Sausage Stuffed 8 ball zucchini

You might remember a similar post last year where I stuffed these adorable 8 ball zucchini with tomato basil quinoa. This year I have gone for a heartier version and used sausage (squeezed out of the casing) for the stuffing. I didn't use any grains but I think that rice would be a perfect addition to this dish if you would like to have a starch. These little squash aren't around for long - I only see them at the farmer's market for a few weeks each year but I can't pass them up! If you can't find 8 ball squash you can always use green squash with the center hollowed out a bit to make a "canoe". 

 

In case you haven't been experiencing the ridiculous heat that has been all over the east coast, let me fill you in - putting on the stove in my house this month is just not allowed...PERIOD! This means that my big hopes for my triumphant blog return have been delayed a bit since no stove means no cooking which means no dinners to post about! The best thing about this recipe is that I figured out a way to make these without having to use the oven! Yes, you do need to use the stove top but technically you could make these on the grill. Imagine what your guests will say when you take these adorable little sausage stuffed zucchini out instead of a big juicy steak? OK maybe you should warn them first because while they are delicious...a giant steak should never be messed with!

Corn Salad

After spending July 4th weekend with my family at our lake house I have to admit I am in full fledged summer mode. I feel like I am still on vacation - taking a break from any real meal planning and instead making lots of little dishes and then mix and match. This corn salad is a perfect addition to your BBQ table with a smoky savory flavor that will stand up to any grilled meats.

I love using different seasonings to add lots of flavor to normal recipes and I find that summer picnic food in general can be lacking some flavor. In one of my other posts, I looked at a fun twist on Greek ingredients and potato salad but using the ready made KC Masterpiece® BBQ sauce is even easier and perfect for those day after leftovers. I hate feeling like I am eating leftovers but of course I wouldn't waste food so I try to "recycle" by using the ingredients in a new way. This would be a perfect way to make left over BBQ goodies into an amazing lunch salad (add some tomato, cucumber, lettuce and diced up grilled chicken). You can even mix the BBQ sauce with some herbs and olive oil to make a spicy dressing! 

Greek Potato Salad

I love summer BBQs just as much as the next girl but traditional fare is...well boring and full of bad fats! Now I am not one to start preaching about fat and calories  (especially when most of my recipes involve a fair amount of "good" olive oil) but eating mindless gobs of mayonnaise when there isn't any taste just isn't my style. I decided to come up with this potato salad recipe that has tons of flavor by using my favorite type of green salad as inspiration. I used large red potatoes cut into bite sized pieces, however small marble sized potatoes would be very cute as well!

Because this salad is mayo-free its a little easier to store and serve at a hot summer BBQ, there is some cheese in it however so don't leave it out too long! We have an olive- hater in our family so serving anything "Greek" style can be a little challenging. The best part of this salad though is that the olives (or the cheese is there is a dairy-free person) can be tossed in to individual taste.

Memorial Day BBQ Bash!

So I have to confess something you all probably know.... I don't live in a big gorgeous house on acres of land and have a beautiful edible garden that I just pluck my fresh ingredients from minutes before dinner time. I live in the city (metro NYC) in an apartment, my growing space is confined to two south facing window sills (and for some reason after having a very successful herb garden all winter we can't seem to keep anything alive more than a week!) and my outside space.... well we have our stoop. I love my apartment but when it comes to summer time backyard parties it just doesn't cut it! And that is where my amazing friends Tim & Heather come into this story. They just got a new apartment and guess what it has outside space! Now its still in the city so don't go dreaming of being barefoot in lush grassy fields but here in the city rooftops do double duty and knowing someone with access to one is basically the highlight of my summer! They were planning a Memorial Day BBQ and being the bossy girl I am I decided that I was going to jump in and lend them a hand (or a pork shoulder!) So thanks Tim and Heather for planning a party and letting me jump in with my party takeover.....

So first things first lets talk a little bit about party planning and take a look at a few tips that I have put together....
#1 PLAN PLAN PLAN... organization and lists galore will help you keep everything under control
#2 Know your audience... if its a cocktail party make sure food is bite size and portable, if its a BBQ plan ideas that can go on the grill so you don't have to keep running from the grill to the kitchen
#3 Mix familiar dishes with something new.... its great to try something new but don't try and do it all in one night
#4 Plan to make some dishes in advance.... dips, desserts, meats and stews are all easy to make before hand with minimal prep needed during the party
#5 Accept help...delegate responsibilities to your friends- your best girl friend who always shows up on time can get more important items while the ones who are always running later can always bring some extra desserts or snacks
#6 Multi purpose your ingredients.... using parsley in the dip, why not include it in a marinade? it saves on costs and ties your menu together

and most importantly
#7 Keep cool even if it doesn't go your way... the best parties are when everyone enjoys themselves so in the event of a party emergency try to stay cool and laugh it off

OK with all that in mind... let's get our first list ready... the menu (with the rule they correspond to)

chimichurri dip (#4 & #6)
scallion mint dip (#4 & #6)
gucamole (#5)
black bean and corn salsa (#5)
chips, nachos & veggies (#5)
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mojito-marinaded flank steak w pineapple salsa grilled pineapple (#6) (recipe below)
homemade sliders w cheddar or pepperjack (#5)
pulled pork sliders w red cabbage slaw and pickles (#3 & #4)
marinaded chicken (#5)
pasta salad (#5)
grilled corn (#3)
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fresh cubed watermelon (#4)
fruit plate (mango, strawberries, blueberries etc) (#4)
s'more blondie bars (#4)
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peach sangria (#3 & #4)
mint mojito bar (#6)
local micro-brews (#5)

From this list I will make my shopping list and more importantly my task list for the days before the party up and a timeline for the day of the party itself.

Thurs - menu plan
Fri - food shopping & liquor store
Sun - pork into crock pot, make marinade for steak, bake blondie bars, clean corn, make pineapple salsa (decided to simplify and go with grilled pineapple spears)
Mon - (guest arrive at 1 pm)
9am - prep sangria
9:30 - make coleslaw & sauce pulled pork
10 - dice watermelon
10:30  - prep burger fixings (cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato)
11 - start set up
beers into cooler with ice
chairs out and cleaned
plates/forks/knives/napkins/cups available
find and wash serving platters, serving utensils and grill utensils
12 - start plating food
chips and dips out
meat out of fridge to come to room temp
set up veggies plates
condiments out
12:45 - change into party outfit and get the music on!

keep reading for the Mojito Flank Steak Marinade

3/21/10 - Baby Back Ribs ...dry rubbed

After walking over 17 miles this weekend (spring fever really got a hold of me!) and getting my butt kicked at pilates class I was ready for a treat. We headed over to the grocery store to pick up a few veggies to complete our dinner tonight (real grocery shopping usually happens on Tuesday after I have a chance to check the circular and make my meal plan) but I got distracted. Always a sucker for a sale, I noticed that they had some ribs on special so I went to take a look. I ended up buying baby backs (instead of spareribs) which weren't actually on sale but once my head was filled with juicy ribs I really couldn't help myself. 

I made ribs for the first time ever on a snow day earlier this winter but this time I was looking for a little more advice. Don't get me wrong Alton Brown's recipe was delicious but a little messy (my foil didn't seal completely and I ended up with braising liquid all over the place). One of my friends who is a CIA graduate and chef suggested that I keep the dry rub but skip the braising. I was a little worried that the meat would end up dry but I decided to follow his advice.......