Rose Sangria Spritzer

Ingredients

• 2 bottles cold rose wine
• 1 green apple, thinly sliced
• 1 orange, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• Simple syrup, to taste
• Ice cubes
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
• Club soda, cold, optional

Directions

Combine wine, apple, orange, raspberries in a pitcher, add simple syrup, to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Serve over ice, garnish with mint and top with a few splashes of club soda, if desired.

The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients

Brine:

• 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 slice bacon
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.

Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

For the Pork:

• 6 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Scant tablespoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper
• 1 10-to-12-pound boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt, rinsed and dried
• 12 soft hamburger buns, split
• Coleslaw, for serving

For the Barbecue Sauce:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions

If using a gas grill, preheat to high on one side; put soaked wood chips in a smoker box. Once smoking, reduce the heat to maintain a temperature of 275 degrees F and cook the pork, covered, on the cooler side of the grill.

Rub the pork

 Mix the paprika, sugar and onion powder in a bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons seasoning to a separate bowl, add 2 tablespoons salt and 3 tablespoons pepper, and massage onto the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. (Reserve the remaining barbecue seasoning.)

Prepare the wood chips

Soak 6 cups wood chips in water, about 15 minutes, then drain. Don't oversoak, or the wood will snuff out the fire.

Light the grill

Fill a smoker or kettle grill with charcoal and light. (Pat uses lighter fluid; you can also use a chimneystarter.) When the coals are mostly white, spread them out with tongs. Spread 1/2 cup of the wood chips over the coals (use 1 cup for a kettle grill). The temperature of the grill should be about 275 degrees F.

Cook the pork.

Place the pork fat-side down on a rack in the smoker or on the grill. Cover and cook, rotating the pork every hour or so, until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, about 6 hours total.

Feed the grill

As the pork cooks, add more charcoal and wood chips to keep the temperature between 250 degrees F and 275 degrees F and to maintain the smoke level.

Make the sauce

Meanwhile, mix the ketchup, 1 cup water, both sugars, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, the onion and mustard powders, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, corn syrup and 1 tablespoon of the reserved barbecue seasoning in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours. Let cool, then reheat on the grill when ready to use.

Shred the pork

Transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet (you'll want to catch all the flavorful juices) and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces, pile on a platter and pour any juices from the baking sheet on top.

Make the sandwiches

Mound the pork on bun bottoms, paint with a little barbecue sauce, top with slaw and cover with the bun tops. The best sandwich ever!

Theater-Style Buttered Popcorn

Directions

Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers. Skim off the top layer of foam, then slowly pour the clarified butter into a heatproof container; discard the bottom layer of milk solids. Use 3 tablespoons hotclarified butter for 10 cups popcorn; refrigerate the rest (it's great for sauteeing).

Grilled Romaine With Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 pound bacon, 1/4 inch diced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 heads romaine lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Preheat a grill or indoor grill pan to high.

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove the onion and bacon from the pan. Add the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Brush the romaine with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place on the grill cut-side down and quickly sear until grill marks are visible. Set aside.

For each serving, place a half head of romaine cut-side up on a plate and drizzle the balsamic dressing on top. Sprinkle with blue cheese and the bacon and onion, and garnish with cracked black pepper

Icy Fruit Gazpacho with Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Prep: 30 min. | Makes: 6 servings | Chill: 1 hr.  2 cups vegetable juice blend 2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 can (20 oz.) DOLE® Pineapple Chunks, drained, divided 1-1/2 cups DOLE Frozen Mango Chunks, partially thawed, divided 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves 1 cup orange juice 1 pound medium-large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 to 2 tablespoons dry Creole seasoning Mint sprigs (optional)
Combine vegetable juice, tomatoes, 1 cup each pineapple and mango chunks, honey and chili garlic sauce in blender or food processor container. Cover; blend until smooth. Add remaining pineapple and mango chunks and mint; pulse 2 or 3 times just to chop fruit. Pour into large bowl; stir in orange juice; chill 1 hour or overnight.  Toss shrimp with Creole seasoning in large bowl to coat well. Grill over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 min. or until pink, turning once.  Serve chilled gazpacho in shallow bowls. Top with cooked shrimp. Garnish with mint, if desired.  Variation: Cook shrimp in two batches, in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat in 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Per Serving: 210 calories, 1g fat (0g sat.), 145mg cholesterol, 830mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 29g sugars), 17g protein, 60% Vit A, 110% Vit C, 6% calcium, 15% iron, 13% potassium, 7% folate

Caramel Corn with Peanuts and Dried Cherries

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 cups popped corn, see cook's note
• 1/2 cup toasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Directions

Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan fitted with acandy thermometer. Carefully pour the water around the walls of the pan, trying not to splash any sugar onto the walls. Do not stir; gently draw your finger twice through the center of the sugar, making a cross, to moisten it.

Over high heat, bring to a full boil and cook without stirring until golden caramel, about 10 to 15 minutes and the temperature reaches 320 to 330 degrees F. Swirl the mixture occasionally to even out the color. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter then the popcorn, peanuts, and cherries.

Pour onto a silpat or buttered sheet pan and let cool a few minutes then start breaking it up into clusters, working quickly, so it doesn't harden and you don't burn yourself. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes: I use Black Diamond Popcorn with its petit size "hulless" kernel. To pop corn properly, place the kernels in a heavy-bottomed large pot and cover them with oil. Put the lid on and cook on high until you hear the first pop. Immediately take it off the heat and let it sit 1 minute. Then return it to the heat andfinish popping, shaking the pan the whole time. I don't know why this is better, but this is what my dad does, and his popcorn was always the best.

Caramel Corn

Directions

Boil 1/2 cup honey, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1/2 stick unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Toss with 10 cups popcorn. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes, checking often. Cool completely.

Red Wine-Blueberry-Peach Sangria

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar heated until sugar dissolves: cool)
• 1 bottle dry and fruity red wine
• 1/4 cup Triple Sec
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 peach, pitted and thinly sliced

Directions

Combine the blueberries and simple syrup in a pitcher and lightlymuddle them with a potato masher. Add the wine, Triple Sec, brandy, and orange and peach slices. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

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Traditional Sangria

Ingredients

• 2 bottles chilled dry red wine, like Rioja
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 2 oranges, cut into thin rounds
• 2 Meyer lemons, cut into thin rounds
• 3 Key limes, cut into thin rounds
• 2 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 cups cold club soda

Directions

In a large pot or bowl, combine the wine, brandy, orange juice, and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange, lemon, andlime slices, the apples and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator and add the soda. Serve in glasses over ice.

Arnold Palmer Sangria

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh brewed tea, chilled
• 2 cups chilled lemonade (recommended: Simply Lemonade)
• 1 quart Sauvignon Blanc, chilled
• Simple syrup, (equal parts water and sugar heated until sugar dissolves and cooled)
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 pint strawberries, quartered
• 1 pint blackberries, sliced in 1/2

Directions

Combine the tea, lemonade and wine in a large pitcher. Taste for sweetness and add simple syrup, if needed. Add the orange, lime slices, lemon slices and strawberry and blackberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve chilled over ice.

Moroccan Grilled Salmon

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for garnish
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 6-ounce skinless center-cut salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Directions

Stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, coriander,cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pour half of the sauce into a large resealable plastic bag; cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce. Add the salmon to the bag and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the bag over once.

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Remove the salmon from the marinade and blot off excess yogurt with paper towels. Lightly oil the grill and add the salmon; cook, turning once, until browned on the outside and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Serve with the reserved yogurt sauce and garnish with the herbs and lemon wedges

Grilled Banana Splits

Directions

Cut a small piece off the curved side of 4 unpeeled bananas so they'll sit level, then make a deep slit down the center of each through the peel; place on separate sheets of foil. Open the slits and brush the inside of each banana with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar and 1 ounce chopped semisweet chocolate; fold up the foil. Grill the packets over high heat until the chocolatemelts, 6 to 8 minutes (don't worry if the peel turns brown). Open the peels and top the bananas with ice cream, whipped cream,sprinkles and a cherry.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cups buttermilk
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (3 pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 cups crushed corn flakes
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fit a sheet tray with a wire rack and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together buttermilk, lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Add chicken and coat with mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or up 12 hours.

Mix corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, and thyme together. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and dredge through the corn flake-Parmesan mixture, pressing to help it adhere.

Place on the wire rack-fitted sheet tray and bake for 45 minutes until golden and crisp.

Cook's Note: Remove the skin to save calories. Soaking chicken in buttermilk leaves the chicken incredibly moist with a delicious flavor.

Almost-Famous Breadsticks

 

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour,plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fine salt

For the Topping:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter,melted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of dried oregano

Directions

Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch-long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt