WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO TURN ON THE OVEN . . .

                                                                             

It's summer and it's dang hot here in Florida. Too hot to turn on the oven for sure. But you have to eat! Grilling is a good alternative to the oven. Below are some selected grilling recipes to get you through the heat.

First up is Asian Flank Steak. Marinate this overnight, make a big butt salad, grill your steak, and you have a hot weather meal and you don't heat up your house.

Another grilled meal you can try is Soy and Garlic Pork Chops. This recipe also requires marinating. You can add a baked sweet potato, and grill some string beans on the grill beside your chops, and you are set. I've also served it with raw sugar peas.

If you don't feel like grilling, you can use your stove-top and microwave.Thai Shrimp and Broccoli is a one pot Asian influenced dish. Follow the directions and you'll have very little clean-up when you are finished.

Another pasta dish you can make is Cappellini with Sausage and Spinach. This will require a few more dirtied dishes than the Thai shrimp but it's well worth it.

Like gazpacho? This recipe is for a soup similar to gazpacho. You can eat it cold if you wish, although I prefer it to be at room temperature in the summer because I think more of the fresh veggie taste comes through better. Try Chile Cheese Soup and use up all those summer tomatoes.

Technically, you can use only the microwave for this next recipe. For Buffalo Chicken Dip, you need 3 cooked chicken breasts. If you are trying to stay cool, grill the chicken or nuke it. Serve with celery, carrots, or endive leaves.

Looking for a nice cool dessert? Try some Strawberry Pretzel Salad.

TILAPIA WITH JERK SEASONING AND MELON SALSA

(In regards to this pic . . . see  my confession below.)

Melon Salsa Ingredients

1/2 cup of cantaloupe, chopped
1/2 cup of honeydew melon, chopped
2 tsp. of honey
8-10 chopped fresh mint leaves

Combine, and let sit while you prepare and cook fish.

Tilapia

2 tilapia filets
jerk seasoning

Heat oven or grill to 400 degrees. Place fish in oiled pan. Sprinkle with jerk seasoning. Place in oven or on grill for 15 minutes.

When fish is finished, serve with melon salsa.

NOTE - I use Nantucket Off-Shore Rasta Rub. Check out their other offerings here. Nantucket Off Shore

CONFESSION - Usually I keep the salsa in a bowl, rather than on the plate with the fish. I put both on the same plate for the pic, but I won't do that again. Nope, I want my melon salsa in a bowl by my fish. You, however, may do as you please.

CANTALOUPE NUT BREAD

Another nut bread recipe, but the cantaloupe makes it a little different. The bread freezes well.

1 3/4 cup of flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup of nuts (I use pecans)
2/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup of cantaloupe pulp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add nuts and mix. In a separate bowl, cream sugar and oil. Add egg and mix. Then add cantaloupe. Add flour and nut mix, 1/2 cup at a time. Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

RISOTTO PARMIGIANO

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RISOTTO PARMIGIANO

5 - 6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice (I use RiceSelect)
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley (optional)
salt and pepper
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a small saucepan, bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, saute the onion at medium heat, stirring until the onion is translucent but does not brown. Add minced garlic, rice and stir. Turn heat to medium high and stir in 1/2 cup broth.

Bring heat to medium-high, and pour in about 1/2 cup of the stock, keeping the mixture boiling, stirring continuously.

As the broth is absorbed, continue to add broth as needed, 1/2 cup at a time.

It is important to keep the mixture boiling, but keep stirring to keep it from sticking to the pot.

It may take about a 30 minutes for all of the broth to be absorbed by the rice and for the rice to become tender.

When rice is done, stir in the butter and cheese, then serve warm. Sprinkle with chopped parsley for a garnish, if desired.

The whole cooking process may take 25-30 minutes. Once all the stock has been absorbed, and the risotto is tender, remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the butter and Parmesan.

******This makes a SUBSTANTIAL amount of risotto. I usually halve the recipe 

Blueberry Lemonade

1 to 1 1/2 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup of sugar or sugar substitute (I use Splenda)
1/2 pint of blueberries
8 cups of water

Squeeze the juice of approximately 6 lemons. You want 1 to 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice. I then add the sugar or sugar substitute. Make sure to wash and pick any stems from the blueberries. Add them to the lemon juice and sugar. I muddle the berries and then let the mixture sit for a while, until it is the color I like. Then add the water. I don't add ice to my lemonade. I fill a glass with ice and then pour the lemonade over the ice.

Chimichurri Meatballs

Chimichurri sauce

1/2 a bunch of fresh parsley
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup red wince vinegar
1 TB minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
minced zest and juice of 1/2 of a lemon
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients for chimichurri in a large bowl. Cover. Let stand at room temperature to combine flavors.

Meatballs

1 lb. of ground chuck
1/2 lb. of ground pork
1/4 cup of panko crumbs
3 TBS. minced scallions
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 egg
2 TBS. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup of feta cheese

Blend all meatball ingredients together (except oil and feta) in a bowl; do not overwork. Form 1 inch balls. Place 1 TBS of oil in skillet , at medium-high heat. Fry half of the meatballs until heated through, about 5 minutes. Place on platter already drizzled with chimichiurri. Heat remaining oil and fry the rest of the meatballs. Add them to platter, along with feta. Top all meatballs and cheese with chimichurri.