August - Pork Ribs or Chicken Wings

August Show in the Park

Grape juice drink – serves 10

2 cups Welch's 100% White Grape Juice

1 cup orange juice

1 bottle Welch’s Sparkling Red Grape Juice Cocktail

1 bottle lemon soda

1 cup halved red grapes, for garnish

¼ cup orange wedges, for garnish

1 sliced lemon, for garnish

In a punch bowl or pitcher, combine Welch's 100% White Grape Juice, orange juice, red grapes, orange wedges, and lemon slices. Refrigerate the ingredients for 1 hour. Before serving, stir in Welch’s Sparkling Red Grape Juice Cocktail and lemon soda.

 Avocado/Shrimp Appetizer – serves 4

spray olive oil

1 1/4 lb raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon garlic, minced or paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

Salad

2 medium vine tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cucumber, peeled

1/3 cup (or more) red onion, diced

1 jalapeño, chopped (remove some seeds for less spice)

1/3 cup chopped mango

1/2 orange (or red) bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more if desired)

juice from 3 limes

sea salt & pepper to taste

2 large avocados

Set a nonstick skillet on medium heat and spray with olive oil.  Add garlic, shrimp and chili powder.  Cook until the shrimp is no longer pink on the outside and completely cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Place the cooked shrimp on a cutting sheet or board and cut into smaller pieces.  Add the pieces to a mixing bowl.

Add the ingredients for the salad, mix together and season to taste with sea salt & pepper (and more lime juice if desired).  Place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Slice open an avocado and peel it.

Add the salad to the avocado halves and enjoy.  You can also enjoy the salad by itself, with mixed greens or even wheat tortilla chips.

or Apple Nut Salad - Serves 4 - 2 Fuji apples diced * 1/2 lemon juice * 2 celery stalks diced * 1/2 cup chopped walnuts * 1/3 cup raisins * 1/4 cup mayonnaise * 1/4 cup sour cream, reduced fat * salt/pepper to taste * lastly,  fold in mayo/sour cream mixed well 

Almond Veggie Green Beans served hot— 1/4 cup whole almonds * 4 tsp low sodium soy sauce * 1 lb green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces * 2 TBS red wine vinegar * 1 TBS veg oil * 1 large garlic clove, pressed * 1 tsp ginger, minced,peeled * 2 TBS green onions * 1/3 cup cilantro

IN SKILLET toast almonds 5 min, increase heat add 3 tsp soy sauce-coat almonds, cook 1 min –cool **   BOIL beans until tender/5 min, drain  or just add 2 cans green beans — Whisk remaining ingredients, MIX/BLEND well—ADD beans, toss to coat ** TOP with green onions, cilantro, almonds—SERVES 4

or  Nuked Corn on the Cob

Combine:  1/2 cup light sour cream * 4 tsp finely chopped cilantro * 2 tsp chili powder * 1 tsp fresh lemon juice * salt, pepper * 4 TBS butter * 6 ears of sweet yellow corn

MIX:  sour cream, cilantro, chili powder, lemon juice, salt, pepper—chill

COOK CORN:  place on dampened paper towel with shucks in MICROWAVE 8/9 minutes on HIGH  (turn over after 4 min)  

Cut off stem—hold other end and shake the corn out silk free!   Paste MIX on with brush—serve

Cheese Bread. .

1 loaf French bread * 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese * 3/4 cup mayonnaise * 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or parsley flakes * 1/4 tsp garlic powder * dash red pepper CUT bread in half lengthwise, spread mixture BAKE 350* 25/30 minutes, until topping melted

Park Pork Ribs.  . .

Serves 6 (2 ea) * 3 lbs baby back Pork Ribs trimmed *  1/2 onion * 1 clove garlic minced * 1/2 cup water* salt/pepper to taste

Salt/pepper ribs* cut ribs in twos– add 1/2 cup water to CROCK POT * Layer ribs topping with onion/garlic—cook 4 hours HIGH—  trash onions/garlic/liquid

PREHEAT OVEN 350*- carefully spoon each & place on pan and baste with BBQ sauce—bake until caramelized/sticks to meat 10/15 minutes—remove—serve ** SERVE with individual water in bowl for washing fingers & use napkins galore

BBQ SAUCE -

Just purchase bottled BBQ sauce - to your taste preference or make the CHERRY BBQ SAUCE:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped

1 cup ketchup

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 TBS prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, optional

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until cherries are tender and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Yield: about 3-1/2 cups.

OR . . . spicy dry rub chicken wings – 5 servings

2 pounds chicken wings about 20 wingettes & drumettes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper more for hotter wings

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Dry wing pieces with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

Place wings in a large bowl and rub olive oil evenly into each piece.

Combine all seasonings in a bowl.

Sprinkle half of the season mix onto the chicken wings and rub in. Flip wings and sprinkle remaining half onto wings and rub in.

Place rack over shallow baking pan with sides (line pan with foil for easy cleanup). Place seasoned wings on rack.

Bake at 350 degrees °F for 20 minutes, flip each wing, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Turn oven broiler on low and broil for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Or  Crispy Baked Chicken Wings – serves 10

4 pounds chicken wings

1/2 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a shallow baking dish with aluminum foil and grease lightly.

Cut tips from chicken wings and discard. Cut between the joint to separate each wing into 2 pieces.

Combine butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat; heat until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

Mix Parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper together in a shallow bowl.

Dip chicken wing pieces in melted butter mixture; coat with Parmesan cheese mixture in the bowl. Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle any remaining butter on top

Blue Cheese Wing Dip – serves 4

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons milk

4 ounces blue or Roquefort or Feta cheese, crumbled

Kosher or sea salt, to taste

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice. Add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time until reaching desired consistency. Stir in the blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

or   Chicken Angel Hair Pasta w/artichoke – Serves 4

Salt & Pepper

8 thin chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons rinsed and drained capers

8 ounces angel-hair pasta

1/2 cup parsley leaves

2 tablespoons butter

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, drained, and quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Place flour in a shallow dish, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge cutlets, shaking off excess. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook chicken in batches, adding remaining oil as needed, until light golden, 1 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a dish.

2. Add broth to skillet, and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half. Add artichokes, capers, and the chicken with any juices. Gently swirl to combine, and bring just to a boil. Remove skillet from heat. Swirl in butter, and cover to keep warm.

3. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente; drain. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta, topped with parsley.

Fruit Desert --  1/4 tsp sugar * 1 cup cottage cheese * 1/2 banana mashed * 1/2 tsp vanilla extract * 1/2 cup strawberries cut in chunks * 1/2 tsp cinnamon optional *  1/4 cup pecans optional

ADD/mix all ingredients—NOT strawberries or pecans  —  let stand at least 10 minutes to let flavors evolve

ADD/MIX  strawberries and pecans

Serves 2—use individual small fruit bowls

Super Summer Outdoor Theater - Spring Mtn Ranch State Park - eat then go watch the show and  maybe purchase snow-cones at show  !!!