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.