Sunny Day Skewers

Just because it's fall doesn't mean you still can't use your grill.

This is great for tailgating or any time.

1 - 3 c. each: watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, honeydew melon

1/2 T.: rum 

1 T. oil (canola)

1/8 tsp. sugar (regular or diatetic)

Soak 12 wood skewers in cold water for 1 hr. 

In a meauring cup combine: oil, sugar, rum. Mix with a clean fork.

Cut in half, seed, chop melons into chunks if needed.

Chop pineapple into chunks. 

Rinse and hull strawberries.

In a bowl combine fruit, oil mixture.

Toss to coat fruit.

Preheat grill to medium.

Thread fruit on skewers 

Place skewers on grill. 

Grill fruit for 1 - 2 minutes on each side.

Serves 4.

Easy Challah Bread

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

This is great for a Rosh Hashanah celebration or anytime.

I used premade bread dough for this, but you can make your own bread dough if desired.

Premade bread dough

1 egg, beaten

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: parsley granulated garlic, salt, pepper

non stick cooking spray

1/8 - 1/4 c. flour (enough to dust work area)

Preheat oven to 350' F.

Knead bread dough if needed and cut dough into three pieces. 

Place dough on a clean plate.

Cover bread dough with a clean dish towel and let rise 1 hr.  if needed.

With clean hands, sprinkle some flour on a clean workspace.

With your hands roll 1 dough piece into a long strand on workspace.

Repeat process with remaining dough pieces.

Place 1 strand in the center on clean parchment paper.

Attach remaing strands to the middle strand at the top of the strands by pinching them together.

Spread out strands and braid 1 strand over the middle and do the same with other strand. Repeat braiding process with strands until bread is braided.

Crack egg in a clean bowl.

Add salt, pepper, parsley, garlic and mix egg with a clean fork.

Place bread on cookie sheet.

With a pastry brus,h brush egg wash over the bread and place bread in oven.

Bake bread for 30 to 40 minutes or until done.

Serves 6 - 8.

Easy Breezy Sea breeze

Need a quick cocktail for Labor Day Weekend, game day or tailgating.

This is great for anytime too.

4 - 6 oz. vodka

2 c. Cranberry juice

1 c. grapefruit juice

Ice

In the bottom of 4 clean glasses, place ice cubes.

In a clean jar, combine ingredients.

Screw lid on jar and shake for 20 - 30 sec.

Remove lid from jar and pour cocktail through a cocktail strainer over into the glasses.

Serves 4.

Ultra Easy Bleu Cheese Dressing

This is perfect to use on a salad or as a dip on the side.

I'v e use a blender.

If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also do this by hand too.

Enjoy!

1/2 c. each: bleu cheese, sour cream
1 c. regular or light mayo
1/4 tsp. each: salt, cracked pepper

In a clean mixing bowl or food processor, blender combine ingredients. 

Mix until creamy.

Serves 4.

Fish Stick Tacos

This is great for a light super, lunch or anytime.

I've cooked the fish on a stovetop, you can also cook the fish in the microwave or oven too.

If you're cooking the fish in the oven, cook according to package instructions.

Filling

1 package fish fillets

1/8 - 1/4 tsp each: salt, peppep

1 - 2  T. oil

 Fixings

8 flour or corn tortillas or your favorite hard taco shells.

1 c. each approx.: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes
1/2 c sour cream.

Directions 

Rinse and cut one lime in half, set aside.

Rinse lettuce, tomatoes and cut chop, set aside.

Heat skillet to medium high heat. 

Lower heat to medium low, add oil. 

Add fish to pan, squeeze a little lime over fish and cook for 4 - 7 minutes on 1 side. 

Turn fish over and cook on other side for a few minutes more or until heated.

Remove fish from pan with a spatula and place on a paper towel lined plate.

When you are ready to serve, cut fish into pieces.

Squeeze a little more lime over fish.

Spoon fish unto your favorite tortillas or taco shells. 

Top with your favorite fixings.

Serves 4.

Cucumber Smash

What 's more perfect on a summer day then fresh cucumbers.

This is perfect to enjoy on a summer evening, on game day or anytime.

1/3 cucumber chopped

4 - 6 oz. gin

1 - 2 c. club soda

Ice

Rinse, cut ends off and cut into 3rd. 1 cucumber.

Cut 4 slices from one of the cucumber 3rds. and set aside.

Chop 1/3 of the cucumber 3rds. and place into a jar.

Muddle cucumber with the back of a clean spoon.

Poor gin over cucumbers.

Screw lid on jar, shake jar for a few seconds and put in refrigerator to chill for a couple of hrs.

Put 4 clean glasses in freezer to chill for a few minutes.

In bottom of a clean pitcher pour gin mixture.

Add ice, top with club soda and place pitcher in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Remove glasses from freezer.

Pour cucumber smash in glasses and garnish glass with a cucumber slice.

Serves 4.

Quick Cole Slaw

This is great for summer, game day get togethers, holidays or anytime.

I shredded the vegetables by hand, but you can use pre shredded cabbage, carrots instead.

1 medium each shredded: head cabbage, onion

5 carrots shredded

3/4 - 1 c. light mayo

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

pinch white pepper

Remove outer leaves of cabbage rinse, cut in half.

Peel, rinse onions, cut in half.

Rinse, cut ends from carrots, cut in half.

Using a clean grater, shred onions, carrots, cabbage into a clean mixing bowl. You can also use a food processor.

If using packaged shredded cole slaw mix, omit previous step.

Fold in mayo, add salt and pepper, toss to coat.

Serves 4 - 6.