Fresh and creative recipes for sunny soirees
Recipes and Photography by Kimberly Cooper
The summer season is just ’round the bend as evidenced by the May flowers popping with aplomb. As we ready our decks and outdoor entertaining spaces, equally important are updates to menus for formal and informal get-togethers and parties. ’Tis the season for graduations, Mother’s Day unches, Father’s Day cookouts, and experimental barbecuing. From our pantry to yours, we’ve gathered a bevy of recipes—including fresh takes on classics and off-the-cuff culinary delights. Sure crowd pleasers for your next event. More please! Enjoy:
Pepper and Onion Skewers
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 large green bell peppers, cut into large chunks
2 large yellow onions, cut into chunks
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Special tools needed:
Grill or grill pan
Skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Directions
Preheat your grill or grill pan over low heat. In a small bowl, combine pepper, salt, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside. Combine the peppers and onions in a large ziptop bag. Pour the olive oil over top then pour on the seasoning. Seal the bag and then shake vigorously, coating all of the vegetables with the spice mix. Grab 4 skewers and layer on the vegetables in a pepper/onion pattern. Once all of the vegetables have been placed on skewers, place them on the top rung of your grill and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables just start to char on the ends. Remove and serve.
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Chicken Parm Burgers
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the burgers:
1 lb. ground chicken
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup eadcrumbs
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 minced garlic clove
1 finely diced shallot
For rolls:
4 hamburger rolls
4 Tbsp. butter, soft
1 minced garlic clove
For mozzarella:
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into slices
½ cup eadcrumbs
1 egg, whisked
Optional toppings:
1 cup marinara sauce
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chicken, Parmesan, eadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, and shallot. Mix until well combined. Take the mixture and form four patties. Place your patties on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until cooked through. While your burgers cook, prepare your rolls. Combine the butter and garlic and spread it on the rolls. Toast the rolls in the toaster oven for approximately 5 minutes until toasted through. Take your mozzarella wheels and dip them into the whisked egg. Then dip them in the eadcrumbs. Heat a sauce pan with a quarter inch of oil over medium high. Put the mozzarella wheel in the oil and cook until golden, then flip and cook until golden on the other side. Once your burger is cooked through, take it out of the oven. Lay the burger on top of the roll, put the mozzarella wheel on top. Add marinara sauce, pepper and onion if you choose.
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Jalapeño Lemonade
Ingredients
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 cups cold water
Directions
In a sauce pan over medium high heat, combine the sugar, water, and jalapeño. If you want your drink to be less spicy, remove the seeds from the pepper. Heat the mixture and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove jalapeño chunks and seeds. Combine the sugar mixture, lemon juice, and water in a large pitcher. Chill for at least an hour.
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Crab Chowder
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, diced
3 ears of fresh corn, sliced off the cob
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 lb. lump crab meat
Directions
Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add in the onion and corn and cook until the onion is translucent. Next, add in the flour, Old Bay, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to combine, making sure it is all incorporated. Add in the milk and heavy cream slowly, making sure it is all incorporated. Bring to a simmer and let cook 5 minutes until thickened. Add in the crab meat. Stir and simmer 5 more minutes. Garnish with additional corn.
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Black Bean Patties
Makes 8 patties
Ingredients
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. flax seed
1 jalapeño, chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup eadcrumbs
1/2 cup corn
canola oil for frying
Directions
In the bowl of a food processor, combine jalapeño and garlic and pulse until minced. Add in 1 can of black beans and pulse until it looks like a chunky black bean dip. Add in the flax seed, ead crumbs, tomato paste, and corn. Pulse again until well combined. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining black beans and stir to combine. Form the black beans into patties and place them on parchment paper. Heat a skillet with a little oil over medium high. Add 4 black bean patties to the skillet and fry for approximately 4 minutes until crusty and golden. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove to the parchment. Repeat with the remaining patties.
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Blackberry Thyme Lemonade
Ingredients
2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cups fresh lemonade
Directions
Combine blackberries, sugar, and thyme in a large bowl. Crush them with a spoon until the blackberries release juice. Set the bowl in the fridge for at least two hours. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine strainer. Pour into the pitcher of lemonade and stir well to combine. Garnish with thyme.
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Funnel Cake
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk until well combined. In another bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Heat about 1 cup of oil in a medium sauce pan. Pour the batter into a small squeeze bottle or plastic bag. If using a plastic bag, wait until you are ready and snip the corner end off. Slowly drizzle the batter into the hot oil, forming little circles. Fry the cake for about a minute until golden own. Flip and fry until golden own on the other side. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
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Chicken with Tomato Pan Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 boneless chicken easts, cut into strips
3/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. fresh minced oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups grape tomatoes
1/3 cup white wine
Directions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour then set aside. In a bowl, combine butter, garlic, oregano, and paprika. In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter mixture and olive oil over medium high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden own on each side and completely cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Turn the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the skillet. Cook until the tomatoes begin to char, about 6 minutes. Add in remaining butter. Crush the tomatoes a bit. Add wine to the pan and scrape the bottom to release owned bits. Place the chicken on to your serving plates then top with the sauce.
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Summer Stacks
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 yellow vine-ripened tomatoes
6 to 8 thick slices fresh mozzarella
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Directions
Slice the tomatoes into thick, 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. Layer them on 2 plates in tomato-mozzarella-tomato order until you have used all of the tomato and mozzarella. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar over each stack.
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