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In place of our usual technical talk, here are some of our staff's favorite recipes to help make your task of finding the perfect summer dish just a little bit easier.
Crowd Pleasin’ Nanner Puddin’ – Meg Barham
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafers
10 bananas, sliced
In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Blend in condensed milk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and fold in whipped topping. Layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a serving bowl. Chill until serving.
Meg’s Notes: Banana pudding is one of my all time favorite summer treats and this recipe beat out my Mom’s (a past favorite) in a recent Barham family taste test!
Chili Cheese Corn on the Cob – Ryan Schofield
6 ears corn
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 packet creamy cheese sauce mix (or powdered cheese packet from boxed macaroni and cheese)
Preheat outdoor grill or oven to 400F. Shuck the corn, leaving husks attached to cob to use as holders, if desired. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, chili powder and cheese sauce mix or powdered cheese packet. Spread butter on corn and wrap each ear individually in foil. Place on grill and close lid or place in the oven. Cook 25-30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until corn is tender. Remove the foil and serve.
Ryan’s Notes: My girlfriend Cody Lynn introduced this recipe to me. It’s a little different from traditional corn on the cob. I like to unwrap the foil as I’m eating it, as it’s quite juicy.
“I can’t believe I forgot to fix something!” Delicious Chicken Salad – Jim Horn
1 fully cooked whole rotisserie chicken straight from your grocery store deli
1/2 cup celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons of good quality mayonnaise
2 hard boiled eggs
Pull and chop all the meat from the chicken, breast, legs, wings and back. Discard bones and most of the skin (don’t throw it all away, a little skin make the flavor just that much better). This should yield about two pounds of chicken. Add celery, onion, mayonnaise (adjust mayonnaise to your taste, I like less than most). Hard boil eggs, peel, chop and add. Add salt and pepper if needed (most rotisserie chickens are fairly salty to start with, so taste first). Chill as much as time will allow and serve.
Jim’s Notes: So, you were well intentioned…but…you forgot that you had promised to provide an entree, dessert or salad for that picnic on Saturday…and it’s Saturday! Well, by all means, try this quick fix! They might say it’s the best chicken salad they have ever tasted. Enjoy!
Fusilli with Creamed Leek and Spinach – Justin Meyer
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
1-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups packed baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup lightly packed basil leaves, finely chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fusilli until al dente, then drain. Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked fusilli to the skillet and toss over moderately low heat until coated with the leek sauce, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the chopped basil, and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the fusilli into bowls and serve.
Justin’s Notes: While I thoroughly enjoy this recipe, I suggest the following (not so healthy) additions: Add crumbled slices of bacon when you add the fusilli to the skillet, and top with your favorite shredded cheese just before serving.
Grape Salad with Fresh Mozzarella – Jessica Newton
Adapted from Chef James Cambell Caruso’s book “El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine”
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 cup seedless red grapes
1/2-1 cup small cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup cilengene (small, bite-sized balls of fresh mozzarella, or cut a large ball of fresh mozzarella into 1-inch cubes)
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients well and chill for one hour before serving. Can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Makes eight tapas or side servings.
Jessica’s Notes: When I first read the ingredients for this salad they seemed a bit unusual. But it has become one of my favorite summer treats. I am especially looking forward to it this summer because I am making my first attempt at balcony gardening. This salad should be especially tasty with cherry tomatoes fresh off my porch! Depending on where you are, sherry vinegar can be a bit difficult to locate but it really gives this salad a fresh, distinctive taste that pairs well with the mint. Try a specialty grocery or a wine store. A very different tasting, but good substitute is good quality balsamic vinegar. However, I wouldn’t recommend swapping the fresh mozzarella for the type used at your local pizza place because it is very different in taste and texture.
Carnitas (Pulled Pork) – Steve Thorburn
5 quarts worth of pork shoulder (about 12 pounds to start), de-boned, with as much fat cut off as possible
2 cups of Steve’s BBQ Rub (see below)
Diced jalapenos, one large pepper per pound of meat
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 ounces tomato paste
1 medium onion, chopped
In a 5-quart Crockpot, add the pork, BBQ rub, diced jalapenos, and apple cider vinegar. Cook overnight on low for at least 6 hours. Remove meat from the pot, and strain off any liquid fat (a gravy fat separator works well here). Crumble or pull the meat into small chunks and strands. Return the meat and liquid to the pot, add the tomato paste and onion. Cover and cook for 6-12 hours.
Steve’s Notes: Enjoy over bread, on the side of the plate with some beans, in a taco or burrito, or spoon over a baked potato. Steve’s BBQ rub can be found in our online recipe section (http://www.ta-inc.com/funstuff.htm). As the pork cooks, taste it and adjust the spice and heat to your family’s preferences.
No Work Cheesecake Dessert Dip – Martin Palicki
1 tub of Philadelphia ready-to-eat cheesecake filling
1 box of graham crackers and/or vanilla wafer cookies
Optional add-ins:
1 package whipped topping
Chocolate syrup & frozen Snickers bars
Strawberry syrup & fresh sliced strawberries
Open ready-to-eat cheesecake filling and scoop into serving bowl. Surround with graham crackers or vanilla wafer cookies. Guests are guaranteed to ask for the recipe!
Marty’s notes: There are plenty of variations. 1) Most stores also carry a Key Lime version of the product that is quite tasty. 2) You can also add strawberry syrup and sliced strawberries for a strawberry cheesecake delight. 3) Or, freeze 2-3 Snickers bars and chop them up with a knife or in a food processor. Blend into the dip along with some chocolate syrup for a Snickers cheesecake surprise. For any of the options you can also whip or fold in a tub of whipped topping (make sure it is not frozen) to lighten up the dip. I like to run the dip through the Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment to aerate and get a good mix in the dip before serving it up.
Huevos Rancheros – Pat Gallegos
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 chopped green chile (or more, to your liking)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
Vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas
1-1/2 grated sharp cheddar cheese
Fresh eggs
Shredded lettuce
Tomato wedges
Combine margarine and flour in a medium size skillet and cook over medium heat. Add the onion, chile, and tomatoes – cook until the onion is tender. Stir in the seasonings and broth – simmer for 10 minutes at low heat, then set aside. Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy pan at medium-high heat. Quickly dip each tortilla into the hot oil to soften – drain on absorbent towels. Fry or poach eggs to your liking, then assemble:
- Place one or two warm corn tortillas on each dinner plate.
- Spread generous amount of sauce and cheese on tortillas.
- Top with cooked eggs
- Garnish with lettuce and tomato wedges at perimeter.
Pat’s Notes: This one is from my roots growing up in New Mexico, about the only place I can get really great huevos rancheros. It works best with red or green chiles or chile sauce from New Mexico chiles (yes, they really are better!), but whatever you have in your locale works also. |
