Michele Makes Fourth of July Eats

FOURTHOFJULY Michele makes … Fourth of July eats

By Michele E. Buttelman

Signal Staff Writer

Celebrate the Fourth of July with more than hot dogs and hamburgers thrown on the backyard grill. Make it a special day with “custom” kabobs, a unique coleslaw salad and a dessert that screams “Hurray for the Red, White and Blue!”

Add in some simple grilled corn, bacon-wrapped asparagus and a few tasty beverages, and you’ve got a Fourth of July party fit for a patriot!

‘Kustom’ Kabobs

We all like different foods. Why make a “onetaste-fits-all” kabob when it is so easy to create “custom” kabobs to suit everyone’s taste?

First gather a bunch of veggies for the kabobs. I usually “par-cook” these so they’re mostly done and just need to be reheated on the grill. Pro tip Marinade your meat then cook on the grill, or in the oven.

Put all the meats and veggies on separate plates, have your guests assemble their “kustom kabobs.” Glaze the kabobs and grill for a few minutes on all sides to finish. The best part of the kabobs is always the “char” from the grill. Glazes listed below should compliment the marinades used for the meat.

Lamb Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil 3 cloves garlic, pressed Juice of 1 lemon Fresh rosemary, cut fine Fresh mint, chopped

Steak Marinade

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 10-12 cloves fresh garlic, minced 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. salt

Duck Marinade

2 tbsp. finely grated orange zest 3/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tsp. black pepper

Chicken and Duck Glaze

2/3 cup soy sauce 2/3 cup honey 1/2 cup canola oil 1 tbsp. prepared horseradish 2 tsp. steak seasoning 2 garlic cloves, minced

Veggie Glaze

For your vegan and vegetarian friends. Finish this kabob with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar after you remove it from the grill. 1/4 cup canola oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp. dried basil 1 tsp. salt

Veggies

Cherry tomatoes, onion slices and chunks (sweet and red), green, red and yellow peppers, pineapple chunks, green zucchini slices or chunks, cremini mushrooms, yellow squash slices

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus 1 lb. package uncooked bacon, thin sliced Olive oil Balsamic glaze (optional) Salt and pepper to taste Wash asparagus and trim ends. Place asparagus on tray and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Wrap 2-3 spears with one slice bacon. Repeat with remaining asparagus and bacon. Heat grill to medium heat then place asparagus bundles on grill and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until bacon is crispy. During last minute of grilling, brush asparagus bunches with balsamic glaze. Avoid adding glaze too soon or it may burn. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Simple Grilled Corn

6 ears white or yellow sweet corn Butter and salt to taste Preheat grill to 375 F. Shuck corn and toss on the grill until corn gets a “char” and the kernels are cooked and soft. Remove and immediately roll in butter and salt to taste.

Easy Pomegranate Coleslaw

1/2 head cabbage (about 4 cups) 2 green onions 1 large carrot (or small bag of shredded carrots)

1 apple Sliced almonds or sunflower seeds to taste (about 1/2 cup) 1/2 bottle coleslaw dressing 1 cup pomegranate arils Using shredder disc in food processor, or hand shredder, shred cabbage, carrot and apple. Finely cut up green onions, using all of the onion, from tip to tip. Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and nuts or sunflower seeds and serve with dressing on the side. I have a friend who makes this salad and adds shredded pear. I’ve never been successful with the pear portion, it’s either too mushy or too “green.”

Red, White and Blue Shortcake

1 1/2 quarts strawberries, sliced (6 cups) 1 1/2 cups sugar 4 2/3 cups Bisquick 1 cup milk 6 tbsp. sugar 6 tbsp. melted butter 2 cups blueberries 1 tub non-dairy whipped cream topping (you can also use real whipped cream you make yourself, or the spray can variety). Mix strawberries and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Let stand 1 hour. Heat oven to 425 F. Mix Bisquick, milk, 6 tbsp sugar and the butter until soft dough forms. Gently smooth dough into ball on surface sprinkled lightly with Bisquick. Knead 10 times. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 3-inch starshaped or round cutter. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Stir blueberries into strawberries. Split shortcakes in half. Fill and top with berries and whipped cream. Easier shortcut Replace biscuits with slices of premade pound cake purchased from the grocery bakery (or thawed Sara Lee pound cake from the freezer aisle.) Optional: Place tiny American flags atop each dessert. 