Doug's Yummy Pork and Fish Basics

Remember that very delicious pork at the ward Christmas party?! Well, Doug taught us how to make it--and made some for us--at the cooking club meeting. The instructions were so much easier than I imagined!!

Doug takes the pork loin and seasons it with Montreal Steak Seasoning--giving it all a good coating. Then, with the grill on medium high, he places the pork on the grill and keeps turning it every few minutes so it cooks evenly. This takes about 45 minutes.

When you are through cooking the meat, it is very important to wrap it in foil and let it sit for about 20 minutes. This settles the juices and keeps it moist.

Enjoy!!

Now for cooking fish. . . . firm fish can be cooked directly on an oiled grill (be sure to put the oil on a clean grill before you heat it). Some firm fish includes salmon steaks, swordfish and halibut. If you cook your meat directly on the grill, be sure to follow the steps in grilling basics below. (The ones Jenny taught us)

Salmon filet and tilapia, however, are not as firm and do not do well directly on the grill. However, you can cook them in foil.

Place your fish in a piece of heavy duty foil (or use two pieces of regular foil). Season as you desire. For the club meeting I just used two store bought bottles of seasoning (raspberry chipotle and lemon dill) but you can certainly make your own.

Coat both sides of the fish with the seasoning sauce, then seal up the foil. Be sure to fold over the ends of the foil twice so nothing will leak out. Also be sure to leave some space in the foil for steam.

Place the foil packet on the grill at around 375 degrees. You will need to cook it for approximately 12 minutes for each inch of meat thickness. If the meat is one inch thick, cook it for six minutes on one side and then turn the packet over and let it cook for six minutes on the other.

The meat is done when it flakes easily. (You will have to make a slit in the packet to test it. If it isn't done, just put it back on the grill for another few minutes.)

Grilling Corn and Pizza

Here are a couple links I think you will find useful. The first one is a tutorial on how to grill corn.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/07/tutorial-grilling-corn-on-the-bbq/

The second is a tutorial on how to grill pizza. This past week my daughter Camille and I made pizza on the grill and it was delicious!! (And I am sure you all remember the pizza at Lisa's house!) So scroll down for the pizza ideas from Lisa and then follow the directions below for a very yummy pizza night!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/tutorial-bbq-grilled-pizza/

More Yummy Recipes

Everyone's Favorite Salad by Pawranee Shipley
2 bags European blend salad mix
1 c. craisins
1 head iceberg lettuce, torn up
1 c. grated mozzarella
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:
1/4-1/2 red
onion, or less depending on your tastes
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar (I only use about 1/2 c.)
1 c. red wine vinegar
4 tsp dry mustard
2 c. vegetable oil

Sugared Almonds:
8 oz sliced almonds
4 T sugar
In small skillet, sprinkle sugar over almonds and cook over medium heat until almonds
are coated and sugar has dissolved. Be careful not to burn. (or you can buy
them in the salad section)

For dressing, finely chop red onion in food processor. Add sugar, dry mustard, salt
and vinegar and blend until frothy. Slowly add oil. Toss chicken, lettuce,
bacon, craisins and cheese together in a large salad bowl. Add dressing and
toss to coat. (I usually make this salad with chicken, boiled or deli and
shredded). Sprinkle sugared almonds on top and serve. YUM!


Denise Bosworth's BBQ Baked Beans
32 oz Pork n Beans
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c honey
2 T liquid smoke
1 C favorite BBQ sauce
"add bacon bits if you like them"
heat and simmer for an hour....

Fruit Salad Recipe from Norma Wilson: (Contributed by Alicia Peterson)
2 1/2 c hot water
1 pkg tapioca pudding
1 pkg vanilla pudding
2 pkg orange jello
Bring all these to a boil
Let cool
Fold in:
2 small cans mandarin
oranges-drained
1 8 oz. cool whip

Jan Peterson's Fresh Strawberry Salad

1 16oz. carton cool whip
1 8 oz. strawberry yogurt
1/2 package miniature marshmallows
1 can pineapple tidbits (drained)
2 cups fresh sliced strawberries
Combine all ingredients and Enjoy!!

Grilling Basics

Grilling Basics

Rule 1: 
Always keep your grill clean. This is essential for good-tasting food and general safety.

Rule 2:
Always keep a close eye on what you're grilling. Food can burn quickly, so be on guard and check food frequently.

Rule 3:
Cook vegetables and fruits at the outer, cooler edges of the grill since they tend to burn more quickly than meat.

Rule 4:
When grilling low-fat meats and other foods that can stick, apply oil or nonstick cooking spray to the grill grate before placing it on the grill and before the grill is heated.

Rule 5:
Turning food is essential to even cooking. However, turning too often slows cooking and can result in tough, dry food. Ideally, most fish and meats should be turned only once during cooking time.

Rule 6:
Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes before building kabobs to prevent skewers from burning.

Rule 7:
Spice up your food a good hour or two before it hits the grill. This marinating time allows the food to absorb the flavors.

Rule 8:
Don't apply sauces prior to grilling. Not only do they tend to drip onto the coals and cause flare-ups, but most also contain sugar, which will burn quickly and give the food a burnt taste. Consult the recipe to see when to begin basting; usually it's about 5 minutes before the end of grilling time

And here is a link for a way to test doneness of meat.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/08/how-to-grill-the-perfect-steak/

Allyson's Santa Rose Rice Salad

Mix together in large bowl and top with dressing:

2 boxes long grain wild rice – prepared (Uncle Ben’s or one you like)
3 chicken breasts - cooked & cut up chopped (or sliced):
4 green onions (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (sliced)
1 yellow pepper (sliced)
1/4 - 1/2 c cilantro (chopped)
1 lemon juiced
3 oz pea pods and or asparagus (blanched)

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
1 T dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t sugar
1/4 t pepper
1/3 c rice vinegar
1/3 c oil (olive)

Chill for 2-4 hours (or as long as overnight). Before serving add:

2 medium avocados (diced)
1 c pecans (toasted)

Connie's Wheat Berry Salad

1 cup hard wheat berries (kernels)

3 cups or more water

1/8 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple or orange juice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons agave nectar,

honey, or maple syrup

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 celery stalks, diced

2-3 green onions, diced

1 apple diced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried or fresh pineapple, diced

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or any nut

Place wheat berries in a pot and cover with water by a little more than an inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmering 50-60 minutes or until berries are tender. Add more water if needed. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine oil, juice, rice vinegar, sweetener, salt and pep- per. Set aside. When berries are cooked, drain any excess water and place in a large bowl. Add half of the dressing and stir. Let it sit until wheat berries have cooled to room temperature. Stir in the remainder of the ingredients and dressing, tossing gently. Serve chilled.

Viki's Baklava!!

1 lb Filo dough
1 lb very finely chopped walnuts (can use pecans)
1 Tbsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 to 3/4 lb butter

Blend walnuts, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Use one sheet of filo dough at a time and sprinkle it with nut mixture in the middle and spread (very carefully) to the edges. You only need to cover about the first 2/3 of the filo dough. Using a 1/2 inch diameter dowel, roll up each layer and crimp the sides so that it scrunches into the middle. Place in a buttered pan with the (dough) seal on the bottom. (Work quickly as the filo dries out very fast)

Pour butter with a spoon over each piece and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Should be golden brown. Remove from oven and pour syrup over the top and allow to soak a few minutes. Drain on baking rack over night. (Although we ate it when it was still warm and it was very delicious!)

Syrup
5 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water
few drops lemon
2-3 tsp cinnamon

Bring sugar, water and cinnamon to a boil. Add lemon juice and boil for 3-4 minutes still syrup begins to form a string. It is best to make this while the baklave is baking and set aside until ready to use.

Denise's Lasagna and Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti sauce used for Spahetti with pasta or Lasagna Sauce....

1.5 lb. ground beef
1.0 lb ground sausage (Jimmy Dean Sage flavor works best) brown all meat till no longer pink.

Add:
1 can tomato soup
1 can stewed tomatoes
Tomato sauce (2 cans of large Hunts, or 2 bottles of Prego, Ragu,etc.)
Add frozen spinach leaves (1 bag or 1 box)
Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms
Simmer for an hour.

If making Lasagna, slice 1 zucchini and add to the layers of lasagna with ricotta cheese or cottage cheese and Mozzarela cheese, sauce and pasta noodles) You can freeze till ready to bake, defrost then bake for 45min to 1 hour at 350*.

Lisa's Pizza!!

This recipe is from "Simply Recipes" I always double this and it fits fine in my mixing bowl.

1 1/2 c. warm water ( 105 - 115 )

1pk. ( 2 1/4 teaspoons ) of active dry yeast

3 1/2 c. bread flour ( you can use all purpose flour )

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 teas. salt

2 teas. sugar

1. In large mixer bowl add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes

2. Mix in olive oil, flour, salt,and sugar on low speed for about a minute. The knead using the mixer and dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If dough seems a little too wet sprinkle on a bit more flour.

3. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm doubles in size about 1 1/2 hours. Several hours longer, a longer rise will improve flavor. At this point you can freeze or put dough in fridge over night until needed. If you are chilling the dough, make sure you give your self time for the dough to warm and rise again before you need to use it.

Remove the dough and punch down. Divide to form two balls. Place each in into own oiled bowl, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare toppings

Roll out dough, lightly sprinkle pizza peel or flat baking sheet with corn meal add pizza dough and add toppings. If you are cooking in an oven, use a pizza stone and cook at 450 to 475. Heat stone before adding pizza take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook the pizza

Fun Pizza ideas

MeditarianPizza: Olive oil, garlic, feta olives, red onions, fresh basil, tomatoes, feta cheese

White Pizza: Cream Fresh or Alfredo sauce, garlic, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese

Traditional: Marinara sauce, pepperoni, sausage, olives, bell peppers, mozzarella cheese

BBQ Chicken: BBQ sauce, chicken, pepper chines, mozzarella cheese

Vegi: Olive oil, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, onions, artichoke hearts, olives, fresh basil

Lebanese White Bean Salad

Contributed by Lisa Nelson

2 c. cooked white beans

2 c. shredded red cabbage

1 c. shredded carrots

Dressing

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/4 t. oregano

1/2 t. salt

1/3 olive oil

1/3 lemon juice

Mix dressing and cooked beans for a couple of hours or over night. Then spread cabbage over the bottom of a plate, top with carrots and pour beans over the top.

Cannoli

You can buy the shells at AJ's or make them yourself if you have the forms. But once you have shells, here is a great filling for them. The recipe comes from Maggiano's in Scottsdale. Thank you to Carolyn Denham for being the brave one to make and bring them to the club meeting.

1 cup Ricotta Cheese

½ cup sugar or honey

1 TBS of fresh squeezed orange juice

1 Tsp of orange zest

¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix by hand, rather than a machine, to keep the texture thicker. Also, you can eliminate the fresh squeezed orange juice and add 1 tsp of orange flavoring (or another kind if you prefer)

You may also want to melt some additional chocolate chips and dip the ends of your cannoli shells in it. Use any leftover chocolate to drizzle on the filled shells.

Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Contributed by Connie P.

½ cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tsp. vegetable oil

2 T. corn syrup or sugar

2 T. parmesan cheese

2 T. Romano cheese (or just use more parmesan cheese)

¼ tsp. garlic salt

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. parsley flakes

1 T. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little tart add a little extra sugar.

Add this dressing to your Olive Garden salad which has sliced red onions, tomatoes, peperoncini, sliced olives, parmesan cheese, Croutons, and iceberg salad mix with a added romaine lettuce.