Ideas for Fourth of July Cooking Fun

The Fourth of July is America's Independence Day. It is a special day in the minds and hearts of patriotic citizens of this country and there are many ways we celebrate that patriotism. If you are looking for a little something extra to add to your Independence Day menu try some of the ideas below. Remember that the red, white, and blue of the American flag can be excellent color additions to your fabulous fourth menu and make it definitely firework worthy!

Image via WikipediaIt is fairly safe to say that for most of the country the weather on the fourth of July is going to be a little bit on the warm side. For this reason you should prepare your menu accordingly and avoid foods that are going to melt quickly or will not look as appealing in warm weather. You should also take proper precautions for storage, and to keep things from spoiling. Store as much of the food as possible in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.

This may somewhat limit your offerings but opens the door to others. Rather than have chilled pies for dessert, choose cakes that can be stored at room temperature. But there are sure to be a few chilled recipes or dishes that are best served and/or stored chilled. Just be sure to have plenty of cold gel packs or ice on hand and plenty of ice chests and other appropriate containers handy, especially if you are going to be camping or cooking out away from home, to take care of the amount of food you are contributing that needs cold storage.

Image via WikipediaIf you are going to be camping out or enjoying the great outdoors on the fourth consider foods that can be prepared with a Dutch oven. There are many great recipes and these foods can pretty well cook for the prescribed length of time and served immediately if you plan properly. These ovens are quite useful and can prepare everything from cakes and muffins to stews, chili, and roast beef with vegetables. In other words, a Dutch oven opens doors that may not be widely available to the average camper on a cookout.

Foil packet meals are also excellent choices for your Fourth of July cookouts. These leave little mess, little fuss, and more often than not taste great. Dishes such as Hobo Stew and Creek Bank Potatoes are very popular and quite savory for the average cook out. They are also rather simple to prepare with few ingredients. This makes them an excellent choice for cooking on a grill or even in a Dutch oven if you have one at your disposal, which I highly recommend not only for Fourth of July meal preparations but also any time you are cooking in the great outdoors. You might find that you love it so much you don't want to do without it.

Another great tip when cooking away from home on the Fourth of July is to keep things simple. You do not want to lug around stacks of condiments, dishes, bowls, trays, etc. Keep things as simple as possible and try to use dishes that require few ingredients yet still taste great. The more simple things are when preparing your holiday meal, the more you can appreciate the simplicity of being in the great outdoors.

And don't forget the appeal of simple hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats as great Fourth of July meal ideas. These foods are easy to prepare, easy to clean up, and go great with lots of different side dishes. No muss, no fuss! (True, they're not always the healthiest, but it's okay to indulge once in a while - especially for a fun summer holiday!).  The less time you spend on meal preparations, the more time you have available to get around to enjoying your time in our great countryside. I can't think of many better ways to celebrate our independence as a nation than by enjoying it - and the food it produces (shop locally through a farmer's market or CSA, and support your local community at the same time).

Fourth of July Cooking Resources:
    

Recipe - Venison Fajitas

Sorry for the lack of posts last week!  I was out of town, and had less time for blogging than I had expected.... But this week I'm back, and with a couple of tasty new recipes to share, so welcome back!

Here is a great one I came up with this week. I had some venison chops someone had given me, in the freezer, and was looking for a quick and easy summer meal that didn't require a lot of cooking. (The "chops" turned out to be little, incredibly tender medallions of red yumminess that practically fell apart while cutting - must have been a lazy deer!) You could easily substitute a tender cut of beef (or buffalo?) - fajita meat or a stir-fry cut would work well. And feel free to try other types of mushrooms as well, and other garnishes, if desired - be creative - have fun, and enjoy!

Image via WikipediaVenison Fajitas (Serves 3-4):

Ingredients:
1 lb venison chops (or tender cut of beef), thinly sliced
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms, washed, sliced, and stems removed
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
Dash of Worcestershire or soy sauce, to taste
2 TB olive oil
4 TB sour cream
4 TB chopped cilantro (optional)
6-8 large flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Heat 1 TB oil in large skillet or wok over medium heat until hot. Add shitake mushrooms and onions and stir well. Lower heat to medium low. Cover and let cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. Remove cover and increase heat to medium. Cook until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. 
3. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
4. Push vegetables to sides of pan, add 1 TB olive oil in center, and add meat to center of pan. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned, but still pink in center. Turn off heat.
5. Add salt, pepper, and soy or Worcestershire sauce, and stir all well together.
6. Cook tortillas in toaster oven, or on a stove burner or low flame, until hot and flexible.
7. Spread meat and vegetables in center of each tortilla, and garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.
8. Serve with a large green salad for a light summer dinner, or tasty lunch.

My - mostly organic & locally raised - dinner - yum!

Video - Beans & Greens Recipe

Here is a quick and delicious summer dish that won't take but a few minutes from stove to table. Full of flavor, protein, and nutrients, this one makes a great summer lunch. For a truly from-scratch meal, just cook the beans ahead and keep them in the fridge in a jar. White beans usually cook pretty quickly, so they are easy to make ahead and have on hand.

This one will make you hungry - check it out, and enjoy!

 

Other good bean recipes:

• A Reader Recipe: Balsamic Greens and Beans (fitsugar.com)
• The Salad Bowl: Honey-Balsamic Bean Salad (thecooksnextdoor.com)
• Recipe: Pintos with Kick (frugalupstate.com)

Recipe - Crunchy Lentil And Chickpea Veggie Toss

You may think of beans as being a winter food - soups, stews, chilis, etc. But beans are so versatile they can go great in lots of summer dishes as well. From easy burritos and wraps (like our Quick Burrito recipe from last week), to bean salads, there are many ways to use tasty, healthy beans in summer recipes. Here is a good one, full of fresh summer veggies and lovely colors.

Enjoy!

Image via WikipediaCrunchy Lentil And Chickpea Veggie Toss

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried lentils
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped, including green tops
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 celery ribs, chopped small
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbsp good olive oil
sea or kosher salt to taste
dash black pepper
a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In a soup pot, put lentils and water over medium high heat, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and simmer very slowly for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. (Don't let the lentils boil; skim off any foam that forms on the top.)
   
2. Meanwhile prepare chickpeas and veggies and put into a large salad bowl; cover bowl and keep chilled.
   
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and olive oil, with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
   
4. When lentils are cooked, cool slightly, then toss into chilled veggies.
   
5. Pour lime juice and olive oil dressing over the mixture, toss together lightly until combined; taste, adjust seasonings, toss again.
   
6. Chill salad for 15 to 25 minutes, then serve cold.

To make this lentil salad go a bit further, serve over a bed of crispy Romaine lettuce.  You can also toss it with chopped lettuce if you wish.

More Good Bean Recipes:
    

The Humble Bean - A Super Food of Great Variety

Whether you are vegetarian or not, you can't dispute the many health benefits of the humble bean! There aren't a lot of foods that can hold more than one place on the food pyramid. But, long before we started talking about super foods, ancient peoples knew the benefits this humble food had to offer; as a vegetable, a protein, and a healer.

Image via WikipediaIn traditional Indian medicine, there exists an ages-old system of living and healing that includes a vegetarian diet using legumes like lentils, beans, and peas to keep the body healthy. Now, beyond the Middle-Eastern cultures, many people recognize the power of the bean to support whole nutrition and well-being. Here, we discuss some of the benefits of beans, and why they are leading a double life as a well-respected super food.

Perfect Nutrition On Many Levels

Legumes are edible seeds contained in pods, and beans are part of that family. By their very nature, beans have a convenience factor that makes them a favorite food in many parts of the world. They are generally inexpensive and store well with the potential for a long shelf life, particularly when they are dried. Beans offer sustained nutrition and energy due to the fact they have a low glycemic index, meaning they provide energy to the body over a long period of time.

You won't get bored quickly eating beans, either. There is virtually an endless variety of beans and legumes to choose from, as well as a mountain of recipes to try when adding beans to your healthy diet. A short list of beans would include navy beans, black beans, lentils, soybeans, great northern beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, black eyed peas, and kidney beans.

Beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and are naturally low in fat, calories, and sodium. You can serve beans in nutritious main dishes or side dishes that will satisfy your appetite with less-costly consequences to your body, or budget. These reasons alone would easily earn beans their super food status, but there's more!

Eating several servings of beans each day not only helps you reach your daily vegetable requirement, but those same beans also add up as your protein intake. Yes, those inexpensive, versatile beans are a protein. That's why we consider them a double-duty super food. Beans can easily be combined in recipes with other protein sources, vegetables, and starches like corn, whole wheat, or brown rice to create 'complete proteins' containing all the necessary amino acids our bodies require to function well.

Image via WikipediaGood Health Contributions

Beans have numerous healthy qualities that make them excellent additions to any diet. As we mentioned, not only are beans a nutritious vegetable source, but a perfect choice as a meat substitute. By reducing high-fat protein sources like red meats in your diet, and substituting low fat beans as your source of protein, you are fighting high cholesterol, high blood pressure, as well as a host of other ailments that can occur from a diet high in fat.

Antioxidants battle those nasty free radicals, the cell damaging agents in your body, and beans have some of the highest antioxidant content of any food on the planet. Although the benefits vary between different types of beans, all beans help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and improve digestion. The dietary fiber and enzymes in beans have the added benefit of helping to block cancer-causing cells and compounds in the intestines and colon.

The humble little kidney bean contains a healthy dose of thiamin, which regulates memory and brain function. Many beans also contain isoflavones, which can ease menopause symptoms and improve bone and prostate health, just to name a few benefits. Choose any bean and you've chosen a super food well worth the title.

Unlimited Possibilities

Beans can be cooked in countless dishes like chili, stew, soup, stir fry, tacos, salads, casseroles, and omelets. Try your hand at several main dishes or side dishes and explore your options. Don't limit yourself to just the classic beans and rice dish. Choose a new salad or a tasty dip for chips. Hot, cold, mashed, or whole, the bean will constantly surprise you with its versatility.

Image via WikipediaAs opposed to canned beans, dried beans are the cheapest way to have this super food on hand. In general, cooking dried beans is easy. Rinse your dried beans, cover in water and soak overnight. Then, set the beans in a big pot, cover them with fresh water, bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour or so until they are soft. You can skip soaking them overnight, just increase the cooking time to about two hours. OR, use the Quick Soak method: rinse, cover with a couple of inches of water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off, cover, and let sit 1 hour. Drain, rinse, and add fresh water, and most varieties will cook in about an hour. (Garbanzos/chick peas, and pintos may take a bit longer.) You will also find many recipes for cooking dried beans in a crockpot or pressure cooker. Do a bit of research or follow the directions on the package of beans for best results.

No matter how you choose to eat this super food, your body will thank you.  You can eat enough beans to satisfy even the heartiest appetite without worrying about fat or calories.  Beans are economical, a great source of dietary fiber, and are loaded with vitamins and minerals.  Besides all that good news, a bag of beans in your pantry means you've always got protein in your house, too. As far as super foods go, beans easily make it to the top of the list.

Be sure to check back later this week for a couple of great recipes featuring the humble bean!

Find More on Superfoods & Beans Here:
    

Video - Grilled Beer Can Chicken

If our last post had you hankering for some barbecue, here is an easy recipe for grilled chicken that will have you drooling! (Seriously, I think I almost wet the front of my shirt just watching the video - it looks THAT good.) The chickens are grilled whole, so plan to let them grill for a couple of hours, but the ingredients and preparation are drop-dead simple. This would be a great one for a weekend grill-out with the neighbors, friends, or just the family.

Enjoy, but be prepared for some serious chicken cravings after watching this!

Beer Can Chicken Barbecue by the BBQ Pit Boys
The BBQ Pit Boys show you how to barbecue up two tender and juicy 4lb. chickens on the grill, Beer Can Chicken Style. And, it's real easy to do. All you need for this barbecue chicken recipe favorite is two cans of beer (or water if you must), salad ...


More Barbecue Recipes:
    

Time for Cooking On the Grill

Well, summertime is here at last! Which means it is time to begin preparing meals without heating the house whenever possible. If you haven't considered the value of cooking on the grill in the past, perhaps now is a great time to adjust your way of thinking.

Image via WikipediaCooking on the grill is a great way to keep the heat of cooking outside your home as well as to bring the family together for the entire cooking process. Moms read: this is a great way to get dad to help out with meal preparation! While this is said somewhat in jest, there is some truth to the fact that men are much more inclined to slave away over a hot grill than a hot stove. More importantly, most of the mess of cooking on the grill remains outside your kitchen. I don't know about you, but that is a huge bonus for me, when it comes to cooking.

Cooking on the grill is also a great way to get the kids involved in the meal preparation and clean up process.  If you are hoping for instant family unity over the picnic table you might want to think again but there isn't anything quite like it when it comes to not worrying about spills or dropped food as you can rest fairly certain that the animals will take care of anything that gets left behind.

Even small children can help when cooking on the grill by bringing utensils to the grill, holding plates, and 'setting' the picnic table for your dining experience. If you intend to do a good deal of cooking on the grill, and eating outside, you may want to invest in some portable and 'kid friendly' containers for things such as condiments, napkins, plastic ware, and tablecloth holders. Be sure to find containers that can handle a decent gust of wind without flying off too. These may be a little heavier for your little ones to hold but they won't be nearly as difficult to chase when blowing across the lawn.

Image via WikipediaCooking on the grill is a great way to enjoy nature after a long day of work. Don't just reserve this as a weekend event as you will find you miss out on some of the relaxing qualities it can bring to your midweek slump. One thing that can definitely be said about grill cooking is that the selections are almost as limitless as they are when cooking on the stove. You must use your imagination for maximum effect though very few meats and vegetables are truly off limits when it comes to cooking on the grill.

In addition to cooking meats on the grill, it is important to keep in mind that you can also cook all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables on the grill as well - and it's actually a pretty healthy way to cook, since excess fat will drain from the meat, and of course you're not frying anything. (You can also find lots of yummy grilling recipes online.) There are also lots of tasty summertime side dishes that go great with grilled foods such as baked beans, potato salad, and nice cool deserts and pies.

Cooking on the grill is a great way to bring family and friends together. The next time you plan to have a get together why not make it a night of grilling out? You can have the best of all worlds with no muss, no fuss and great food with good friends. Cooking on the grill is certainly a great way to get the neighbors out and about. There's nothing on earth that can quite compare to the aroma of meat, fruit, and vegetables grilling over hot charcoal.

The most important thing to remember about cooking on the grill is that it should be an experience rather than a chore. Most of us truly enjoy the thought of having a good dinner under the sun or stars (whichever applies in your case). If you haven't tried this in a while, it's time to dust off the grill and refresh your memory and your taste buds!

Recipe - Easy Summer Black Bean Burritos

I've been pretty much living on these for the past couple of weeks!  They're just so easy, delicious, fast, and really don't require any cooking - they are perfect for a quick summer lunch or even dinner. The only thing is - they're so simple I almost hesitate to use the word "recipe"!  :-)

But here it is - a quick, healthy, tasty, and minimal-effort weeknight dinner perfect for those summer evenings when you just don't feel like cooking. This can also be a fun one for the kids -  let them pick their own fillings, and help assemble them - it will give them a sense of ownership of their food, and encourage them to eat some veggies!

Easy Summer Black Bean Burritos: (Makes 4; May be adjusted as needed.) 

Ingredients (feel free to mix it up and add your own!):
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans - easy to cook ahead and refrigerate until needed - and feel free to substitute other types of beans!)
Several leaves fresh lettuce, rinsed and torn
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup salsa
4 large (burrito size) flour tortillas
1 cup diced tomatoes (optional)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
3 TB slivered sweet or red onion (optional)
1/3 cup shredded cheese (optional; cheddar, monterey jack, or colby are all good choices, or even crumbled feta)
Salt, to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat tortillas in toaster oven or dry skillet on low-medium heat until warm and flexible.
2. Heat beans in microwave about 30 seconds (or just leave them cold - they are good this way too).
3. Place tortillas on plates, divide beans evenly among them, spreading along the center. Add lettuce, other toppings as desired, and spoon salsa and sour cream over the top. Add a sprinkle of salt if desired.
4. Wrap tortillas around fillings and eat!

These have slivered sweet onions, & lettuce & cilantro from my garden.

Feel free to be creative with these!  I listed a few optional suggestions above. I have had them both with and without any of these optional ingredients - they are always good. Feel free to try different herbs, cheeses, and other condiments. Corn could also be a good addition, and maybe olives? If you want to get really crazy, sprinkle with a dash of cumin, chili powder, or another seasoning. Your options are really limited only by your imagination, and what you have on hand.

Make up your own version, and of course come back and let us know how it turns out!

What is Once-A-Month Cooking?

If you are like most moms around the world, there never seems to be enough time or energy at the end of most days to prepare the nice home cooked meal you would love to have ready made for your family. Unfortunately, cooking a good family meal requires both time and energy. A few wise moms have discovered a concept that has become known as once a month or freezer cooking to assist in those nights when time, energy, or both are in short supply.

Cover of Once-A-Month CookingThe thought behind once a month cooking is that for one or two days (if you prefer to spread the process out over a couple of shorter days rather than one long day of cooking) of intense culinary effort your family can dine well for an entire month. Many women who have tried this have also discovered that not only does it help by always having something nice and home cooked for dinner, but also helps families stay within budget.

Far too many mother's will guiltily raise their hands when asked whether or not they've ever resorted to fast food or junk food meals simply because they were too tired to cook or were missing one ingredient for a meal and did not feel up to running to the grocery store in order to pick up the missing ingredient. This practice can get expensive over time and rob your family of some well-earned fun money.

There are some important things you must keep in mind if you are considering once a month cooking as a way of life for your family. The first thing you need to keep in mind is that planning is the key. You will need to set aside a day (or two) for the cooking when nothing else is on the calendar. It is simply too difficult to see to all the details if you are planning your cooking event around car pools, soccer games, or dance practices. You need a full day that will be relatively uninterrupted. If you have a spouse, partner, or family member that can take the children for the day this will be the ideal situation. Otherwise be sure to have plenty of distractions on hand for the little ones or find a way to enlist their help with any cutting, chopping, slicing, dicing, or peeling that may need to be done.

You should also create a thorough menu followed by a list of each and every ingredient you will need. Shopping needs to be done on a day other than when you are planning to cook. This means that you aren't likely to rush through the shopping trip and forget something as a result. Bring your menu and your list and get everything you need in one trip whenever possible. You can also save money by planning your meals for the month according to the sales circulars and coupons you have for the week in order to stretch your budget a little further.

Finally, you need to make sure that you have all the supplies, dishes, and containers you need in order to prepare and store the meals you've prepared properly. You should also make sure that the recipes you are using for your once a month cooking marathon are recipes that freeze well. It is even better if you have recipes that double well so that you can get twice the results from the same effort.

Image via WikipediaYou should also make sure you are mentally prepared for your marathon cooking session. Beginning with a nice and tidy kitchen is a great start. Folding card tables make an excellent flat surface for storing things out of the way and freeing up valuable counter space for preparing and assembling the foods that will be prepared. You should also utilize as many appliances in your kitchen as possible for maximum efficiency. Don't limit all cooking to the oven. Find dishes that freeze well and can be prepared in the crock pot or on the range top. Once a month cooking is a challenge but many women will agree it is well worth the effort on those nights when the thought of cooking seems unbearable and the wallet has been stretched to its limit.

One final tip: Don't worry about having the entire meal frozen (including side dishes). Many side-dishes are quick and easy to prepare, so if you just make and freeze the main entree, you can usually throw together a quick salad using fresh farmer's market ingredients during the summer, or another vegetable or side-dish, without much time and effort, and have a whole meal ready in a matter of minutes.

Once-A-Month Cooking Resources:
    

Easy Picnic Recipes

Image via WikipediaWell, here we are in June already, and 'tis the season for lazy days at the park, evenings on the patio, and....picnics!  Whether your picnic is a full meal, or just a light snack, these events are great summer fun for the whole family.  Here are some easy picnic recipes to inspire your own little outdoor adventure.

Scrumptious Picnic Recipe Ideas: Take It Outside! | The Family ...
Great recipe ideas for your summer holiday picnic.
Publish Date: 05/27/2011 11:27
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/05/27/memorial-day-picnic-recipe-ideas-take-it-outside/

Easy Picnic Recipes at Totally Free Stuff
Summer is a great time for a day trip with family and friends. Whether you're biking, hiking, going to the beach, or shopping downtown, save money by packing your own picnic. Enjoy the fun of a picnic.
Publish Date: 05/27/2011 19:13
http://www.totallyfreestuff.com/index.asp?ID=41876

Easy Picnic Recipes: CHEESE FROSTING & More
This site is all about easy picnic recipes. Great collection of easy recipes, easy picnic recipes, food for a picnic, recipes for picnic, ideas for picnic food. Sunday, May 29, 2011. CHEESE FROSTING ...
Publish Date: 05/29/2011 12:34
http://easy-picnic-recipe.blogspot.com/2011/05/cheese-frosting.html