Oven BBQ Pulled Pork
Dry Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 (5 pounds) pork shoulder or Boston butt
Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup yellow or brown mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Burger Rolls and Cucumber Salad
Directions
Mix the paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan, uncovered, and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it’s falling apart.
While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you’re ready for it.
When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes.
While the pork is still warm, you want to “pull” the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to “pull” shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.
To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun and top with some of the remaining sauce.
Cucumbers in Dilled Sour Cream
Makes About 2 Cups
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, sliced into 1/4″-thick half-moons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons green onion (scallions), minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
Directions
Place cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, vinegar, honey, and dill in a mixing bowl. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let salad stand for at least 5 minutes before serving, or chill for up to one day.
Potato Salad
Ingredients
2 lbs whole small unpeeled red skinned potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pickle juice
1/4 cup minced bread and butter pickles
1/2 a large sweet onion finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 cup olive oil mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Place the potatoes in a large pot with a lid. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook the potatoes with the lid ajar until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and cool. When cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes into a storage bowl. Add the pickle juice and let sit at room temperature for an hour or so.
Add the remaining ingredients, mix well and taste to see if the salad needs salt. Add black pepper to taste. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator until serving time.
Basic Barbecue Sauce
This is a delicious sauce to have on hand during the summer grilling season. Use it to baste chicken or to top hamburgers and hotdogs right off the grill.
Yield: about 1-1/3 cups.
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Few drops hot pepper sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
In a saucepan, cook onion in butter until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until sauce reaches desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
BBQ Ribs
Prepare the rub and marinate the ribs one day ahead.
Rub Mixture
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Ribs
1-2 St. Louis-cut spare rib racks
BBQ Sauce, recipe above or your favorite sauce
Directions
Combine the rub ingredients in a small dish.
Prepare the ribs by removing the silver skin or scoring it between the bones on the underside of the ribs.
Place the ribs in a baking dish and coat the sides of the ribs with the rub.
Allow the ribs to sit for at least 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Roast the ribs, meat side up, covered with foil, in the oven for 3 hours.
To finish on an outdoor grill
When the ribs are done baking, heat the grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack.
Brush the ribs with BBQ sauce and place them on the grill. Grill the ribs, basting with more BBQ sauce and turning occasionally until they begin to char about 5 to 6 minutes.
Cut into serving pieces and serve with additional BBQ sauce for dipping.
To finish indoors
Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Slather the tops of the ribs with the BBQ sauce.
Return the ribs, uncovered, to the oven and roast for an additional 30 minutes.
Vegetable Kabobs
For every 2 servings
1 small zucchini
1 small green bell pepper
8 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons Italian salad vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Cut the zucchini into 6 diagonal slices
Cut the bell pepper into 8 pieces
Place the cut vegetables and cherry tomatoes in a mixing bowl, Add the remaining ingredients and let marinate at room temperature for several hours.
Thread the vegetables on one skewer and the tomatoes on another, Place the skewers on the grill and cook about 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a serving plate.
The kabobs can also be grilled on a stovetop grill pan.
Serve the brisket with red cabbage coleslaw and baked sweet potatoes or sweet potato fries. Later in the week the brisket and coleslaw will make a delicious sandwich.
Ingredients
Spicy Chili Rub
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
Brisket
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole beef brisket, about 5 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 or 2 large onions, finely chopped
BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
Combine the spice rub mixture and rub olive oil over all areas of the brisket. Then thoroughly coat the brisket with the chili rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. degrees. Place the brisket in a roasting pan and scatter the chopped onion around the brisket. Roast, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Combine the BBQ sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup. Pour the BBQ sauce over the brisket. Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and lower the heat to 300 F degrees. Cook for another 4–5 hours or until fork tender.
Once cooked, slice the meat thinly across the grain and serve with the sauce.
Yield: 8 or more servings.
Red Cabbage Coleslaw
Ingredients
Half of a head of red cabbage, thinly shredded
2 large carrots, shredded
3 large scallions, minced
Dressing
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
Combine the dressing ingredients in a large bowl with a cover. Add the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and scallions. Mix thoroughly. Cover the salad and refrigerate several hours before serving.
Oven Roasted Baby Back Ribs
Serve with a salad or your favorite green vegetable.
6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup homemade BBQ sauce, recipe below
2 slabs baby back ribs
Rub
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 tablespoon brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
Directions
Combine the rub ingredients in a small dish.
Prepare the ribs by removing the silver skin or scoring it between the bones on the underside of the ribs.
Place the ribs in a baking dish and coat the sides of the ribs with the rub.
Allow the ribs to sit for at least 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Roast the ribs, meat side up, covered, in the oven for 3 hours.
Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Slather the tops of the ribs with the BBQ sauce..
Return the ribs, uncovered, to the oven and roast for an additional 45 minutes.
Barbecue Baked Black Soybeans
Why I like using black soybeans:
Black soybeans are great substitutes for higher-carb beans, such as black, navy, and pinto beans. They don’t taste as soybean-like as the yellow ones do, but rather more like regular black beans. You can substitute them in dishes that call for black beans, such as baked beans, refried beans, bean soup, chili, and 4-Bean Salad.
Nutritionally, black soybeans are free of fat and a good source of protein. They are low in net carbohydrates (the number of carbohydrates per serving minus the grams of fiber) and high in protein, fiber, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and riboflavin. Half a cup of canned black soybeans has 1 gram net carbs plus 7 grams of fiber (8 grams of total carbohydrate), 11 grams of protein, and 120 calories.
The black variety is higher in some phytonutrients, including antioxidants. The only distinction between white and black soybeans is the color of the hull so any nutritional difference will be found in the black outer shell. Similar to blueberries and raspberries, the dark exterior of the black soybean contains antioxidants that inhibit the oxidation of other molecules.
Cooking Black Soybeans
Ingredients
2 cups dried black soybeans
2 teaspoons salt, divided
Water
1 small onion, halved
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Because of their delicate skin and silken texture, black soybeans need to be cooked a bit differently than regular beans. To avoid their getting mushy, it is best to soak overnight and cook the dried beans in salted water. You will use the same water measurements called for in recipes using regular beans, but you will add salt to the soaking and cooking water. For two cups of dry black soybeans, soak overnight in 8 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt.
The next day, drain the beans and place in a large saucepan. Add six cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, the oil, garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan and cook the beans until tender about 2 hours.
For the Baked Beans
Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups homemade BBQ sauce, recipe below
4 cups cooked black soybeans or canned, rinsed and drained
2 slices of cooked bacon
Directions
Sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add beans and 1 cup of the barbecue sauce. Pour into a baking dish. Top with the bacon. Bake the beans in a 300 degree F oven for 2 hours.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
4 cups low sugar ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle adobo sauce
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer, uncovered, for about an hour.
Cooking and Serving Tips
If you’d like your sauce on the spicier side, increase the adobo sauce by 1/2 teaspoon increments.
Make sure to stir frequently, about once every 15 minutes, while the BBQ sauce is cooking. This will help better incorporate the flavors and ensure that the sauce is evenly cooked throughout.
Let the sauce cool before transferring to a storage container. A mason jar is a good option. Whatever you use, make sure it’s airtight. You can store your sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for several months.
Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks
2 servings
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 minced green onion
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for steaks and grill
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 tablespoon drained capers
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Steaks
Two 3/4-inch-thick grass-fed rib-eye steaks
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Rub both sides of the steaks with oil and garlic. Mix paprika, coarse salt, and black pepper in small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of the steaks. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small glass dish. Set aside
Prepare an outdoor or stovetop grill (medium-high heat). Brush the grill rack with oil to coat. Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to serving plates.
When the steaks are cooked and resting, heat the sauce in the microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve.
Green Bean Casserole
Servings 6
Ingredients
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tablespoons butter
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock/broth or vegetable stock
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Shallot topping, recipe below
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8×8 ovenproof casserole dish.
Cook green beans to your liking. Boil in salted water or steam them on for 3-4 minutes..drain and place in a mixing bowl.
Sauce: In a saucepan heat the butter and add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until soft. Turn the heat down to medium and add the wine. Saute for about a minute or until the alcohol has burned off. Add the softened cream cheese and break it up in the pan so that it melts more easily. Add the chicken broth little by little and whisk to combine until the cream cheese has melted.
Turn the heat to medium-low and let the sauce bubble a little to combine flavors and thicken slightly. Add the cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk and taste to adjust seasoning.
Pour the sauce into the bowl with the green beans and stir together. Pour the green bean mixture into the buttered baking dish. Put the green bean casserole in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly around the sides. Sprinkle with the fried shallots and serve.
Fried Shallots
Ingredients
Vegetable oil
4 large shallots, peeled and sliced lengthwise about 1/8-inch thick
Salt
Directions
Pour about one inch of oil into a deep skillet. Add shallots and place the pot over medium
heat. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes (turn down heat if they seem to be coloring too quickly), until they gradually become brown.
Place a fine-meshed sieve over a bowl. Transfer shallots to the sieve and let drain well. (Save the oil for another purpose.) Blot shallots on paper towels. They will become crisp as they cool. Sprinkle lightly with salt.’
Spinach-Stuffed Tomatoes
6 servings.
Ingredients
6 medium tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt
Directions
Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato. Scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2-in. thick shell. Invert tomatoes onto paper towels to drain.(Save the use the pulp for tomato sauce.)
Combine the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning garlic powder and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup for the topping. Add spinach and mozzarella cheese to the remaining crumb mixture. Sprinkle the tomato shells lightly with salt; stuff with the spinach mixture. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Toss the reserved crumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.
Oven Baked Southwestern Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
2 Baby Back Rib slabs
1 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite)
Spice Ingredients
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
½ tablespoon Mexican chili powder
½ tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ tablespoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon allspice
Pinch of ground clove
Directions
Combine the spice ingredients and rub on all sides of the ribs. Wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
The next day, place the ribs in a large baking dish and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 2 ½ – 3 hours,; until the ribs are tender but not falling apart.
Remove the baking dish from oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Pour off all liquid in the baking dish. Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce is heated through and starting to get a little sticky. Remove the ribs to a cutting board and cut into two-rib sections to serve.
Taco Flavored Stuffed Zucchini
If making the zucchini boats with the ribs, bake them ahead and cover the dish with foil. Leave at room temperature. Reheat in the oven with the ribs after they are basted with BBQ sauce.
2 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large zucchini
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 whole scallions, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon taco seasoning
1/4 cup jarred salsa
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a small serrated spoon leaving a quarter-inch shell. Chop the zucchini flesh. Oil a baking dish and place the zucchini shells in the dish.
Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the zucchini flesh, celery, scallions, and garlic. Saute until tender and all the liquid is gone. Add the taco seasoning and salsa. Stir and remove the pan from the heat.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Add the cheese to the filling and stuff the zucchini shells with the mixture. Bake for 45 minutes.
Creamy Coleslaw
Ingredients
16 ounces shredded cabbage
1⁄4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup shredded carrot
1 teaspoon honey or sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw, carrots and green onion. Put aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the honey, salt, pepper, celery seed, mayonnaise, whipping cream, vinegar, and lemon juice, using a whisk.
Pour over the vegetables, stir gently to mix.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir before serving.
Ribeye Pork Chops
Ingredients
2 bone-in ribeye pork chops, 2 inches thick weighing about 16 oz each
Your Favorite Rub For Pork
Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
Here is a link to my favorite pork rub and BBQ Sauce:
https://jovinacooksitalian.com/2017/07/14/weekend-bbq/
Directions
Coat the pork all over with the rub mixture. Place the pork in an oiled baking dish and cover the dish with foil.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place the foil-covered baking dish in the oven and roast the pork for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender but not falling off the bone. The pork will finish cooking on the grill.
Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high. Oil the grill rack.
Brush the pork with BBQ sauce and place them on the grill. Grill the pork, turning occasionally, until the chops begin to char, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Crispy Baked Butternut Squash
Servings 4
Ingredients
1 butternut squash peeled and cut into spirals
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the butternut squash in a ziplock bag with the oil. Shake the bag.
Arrange the squash on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until caramelized and charred in spots.
Turn the spirals over after 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Twice Baked Cauliflower
6 Servings
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large florets
4 cloves garlic, diced
4 green onions, diced
8 strips bacon, diced
1/2 cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Put the cauliflower florets in a large ziplock bag and add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake the bag and turn the florets out onto a baking sheet.
Roast until the florets are soft and begin to brown, about 30 minutes.
Cook the bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Place the roasted cauliflower florets in the processor with the garlic and green onions. Process until almost smooth. Add the cream cheese and sour cream and process until smooth.
Pour the cauliflower puree into an oiled medium=sized baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cooked bacon and cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
What is great about grilling a whole chicken is that you not only get a delicious BBQ dinner but you also have plenty of chicken leftover for a few other meals during the week.
So what can you use that leftover chicken for?
Sandwiches and Panini
Tacos
Salads
Add to Pasta
Topping for Pizza
Mexican tacos and enchiladas
How To Grill Chicken The Easy Way
Butterflying the chicken before grilling is an excellent way to cook chicken on the grill.
Flattening the chicken exposes more surface area to heat, so overall cooking time is reduced. That means you can slash about 15 minutes off the usually cooking time.
Another benefit is that chicken has two different kinds of meat that are cooked through at two different temperatures. Breast meat starts drying out after it reaches 150° F, but dark leg meat isn’t thoroughly cooked until 165° to 170° F. By opening up the chicken and cooking it flat brings both kinds of meat to the correct temperature at the same time. This method also produces crispy skin, if that is to your likeness.
Weber Video on how to butterfly a chicken.
Ingredients
One 4-pound chicken
Rub
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the rub ingredients.
Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the chicken backbone; discard the backbone. Turn the chicken breast side up and press down firmly on the breast bone to crack and flatten it. Remove the wing tips.
Transfer the flattened chicken to a medium baking dish. Spread the rub over the entire chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours before grilling.
Light an outdoor grill and oil the grates.
Grill the chicken, skin side down, over medium heat until the skin is browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken skin side up, cover and grill over low heat until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Use an instant read meat thermometer to check to see if it is cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Carve the chicken and serve.
Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans and Coleslaw are all good side dishes to serve with BBQ chicken. However, today I made asparagus on the grill and a corn saute because I was in the mood for something a little different.
Grilled Asparagus with Egg Dressing
Ingredients
1 lb asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Ranch Dressing, See recipe below.
1 hard-boiled egg, diced
Directions
Cut the woody stems from the asparagus and wash well. Dry the asparagus on some paper towels.
Place them on a sheet of heavy-duty foil that has a few holes poked into it. Place the foil on a plate or tray.
Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the foil (Do not close the foil – leave flat) with the asparagus on the grill, cover and cook for 6 minutes.
Turn the asparagus, cover and cook until tender, about 6-8 more minutes.
Remove the asparagus to a long plate. Drizzle the ranch dressing across all the center of all the asparagus and sprinkle with the diced egg.
Serve immediately.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon dried dill (or a teaspoon chopped fresh)
Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and mayonnaise until fully mixed. Add in the other ingredients, adjusting for taste.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Keeps for a week, covered in the fridge.
Summer Corn Saute
I like to make an extra portion of this simple and easy corn dish, because leftovers are so handy to add to tacos o r to a stuffing for vegetables.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the corn, salt and pepper; sauté for 3- 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the corn with chives and serve.
