Easy Grilled Vegetable Recipes

Now here is a recipe that can be used during the Thanksgiving season as well as the Christmas season although when it comes to food and of course I know how to prepare all the recipes that I share with everyone everyday can be a holiday for me depending on what my taste is for a particular day.
Every persons taste is different and that is what makes the world go around, but there isn’t much that I don’t like when it comes to the sweet things.
Remember your ingredients should be at room temperature.


1-2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs slightly beaten
1 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups canned solid pack pumpkin
½ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup each walnuts and raisins


Preheat your oven to 350 degrease. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
In a 5 quart mixing bowl combine the first 5 ingredients then add eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and mix until well combined then add your nuts and raisins and mix until smooth.
Pour your mix into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes or until a pick placed into the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes then remove from pan and continue to cool on same rack.
Well now it’s time to eat it, get out the butter and coffee and “enjoy”.

Think of the word pumpkin and images of jack-o-lanterns and whipped cream covered Thanksgiving pies will probably pop into your mind. Pumpkin is traditionally considered a holiday food and is a staple in our kitchen pantries and freezers during that festive time of the year. However, did you know that pumpkin now heralded as one of the ‘Super Foods?’

According to Dr. Steven Pratt, author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, “Well, pumpkin is one of the most nutritionally valuable foods known to man. Moreover, it’s inexpensive, available year round in canned form, incredibly easy to incorporate into recipes, high in fiber, low in calories, and packs an abundance of disease fighting nutrients.”

What exactly makes pumpkin so super? The powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids give this food its super status. Carotenoids have the ability to ward off the risk of various types of cancer and heart disease, along with, cataracts and macular degeneration. Dr. Pratt mentions many other disease fighting super foods in his book as well, but we are most interested in pumpkin because of the year-round availability and ease of use in canned form.

How can we add this wonder food to our diets through out the year? Take advantage of the benefits and great taste of pumpkin with the following delicious Pumpkin Recipes.

Any day Pumpkin Pancakes

2-1/2 cups flour
1 cup of buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
2-1/4 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup of pumpkin

Measure flour into bowl and add dry ingredients. Stir in buttermilk and add pumpkin. Mix Well. Cook on hot griddle or skillet until golden brown.

Pumpkin Spiced Muffins

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl cream butter with brown sugar. Beat in eggs, then
pumpkin and milk. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, spices, salt and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Fresh corn and the grill go together like fireworks and the Fourth of July, but you don't have to wait for a holiday or special occasion to enjoy corn on the cob. Supersweet corn from Florida is ready to grill right now.

Unlike traditional corn, Supersweet corn has more natural sugars and stays sweet longer. To keep kernels sweet and tender, always store fresh corn in the refrigerator in a high-humidity drawer or wrapped loosely in plastic. For perfect grilled corn follow these tips:

Out of the husk-for slightly charred, smoky flavor:

Brush ears with melted butter or flavored oil; grill, turning often, until kernels are golden, 7 to 10 minutes.

In the husk-for more intense flavor:

Pull back the husks and remove silks; replace husks and tie in place with a strip of husk or string. Soak in water for 10 minutes. Grill, turning often, for 7 to 10 minutes. For easy eating, pull back the husks and tie together to form a handle.

In foil-for moist, make-ahead corn:

Place each husked ear on a square of foil; brush with butter (plain or seasoned with garlic and/or herbs), barbecue sauce or flavored oil; wrap ears. Grill, turning often, for 7 to 10 minutes.

Indoor "grilling":

Place husked ears on a shallow pan, lightly brush with butter, about 6 inches from a hot broiler; grill, turning often, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes.

After grilling, add flavor to the corn with one of these combinations:

Easy Pesto Butter: Mix one stick of softened butter with 2 tablespoons pesto-from a jar or made at home.

Buffalo Corn Butter: Mix 1/2 stick softened butter with 1 tablespoon each of hot sauce and lemon juice.

Herb Butter: Mix 1/2 stick softened butter with 1 teaspoon of your favorite dried herb (such as rosemary or dill).

Goat Cheese Spread: Combine 1/4 cup goat cheese with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Sesame Soy Sauce: Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce with 2 tablespoons each lime juice and toasted sesame oil.

Most Americans would agree that nothing beats a perfectly grilled steak, a tender pork loin or a delicious cut of lamb - especially when paired with just the right glass of full-bodied wine.

Australians also share a genuine passion for barbecuing. While the folks down under are reaching for their "shrimp on the barbie" or their pork, ribs or steak, they also tend to reach for their favorite glass of wine. Quite often, that wine will be a Shiraz, the hallmark grape of Australia. Shiraz, with its rich fruit character, seems perfectly suited to take on any of the big, bold tastes coming off the grill.

One Australian winery in particular has long been acknowledged for making approachable, award-winning Shiraz wines that are right for any time of the year, but are especially in season when it's time to fire up the grill. The Wyndham Estate winery, located in Australia's famed Hunter Valley wine growing region, is known throughout the world as "the place where Australian Shiraz began."

The following recipe is an example of the kind of entrée that pairs well with a full-bodied Shiraz, like Wyndham Estate's Bin 555. Wyndham Estate wines are available nationally and imported by Pernod Ricard USA.


BARBECUED BUTTERFLIED LAMB WITH MINT


1 (5- to 6-pound) leg of lamb, boned and trimmed

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup mint jelly

1/3 cup minced fresh mint leaves (keep a few leaves for decoration)

Salt

Pepper


In a 1 1/2 quart pan over medium heat, bring to a boil the vinegar and mint jelly. Stir in mint leaves and pour evenly over lamb. Cover and chill 2 hours or up to a day, turning meat over occasionally.

Barbecue over medium heat, turning meat to brown evenly; baste with marinade. For rare meat, cook about 40 minutes or until thermometer reads 140 degrees in thickest area of meat. Rest cooked lamb for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with mint sprigs. Slice meat thin. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  - NU

The next time you're planning a picnic, don't forget the pickle's place at the table when preparing your menu. Consider this potato salad recipe for your next gathering.

Red, White and Blue Savory Potato Salad

Serves 8 to 10


6 large red potatoes, unpeeled

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

4 small green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green part only)

6 slices maple-smoked bacon

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (or one 4-ounce package)


Dressing

11/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup minced Del Monte® Organic Sweet Bread & Butter Chips

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed (ground or whole)

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook potatoes until fork tender. Drain; set aside. Cook and crumble bacon, reserving two tablespoons of drippings. In a medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients. If thinner dressing is desired, add small amounts of liquid from the pickle jar.

While potatoes are still warm, cut into small chunks. In a deep glass bowl, layer 1/3 potatoes, eggs and onions. Top each layer with 1/3 portion of dressing. Repeat two more times, ending with dressing. Top with crumbled bacon and blue cheese.

And now there is an organic choice of pickles. Del Monte® offers the first line of USDA-certified organic pickles, available in supermarkets and retail outlets offering natural and organic foods nationwide.

A favorite among many, pickles tempt the taste buds, pack a zesty punch and, perhaps best of all, kids love them. With no fat and few carbohydrates or calories, pickles make a great snack or addition to any meal.

"Pickles are a great treat throughout the year, but it doesn't get much better than adding fresh pickle slices to a burger, or better yet, just eat whole pickles straight from the jar," said Jeff Tuttle, chief marketing officer for M.A. Gedney Company, producer and marketer of the Del Monte® line of pickles. "And, our online cookbook provides plenty of choices for great pickle recipes that are sure to be a hit at any picnic."

Cinco de Mayo not only marks a heralded Mexican holiday, but also provides an opportune time to bring out the grill and turn your backyard BBQ into fiesta.

While tequila, Mexico's most renowned export, is most commonly used in margaritas, it also makes an excellent marinade ingredient for grilling:

Golden Margarita Glaze

Brush on a little fiesta flavor every time you grill with this luscious, zesty margarita glaze. Great on fish and shellfish, chicken, pork or vegetables.

Makes about 1/2 cup or 4 servings.

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup Jose Cuervo Golden Margarita

1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. taco seasoning or ground cumin

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside. Brush your food with glaze during the last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling. Drizzle any unused glaze over your food just before serving.

It's always important to satisfy your guests' hunger and thirst, but tending to the grill and tending to the bar can be difficult to do simultaneously. Here's a timesaving tip: Look for ready-to-serve margaritas whenever you buy spirits. Delicious and convenient, ready-to-serve margaritas allow you to entertain with quality and style-just twist the cap, pour and enjoy.

One option, Authentic Cuervo Margaritas Minis, comes in easy-to-carry four packs of single-serve bottles. ACM Minis are perfect for tailgating parties, trips to the beach or sitting at the pool. Portable and convenient, ACM Minis allow you to bring the fun of margaritas anywhere!

Celebrate the best of Mexican culture by grilling with a distinctive Mexican spirit.

Broccoli salad is a very versatile dish that can be made in an endless variety of ways. Here is a breakdown of the most popular ingredients and dressings.

1-Ingredients:

The first ingredient is of course fresh broccoli. 2 heads will do for an average sized salad. Chop the stem off and cut the flowerettes into bite sized pieces.

Next add some chopped vegetables. The favorites are onion, celery, carrots and cauliflower. Just add as much as you like until it looks like a good mix.

Some people like to add bacon. Fry up 6-8 strips until crispy, drain grease and set aside. Crumble bacon after it's cooled and add to salad just before serving.

Any type of cheese can be used. It can be cubed, crumbled, shredded, or creamed as part of a dressing.

Fruit is often added to these salads, usually raisins. Also popular are grapes, cranberries, chopped apple, mandarin orange pieces, or any dried fruit.

Adding sunflower seeds or nuts to the mix gives the salad a little extra crunch. Almonds, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts are good examples. Try not to chop the nuts too small. Keeping the pieces larger helps the flavour of the nut stand out a little. Toasting the nuts with a little seasoning is an option as well.

If you would rather not chop up any fruit or nuts just add some trail mix to the salad instead.

2-Dressings:

a. The standard dressing for this salad is a basic mayonnaise/vinegar/sugar mix:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

* Mayonnaise can be mixed with yogurt to lighten it up.
* Flavoured vinegar can be used or substituted with lemon or lime juice.
* Artificial sweetener can be used instead of sugar.

b. An oil/vinegar dressing can also be used:

1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar(optional)
1/2 tsp. salt

* Flavoured cider or wine vinegar is recommended.
* Spices such as celery seed, onion powder, basil, and oregano can be added.

c. Your favorite bottled dressing can be used as well. Any creamy or italian style dressing will work fine on a broccoli salad . A good one to try is 3-cheese ranch.

3-More Stuff:

Here's a few various items that could be added to make your salad something original:

* Any canned vegetable such as peas, corn or beans(black, kidney, garbanzo, waxed, etc.).
* Fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, chives, bean sprouts, green beans, cucumber and bell peppers.
* Seafood can make it interesting: shrimp, scallops, salmon, and calamari are good additions.

4-The Method:

* Add broccoli flowerettes and any other ingredients you are using to your salad bowl. If you are using crumbled bacon or bacon bits add them just before serving.
* Add your dressing, mix and refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight.
* Stir salad again before serving.