bbq sweet corn

wrapped in foil, the corn doesn't lose any of its sweet goodness!

4 ears of corn
4 tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste
foil

husk and wash each ear of corn. set aside.

tear 4 pieces of foil large enough to wrap around corn. smear 1 tbsp of butter on each piece of foil, shake on desired salt & pepper. wrap corn tightly in buttered foil. cook on a hot grill for approx 20 min. make the corn the first thing you add and last thing you take off the grill. tear off foil and enjoy!

country potatoes

nothing like a side of fried potatoes to go with your steak, or eggs, or both! simple, easy and flavorful.

10-12 small potatoes, quartered
1 small sweet onion
pepper to taste
olive oil

preheat a medioum saucepan with 1 tbsp oil. add potatoes and onion. toss to coat in oil, and cook until potatoes can be easily poked with fork.

classic potato salad

a recipe for every family, here's my take on a classic summer potato salad.

6-8 boiled potatoes, cooled and diced
3 boiled eggs, cooled and diced
1/4 C diced celery
1/4 C finely cubed cheddar cheese

Dressing:
equal parts mayo & sour cream
yellow mustard
pickle relish
pepper

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl.

Adjust the dressing ingredients to your preference.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

this is a summer favorite i got from a friend years back and have adapted. you'll quickly fall in love with this recipies ease and adaptability.

green onions, sliced
chopped almonds
strawberries, sliced
baby spinach
grilled chicken, cooled (opt)

Dressing:
1/4C vegetable oil
1/4C sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp worchestire sauce
dash paprika
2 tsp poppy seeds

Mix dressing together and toss with salad just prior to serving.

chinese bbq pork

who doesn't love this stuff? who doesn't feel guilty taking the last piece at a party? this recipe allows you to eat it until hearts content...maybe even share some. it may seem a process to make but it is quite simple and will yield pleasurable results for all your hard work.

Step 1 - Marinade
Combine the following and marinate your meat in a gallon ziplock in the fridge for 12-48 hours.

1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
3/4 tsp chinese 5-spice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 C white wine
2 Tbsp soy sauce
5-6 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 1/2lb pork loin, cut into 2x2x7in strips

Step 2 - BBQ
(I use a Weber charcoal grill & charcoal chimney)
Prepare coals until very hot & ready - approx 20min. Divide coals to each side of the grill. Set meat on rack, down the center of the grill, but not directly over any of the coals. Close the lid and allow coals to burn out - approx 1hr. Turn meat ONCE (lifting lid only once) at the 30min mark. At this time, I also close all grill vents.

After meat has slow-cooked for a total of 1 hour, remove from grill and let chill in the fridge.

Step 3 - Eat
Serve with hot chinese mustard, ketchup and sesame seeds.

bacon sauteed green beans

a great way to use up the season's produce. easy and tasty.

1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1/3 lb bacon

cut up raw bacon into bite sized pieces.

saute bacon until near done, add cut & trimmed green beans.

saute until beans are tender and bright green in color. serve.

broccoli bacon penne

i love this recipe. alter onion and garlic amounts for picky eaters. the brocolli portion can also be used as a side dish.

• 2 lbs fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 pkg raw bacon, chopped
• chicken tenderloins
• penne pasta

boil water for pasta. add pasta and cook until done.

in a large sauce pan, cook bacon until done. do not drain.

when bacon is done, add broccoli and saute with bacon. cook until broccoli softens and turns bright green.

meanwhile, saute chicken in olive oil in a seperate pan. use spatula to break into bite size pieces. when done, remove from heat and set aside.

when broccoli is cooked, add onion and garlic, saute together. cover pan with foil for approx 10 min. broccoli will just start to brown in spots. add chicken and toss to combine.

top penne with broccoli mixture.

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note: you can make broccoli chicken mix in advance and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. to serve, heat saucepan on med. boil pasta. when pasta is done, drain and add hot pasta to preheated pan. add olive oil so it doesn't stick and add broccoli mix. combine with pasta and saute until warm thoughout.

tortellini pasta salad

super quick, super flexible and the kids love it.

• 12 oz pkg dried tortellini
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 cucumber
• sm canned black olives
• 5 oz pkg sliced salami, chopped
• 6 oz crumbled feta
• italian salad dressing, to taste
• fresh basil, to taste
• parmesan, to taste

bring water to a boil for tortellini. meanwhile, chop your veggies and add to a bowl. you can also use whatever you have on hand: canned corn, brocolli, kalamata olives, garbanzo beans, red onion, etc.

mix all veggies and herbs with italian dressing. use enough dressing to coat and marinate the veggies.

boil tortellini until done, approx 8 min. to quickly cool your pasta and sidestep cooling in the fridge, fill a colander with ice and drain your pasta over the ice. mix pasta with ice until ice melts. pasta will be significantly cooled.

add cooked pasta to the marinating veggies. mix in feta cheese and pepper, if desired.

top with parmesan, if desired.

warm baked potato salad

a great side dish, or lunch option.

• 4-5 boiled or baked potatoes
• cooked bacon, crumbled
• chopped green onion
• shredded cheddar cheese
• ranch dressing
• sour cream

chop still-warm potatoes into a large bowl. combine potatoes with bacon, cheese and onions.

stir in equal parts dressing and sour cream until desired consistancy. serve warm.