Home and Garden Chat

The Fourth of July is a holiday that makes me feel proud that I am an American.  We have such a great country with a history that is so rich and a legacy that is unsurpassed for generosity. This is a time to get together with friends and family to celebrate our heritage and to rejoice over it.  We have been given so much and we need to remember how we got where we are today and where we are going tomorrow.  Remember; be safe and keep America clean and beautiful! 

Happy Fourth of July!

4th Of July Cocktail

1 1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce triple sec
1/2 ounce sweet & sour
1/2 ounce blue curacao
1 dash grenadine

Mix all ingredients, except grenadine, in a shaker and chill. Serve in a martini glass. Add grenadine.

 

Red, White and Blue Bomb

1 ounce rum
2 ounces pina colada mix
1 cup crushed ice
2 ounces red grenadine
1/2 ounce blue curacao
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Orange slice for garnish

Pour rum, pina colada mix and ice into blender, then blend. Pour grenadine into a 16-ounce hurricane glass. Add the blended pina coladamix on top. Then pour the curacao over top. Garnish with cherry and orange slice.

 

 

Cherry Bombs 

12 fresh habenero peppers
4 ounces softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 package dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried red bell pepper flakes
1 large egg, beaten
10 Ritz crackers, pulverized to very fine consistency

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper flakes thoroughly. Allow to sit at room temp until you are ready to use.

Wearing rubber gloves, slice almost through the top of each pepper, leaving the top as a flap. With a small melon scoop, remove the seeds and white pulp from each pepper. Place cream cheese mixture in a small decorating bag and with a medium ‘o’ tip pipe mixture into each pepper, mounding slightly at the top. Brush pepper flap with some of the egg and close flap to seal.

Refrigerate peppers for 30 minutes. Dip chilled peppers in egg wash and roll in cracker crumbs. Next step is to place peppers in the freezer until hard frozen, about 3 hours.

Just before serving, remove peppers from freezer and drop into hot 375 degree oil and fry until golden. Pipe three dollops of cream cheese mixture decoratively on each plate and place one fried pepper in the center of each dollop. Decorate with sliced pickled cherry peppers, and leaf lettuce. Serve hot with a warning and fire extinguisher handy

Firecracker Burgers

1 pound ground beef
1 can (4 ounce size) diced green chilies, drained
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
4 hamburger buns

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate.
In a medium bowl, mix the beef, diced green chilies, and bouillon. Shape into patties.
Grill patties 3 to 8 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Top each patty with cheese about 2 minutes prior to removing from grill.

Grilled Pepper Jack Chicken Sandwiches

4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 center-cut bacon strips, cooked and halved
4 slices pepper Jack cheese
4 hamburger buns, split
8 Romain lettuce leaves
2 slice onion, separated into rings
4 slices tomato
1/2 cup Spicy Mayonnaise (see recipe below)
Dill pickle slices, optional

Sprinkle chicken with poultry seasoning. Using long-handled tongs, dip a paper towel in cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-7 minutes on each side or until done. Top with bacon and cheese; cover and grill 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve on grilled buns with Spicy Mayonnaise, lettuce, onion, tomato and pickles if desired. Servings 4

 
Spicy Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash original seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch ground red pepper

Combine all ingredients in small bowl; mix until well blended.

 

Grilled Summer Sausage Casseroles

1 pound summer sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced 1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into strips
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced
1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges 1/2 cup butter, cut into eight cubes
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Gently stir in the chicken and tomatoes. Divide mixture among eight double thicknesses of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square). Top each with a butter cube. Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Carefully open foil to allow steam to escape; drizzle with dressing. Servings 8 .

 
Fiesta Salad

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Chile powder
salt & pepper to taste
cayenne to taste
1 small clove garlic, mashed
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced medium
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro,   finely   chopped                                                     

Combine first seven ingredients to make the dressing, add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Let sit for at least four hours before serving.

Short Cut: You can omit the tomatoes, green onions and cilantro and add about three or four tablespoons prepared salsa to the salad. It tastes almost the same, but it looks much prettier with the fresh vegetables. Garnish with fresh dill. Serves 4.
 

Patriotic Gelatin Salad

2 packages Berry blue-flavored gelatin
2 packages Strawberry-flavored gelatin
4 cups Boiling water — divided
2 1/2 cups Cold water — divided
2 Unflavored gelatin
2 cups Milk
1 cup Sugar
2 cups Sour cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

In four separate bowls, dissolve each package of gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1/2 cup cold water to each and stir. Pour one bowl of blue gelatin into an oiled 10 inch fluted tube pan; chill until almost set, about 30 minutes. Set other 3 bowls of gelatin aside at room temperature.

Soften unflavored gelatin in remaining cold water; let stand 5 minutes. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat just below boiling. Stir in softened gelatin and sugar until sguaris dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.

When blue gelatin in pan is almost set, carefully spoon 1 1/2 cups sour cream mixture over it. Chill until almost set, about 30 minutes.

Carefully spoon one bowl of strawberry gelatin over cream layer. Chill until almost set. Repeat, adding layers of blue gelatin, cream mixture and strawberry gelatin, chilling in between each. Chill several hours of overnight.

Note: This salad takes time of prepare since each layer must be almost set before the next layer is added.

 

Pesto-Corn Grilled Peppers

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil
2 tablespoons sunflower kernels or walnuts
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
4 cups whole kernel corn
4 medium sweet red, yellow or green peppers
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

For pesto, combine 1/2 cup of oil, grated Parmesan cheese, basil, sunflower kernels and garlic in a blender or food processor; cover and process until blended. In a skillet, saute red pepper in remaining oil until tender. Add corn and pesto; heat through.

Halve peppers lengthwise; remove seeds. Place, cut side down, on grill over medium heat; cover and cook for 8 minutes. Turn; fill with corn mixture. Grill 4-6 minutes longer or until tender. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese if desired. Servings 8.

 

 Red White And Blueberry Shortcake

10 oz   Pound Cake,  cut into 3 layers
2 cup blueberries                                                                                                                       
2 cup strawberries or raspberries  
12 ounces Cool Whip thawed

I use fresh berries which I wash and drain. Set bottom layer of cake onto serving bowl. Spread whip topping and add berries. Add second layer of cake. Spread whip topping and add berries.  Top with third layer of cake. Top with more whip topping and fresh fruit.  Chill until ready to serve.

 

 

 

 

Blueberry Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water, preferably spring water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 pints (about 2 pounds or 6 cups) fresh-picked blueberries, preferably organic, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the sugar and salt have dissolved, about 3 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.

In a blender, puree the blueberries with the syrup and lemon juice until very smooth (you may need to divide this into several batches if your blender is not extra-large). If desired, strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Lemon Sorbet

2 cups water
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 lemon, zest
1 cup sparkling water
1/8 t. xanthan gum
pinch of salt

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, lemon juice, sugar and lemon zest, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Bring the liquid to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.

Combine the lemon-mixture with the sparkling water in a blender. Add the xanthan gum and salt and process until well combined. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

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