and Beyond” by Valerie Bertinelli
Basil Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise
MAYONNAISE:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
BURGERS:
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split
Additional fresh basil leaves, optional
In a small bowl, combine tomatoes and water. Let stand for 5 minutes; drain.
In a food processor, combine mayonnaise and tomatoes; cover and process until blended. Chill until serving.
In a large bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, basil, Italian seasoning, garlic, pepper and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 12 thin patties. Place 2 tablespoons cheese on six patties; top with remaining patties and press edges firmly to seal.
On a greased grill, cook burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees and juices run clear.
Serve on buns with mayonnaise mixture and, if desired, additional basil. Yield: 6 servings.
Avocado Burger Sauce
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl, mash avocado with the sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and salt. Refrigerate until serving. Makes enough for four burgers.
Red, White and Blue Berry Pie
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons raspberry gelatin
1 pint fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
1 pint fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
FILLING:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 3/4 cups whipped topping
1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in gelatin until dissolved.
2. Divide mixture in half. Stir blueberries and lemon juice into one portion; spread over crust. Chill until set. Gently fold raspberries into remaining gelatin mixture; cool to room temperature and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping; spread over blueberry layer. Chill until set, about 2 hours.
4. Carefully spread raspberry mixture over cream cheese layer. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Spicy Remoulade Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems
1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons jarred horseradish
2 medium cloves garlic
In a food processor, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, parsley, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, horseradish and garlic. Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Set remoulade aside. Makes enough sauce for 6 burgers.
This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 9:54 AM with the headline "Try making these six recipes for your Memorial Day picnics."