4th July BBQ Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 skinless Chicken breast halves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp tamari sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
To make the marinade, mix together the brown sugar, tamari, sesame seeds and garlic in a shallow dish. Stir well and season. Place the chicken breasts into the marinade, turning them over once to coat each side.

Cover and chill for a few hours.

Heat up the BBQ. Remove the chicken from the marinade (keep the marinade) and cook on the BBQ (turning occasionally) until no longer pink inside. Use the left-over marinade to baste the chicken occasionally. This will keep your chicken nice and moist.

Enjoy with a homemade potato salad.

Labor Day Sangria Punch

Serves a crowd

Ingredients:
4 bottles of red wine (substitute red grape juice for non-alcoholic punch)
1 ¼ cup white sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
4 peaches, sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
3 bottles of lemonade

Instructions:
Place all ingredients (except the lemonade) into a large pitcher and chill overnight.

Add the lemonade shortly before serving. Give it another stir. Enjoy!

Labor Day Chicken Skewers

Makes 4 skewers

Ingredients:
1 (12oz) skinless and boneless chicken breast
½ yellow bell pepper, cut into big cubes
½ red bell pepper, cut into big cubes

Marinade:
1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp ground cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
¼ onion, sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil (for grilling)

Instructions:
Place all the marinade ingredients into a bowl and combine.

Cut the chicken breast into 16 cubes (4 for each skewer) and toss in the marinade. Marinade for at least 1 hour.

Using metal skewers or bamboo skewers, threat the chicken pieces alternatively with the pepper cubes to make four skewers. (If you use bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in cold water for at least 3 hours so they don’t burn when put on the grill).

Place the skewers on the BBQ, brush with some olive oil and grill until done.

Serve immediately.

Labor Day Baked Beans

Serves 8

Ingredients:
½ lb ground beef
½ lb bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
1 tbsp mustard
¼ cup BBQ sauce
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp chili powder
3 cans (16oz each) mixed beans (i.e. Kidney Beans, Pinto, white beans etc)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºFahrenheit. Lightly grease a 2 1/2qt casserole dish.

Cook beef, bacon and onion in a large saucepan until cooked through. Drain fat. Combine the rest of the ingredients, except the beans, in a bowl. Mix well. Then add to the meat and stir. Mix in beans and place the mixture into the casserole dish. Cover and bake in the oven for about 1 hour.

Great for a crowd!

Corn and Sweet Potato Soup

1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups water
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock
3 cups corn, tinned
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 fresh jalapeno, minced
1 cup milk
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt
2 -3 tbsp heavy cream
garnish with parsley (optional)

Place diced sweet potatoes, water and vegetable stock in a pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender.

In the meantime, heat olive oil in a skillet, add onion and a pinch of salt, and fry until nice and brown.

Add the onions to the potatoes. Mix well. Purée the soup with a blender. Once smooth, add corn, peppers and milk and simmer until tender. Then mix in lemon juice and salt. Stir in cream and serve immediately.

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Apple and Onion Cheddar Burgers

1 1/2 cup apple butter, divided
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 pound ground chuck
1 large Golden Delicious apple, sliced into 1/2 inch rings
1 large white onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
non-stick cooking spray
4 slices cheddar cheese, sliced thick
4 kaiser rolls

In a large bowl stir 1/2 cup of the apple butter, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper together well.  Crumble the uncooked ground chuck into the bowl with the apple butter mixture.  Coat the meat well.  Shape 4 burgers.  Brush the apple and onion slices with the remaining apple butter.  Spray the grill grate with the butter non stick cooking spray.  Heat the grill to medium high heat.  Place the burgers, apples and onions on the grill and cover.  Grill about 5 minutes per side.  When done the meat will no longer be pink and the apples and onions should be tender.  Remove the apples and onions.  Place a slice of cheddar on the top of each burger.  Recover and cook an additional 1 minute.  Remove the patties. Lightly coat the inside of the rolls with the cooking spray.  Cook on the grill for about 1 minute to toast.  Remove.  Place a burger on each roll and top with the apple and onion slices.

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Spiced Popcorn

1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popping corn
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp sweet paprika

In a little bowl, mix paprika, thyme, oregano, onion salt and half the vegetable oil. Heat other half of oil in saucepan. When oil is very hot, add popping corn and cover with tight fitting lid. When the corn starts popping, give the pan a shake. When the corn stops popping, take pan off heat. Place popcorn into a serving bowl, discarding any unpopped corn. Add the spice mixture and toss.

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Nutty Roasted Pears

4 tbsp pure butter
4 pears, halved and cored
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with oven rack in center position..

Place the butter on a baking pan and put into the heated oven. Once butter has melted, sprinkle with brown sugar. Add the pear halves with the cut side down on top of the butter/sugar (caramel) mixture and bake for about 30 minutes.

Once the pear halves are tender, turn them over and baste with the caramel sauce. Bake for a further 10 minutes until nice and golden. Serve the pear halves in bowls and top with sour cream, caramel and the nuts.

This dessert should be served hot and fresh.

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Independence Fudge

12 ounces good quality white chocolate
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

In a large microwave bowl place the white chocolate and milk together.  Microwave on high for about 2 minutes.  Chocolate should be almost melted.  Remove from microwave and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted.  Stir in the almonds.  Carefully fold in the blueberries and cranberries.  Add the orange peel and mix well. Place foil into an 8 inch square pan. Be sure the foil extends over the top of the pan so you can use it as handles when removing the fudge.  Spread the mixture into the pan evenly with a rubber spatula.  Place in the refrigerator until firm. This usually takes about 3 hours.  When fudge is firm remove from pan by lifting the foil by the extended area.  Cut fudge and store tightly in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Firecracker Rib Eyes

4 rib eye steaks, 3/4-inch thick
1 T garlic pepper seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped

Cover both sides of the Rib Eyes well with the garlic pepper seasoning.  Grill uncovered until done to your liking.  In the meantime stir together the sour cream, mustard and chives.  You can add a little extra garlic seasoning to this if you would like.  Be sure to mix well.  Pour over the top of the steaks before serving.

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