If you’re making rice for dinner, why not a bit extra to make this salad the next day? This is a great recipe for when it’s just too hot to cook. And it uses fresh fruits that are in season this time of year.
If you are taking this dish to a potluck dinner, wait until you arrive to add the fresh fruit. It will not have to be heated or refrigerated.
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked long-grain rice, cooled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped shallots
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped fresh peach
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
3 Tablespoons chopped almonds
Directions:
Heat a small, dry skillet. Add almonds and stir until toasted.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, juice, vinegar, shallots, salt, and pepper.
In a large salad serving bowl, toss together gently the almonds, cooked rice, peach and berries.
Summer cocktails make an excellent addition to a fun outdoor party. And, because of the selection of fresh fruits available during this time of year, you can incorporate them into your drinks to make them even more refreshing. Keep reading for inspiration.
There’s nothing like a fresh batch of summer strawberries, and you’ll love them in cocktail. Wine makes a great base for punch and strawberry wine adds a little sweetness that goes well with a light summer salad. With very few ingredients required, strawberry wine punch can be made in advance, or quickly for last minute dinner guests. You might even make some to unwind on Friday nights after a long week at work. Image Source: Pixabay
Bloody Mary
Is your party going to be a lavish brunch instead? Then the perfect cocktail is a Bloody Mary. Don’t limit yourself to just drinking it to treat hangovers; if they’re made with chilled Clamato juice and the perfect Bloody Mary seasoning, these cocktails will be a real a treat for your guests.
To make them even more exciting, experiment with different types of garnishes. You could opt for a classic celery stick, or you could expand the range to include pepperoni, smoked gouda, sweet cherry peppers, baby dill pickles, or even stuffed olives. Each garnish complements the spicy flavors of the Bloody Mary, and makes a simple cocktail into a delightful appetizer. You’ll never go back to the old garnishes ever again. Image Source: Pixabay
Sparkling Lemonade Sangria
Nothing conjures up the image of holidays in Spain like sipping a cold glass of sangria. This delicious sparkling lemonade sangria is the perfect refreshment to serve at a BBQ.
The night before your big party, marinate Moscato wine, berries, lemons, lemonade, and sugar in a pitcher. If you want to get a little creative, add in different kinds of fruits such as oranges, pineapples, and kiwis. You could also add some pink lemonade to your sangria to give it a little more color. I like to use frozen fruit instead of ice to keep it cold.
Ginger Beer-Pineapple Rum Punch
For those who want something sweet and spicy, this ginger beer and pineapple rum punch is guaranteed to delight the taste buds. Rum punch makes everyone feel like they’re on a tropical getaway in the Caribbean, so this is the perfect drink to serve with jerk chicken or seafood. This is yet another simple cocktail, requiring only fresh lime juice, ginger beer, dark Jamaican rum, and pineapple juice. Simply combine all the ingredients in a pitcher, stir well to combine, then pour over ice to serve.
Cider Rum Punch
As the warm weather begins to wane, a cider rum punch is perfect for warming the soul and holding onto the heat of the summer for a little while longer. Cider combines the fruity, fresh taste of summer with the warmth and depth of fall.
I hope these ideas inspire you to get creative in the kichen and develop some summer cocktails of your own — and remember, they don’t need to be alcholoic to be enjoyed!
The summer months are ideal for making use of your back yard. The weather is warm and the sun is out till late. It’s an excellent time to get your BBQ out and get it lit … and cookin’. Why not organize a BBQ for your family and friends? It can be a great event that will end up lasting till the early hours.
First, you need to arrange seating outside for everyone. Then you can sort out games and music so that everybody has a good time. You will then need to buy food and drinks for your guests. Here are some food items that you need to get to have a fantastic BBQ.
Salad Fixings
If you want to have a great summer BBQ, you need to prepare salad that you can have with the meat you cook on the grill. It’s a great accompaniment to meat, and it’s also healthy. As well as a traditional salad, which you can make with lettuce, tomatoes and onions, you could also go for pasta or potato salad. These are all top choices for a BBQ, and you will notice that they will go down quickly. If you choose to make these two, keep them in the fridge till you are ready to serve the meat. You can buy them ready made, so you don’t have to go to the extra effort of making your own. Check out these salad recipes for some unique ideas.
A lot of people cook meat on their summer BBQ, as is traditional here in the States. But they forget to try and cook fish on the grill, too. Salmon is a delicious choice to try on the BBQ, and you could even serve it as chunks in the salad. Prawns are also a top choice for BBQ as they grill nicely. It’s best to BBQ King Prawns as they are big enough to cook properly, and they taste great. Serve them with sweet chili sauce for extra flavor (if you’re lucky, you can find some at your local 99¢ Only store!). Crab is also a good choice that people don’t realize tastes good on the BBQ. You can try some on the grill by ordering it off websites such as http://www.citarella.com/shop/crab. It’s also quicker than cooking meat on the BBQ.
And, of course, if you’ve got a fisherperson in your home … fresh fish grilled in your backyard beats anything you can buy in a store or online.
Kebabs
Another top choice that is perfect for parties is the kebab, or skewered food. They cook so well on the BBQ, and you can do a few at once. Decide if you want to make your own or buy them ready made. When making your own, you should decide which meat you want to use first, and then you can cut these into chunks. Most people then add peppers and onions to the kebab as they complement the meat. As it says here, you could even add fruit such as pineapple, peach and mango to make them even more exotic. Don’t forget to marinate the kebab before adding it to the BBQ.
A traditional choice, sausages make a summer BBQ complete as they are so tasty when barbecued. To make it more interesting, why not choose different types of sausages to cook on the grill? There are a variety available, including ones which have apple or even tomato inside. Remember to check if any vegetarians are coming to your BBQ — you may want to buy some veggie sausages for them. Just make sure to cook them first, so they haven’t touched any meat. A lot of people pre-cook sausages before putting them on the BBQ, so they don’t poison their guests.
Burgers
If you are looking for another food item which will be amazing on the BBQ, you should consider cooking some burgers. They are so tasty after being barbecued, and you can get so many different types. Why not choose to cook some turkey and pork burgers, as well as the traditional beef burgers? You should also get some cheese which people can add to the burger. Burgers are another thing you should cook in your kitchen first before putting on the BBQ. Just don’t pre-cook them for too long otherwise, they will become rock solid once cooked on the BBQ.
Bread Rolls
Bread Rolls are an essential if you want to have a great BBQ with friends and family. It’s a great accompaniment when eating meat and fish. You can also use the bread rolls with the sausages and the burgers. To spice things up, why not get different bread rolls which are topped with cheese or tomato. It gives more people a choice, as well as making the food taste even more delicious. I’m also partial to Hawaiian sweet rolls.
Sweet corn
You might be surprised to know that healthy sweet corn is delicious on the BBQ. It is quick to do; just make sure you keep turning it over so that it all gets barbecued. You can then serve it for people to have alongside their meat. It’s great also to provide some butter so that it isn’t too dry.
Potato Chips
While people are waiting for the summer BBQ food to be cooked, it’s an excellent idea to put out some potato (and other) chips to keep pangs of hunger at bay. Choose a few different types so that there is a choice for everyone. Fill the bowl to the brim and then once it’s gone, you can refill to keep your guests satisfied. Put it outside on the table and keep it covered till your guests arrive.
Bananas
Another exciting — and unusual — food item you might try at your summer BBQ is the banana. This fruit is amazing once cooked and can be a great dessert option for everyone. As discussed here, all you have to do is chop off the ends of the banana and then place it on the grill to cook for at least 10-15 minutes with its skin still on. Once it’s cooked, you can carefully open the skin and eat the hot banana. It’s even more delicious if served with ice cream or, my favorite, whipped cream. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and you’ve got a world-class BBQ’d dessert!
Want an extra-special grilled banana dessert? Add some chocolate to melt in while grilling! Image from Pixabay
Don’t forget to start up the BBQ awhile before people start arriving, for it does take a bit of time to get it going and be hot enough to cook on. And for safety reasons, don’t leave it unattended just in case a child wanders over there!
Guest Ereka Vetrini talks about Ways to Engage Kids this Summer
Guest Ereka Vetrini, TV host, brand spokesperson, producer, blogger and proud mom of two, shares her favorite ways to make the most of your summer. Host Carma Spence and Ereka chat about a variety of topics from sustainable tips to vitamin advice, each tip helping keep the entire family healthy during these warmer months.
