foodsandflavors ™ ~ Courtney

Tevepaugh

WRITER Courtney Tevepaugh

Family and Consumer Science Agent, Wilkes County

North Carolina Cooperative Extension

Courtney_tevepaugh@ncsu.edu

Follow along on Facebook @wilkesFCS

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of grilling. Without having to heat up the kitchen you can have a delicious meal and enjoy time outdoors. In my family, we like to fill the grill with foods we can eat throughout the week. Similar to meal prepping, it saves a lot of time and energy when the days are busy. Recently outdoor griddles or flattop grills have become increasingly popular. Adding versatility to outdoor cooking. The large, easy-to-clean surface can cook almost anything and often in large quantities.

If you’re looking to purchase a flattop grill keep in mind these do require more cleaning than a traditional grill. The surface needs to be seasoned properly and wiped down after use. The fun advantage of a griddle is the ability to cook foods that wouldn’t otherwise work alone on a traditional grill surface, like eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, and more. Here are some delicious recipes to try!

Flat-Top Grilling : Summer Recipes to Savor

Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula

1 package naan flatbread

2 peaches pitted and sliced

Olive oil

1/2 cup pesto

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

1 cup fresh arugula leaves

Balsamic glaze

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil grill surface. Add the peach slices. Cook about 3 minutes on each side. Peaches will begin to caramelize. Remove from grill; cover to keep warm. Lightly brush flatbread with olive oil. Place on grill about 2 minutes, flip. Spread with pesto, remove from grill. Top with grilled peaches, mozzarella, and arugula. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Adding prosciutto to the topping makes a great flavor combination.

Fried Rice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1 cup frozen peas and diced carrots

3 eggs lightly beaten

4 cups cooked rice, cooled

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat grill on medium heat, around 350°F. Add vegetable oil to grill, add peas, carrots, and onions. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until soft, move to the side. Add eggs, scramble; move aside.

Add cooked rice, topped with sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Sauté rice 3 to 4 minutes until heated through and browned. Mix all ingredients and enjoy.

For extra flavor garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak for more protein. Vegetable or olive oil will work in place of sesame oil, but will not have the sesame flavor. This recipe works great with leftover rice.

Grilled Summer Squash

2 zucchinis, sliced

2 yellow squash, sliced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Seasonings to taste (we like salt, pepper, and garlic powder)

Preheat grill to medium high. Spread oil onto griddle surface. Add zucchini and squash in a single layer. Season. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, flip and season again. Continue cooking until reaching the tenderness you prefer. Enjoy!

Chicken on the Griddle

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

4 boneless chicken breasts

4 slices bacon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

Optional: fresh parsley for garnish

Marinade: In a small bowl whisk together mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Reserve 1/4cup sauce in a covered container; refrigerate until serving time. Meanwhile, place chicken breasts in a large plastic bag. Pour in remaining sauce to coat chicken. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.

Chicken: Preheat grill to 350-400°F. Place chicken on grill. Cook about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Meanwhile, begin cooking bacon on a separate part of the griddle. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Sauté mushrooms for around 5 minutes. Remove bacon and mushrooms from heat once cooked. Once chicken is complete, divide the mushrooms evenly over the chicken. Top with bacon and cheese. Cover until cheese melts, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

Bobbie Tennant says, “Fond memories are one of life’s greatest blessings...memories of happy days with family sharing good times and delicious food. Several Christmases ago my twin sister Lisa, arranged for our family to stay at a fabulous house on the water in Beaufort. We enjoyed everything—sightseeing, shopping and good food from the local restaurants. Our house had everything you would need for a great getaway including cookbooks that guests had left with some of their own interesting recipes. We copied numerous recipes including a Miss Katie Pie…a sausage and cheese quiche borrowed from the Beaufort Inn. Our family and friends have enjoyed baking and serving this recipe often...we hope you will, too!

Miss Katie Pie

2 (9-inch deep dish) pie shells, thawed

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

5 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 (16-ounce) roll Jimmy Dean HOT sausage

Thaw and prick bottom of pie shells lightly with fork; set aside. Brown sausage; drain; set aside. Beat eggs; add milk, cheeses and sausage. Pour evenly into prepared pie shells. Bake at 425°F. for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350°F. and continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes. Freezes well!

To make only one pie you need: one 9-inch pie shell thawed, 1/2 pound sausage, (about 1 to1 1/4 cups when cooked, drained), 3 eggs, beaten, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup each of grated mozzarella and cheddar. Bake at 425°F. 10 minutes. Reduce to 350°F. 30 to 40 minutes.

Frozen S'mores

WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Ryan Guthrie

It’s pool season and the summer heat is in full effect, typical of our steamy NC summers. Prep this delicious and light dessert to take to outdoor events or in the cooler to the pool.

These squares are great individually wrapped for on-the-go treats. They need about 15 minutes to thaw when pulled out of the freezer, so by the time you get the kids in the water and kick back on your lounge chair, they are perfectly soft and creamy!

Another bonus for moms, s’mores flavor with ice cream coolness without sticks and flames for the kids!

1 box instant chocolate pudding

(6 serving size)

2 1/2 cups cold milk

15 graham crackers

1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme

1 (4-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing paper to overhang the pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until smooth and creamy. Then, fold in 1/4 of the whipped topping. This will make the chocolate layer creamier! Pour into a 9x13-inch pan; spread into an even layer. Chill pudding layer while you mix up the marshmallow layer. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and marshmallow cream until smooth. Fold in remaining 3/4 of the whipped topping. Spread the marshmallow layer evenly over the chocolate layer. Cover with foil. Freeze layers about 6 hours, until firm enough to cut through (freezing time will vary depending on how cold your freezer is). Use the foil or parchment paper to remove layers from the pan and put on a cutting board. Break the graham cracker sheets in half. Lay graham cracker squares on top of the frozen layers, in a grid format, touching on all sides. You will use the graham crackers as a guide to cut your squares. Slice pudding/marshmallow layers into 15 squares the same size as the graham crackers. Leave yourself some room to make clean edges on your outside squares. If your layers have frozen very hard you may want to wait 15 minutes before slicing. (Chef’s note: the leftover edges are even better than licking the spatula!) Sandwich layers in between two graham crackers.

Eat right away or store sandwiches individually wrapped in the freezer in an airtight bag or container. Graham crackers will soften slightly if stored in the freezer for a while, and I think that makes these taste even better. After they've been frozen, allow them to rest at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before eating for the best texture.

Servings: 15

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