Here we are in the first week of June!
We breezed right through the “unofficial” first week of summer and into the official first week of hurricane season.
I have to admit that I’m really glad that the rain showed up to issue it!
I know that Memorial Day tends to bring on the cookout days, too. It’s a gentle nod to Father’s Day coming up. You know…sales on grills and other outdoor gear. Don’t forget: grilling outside keeps the heat out of the kitchen during these hot months. Y’all KNOW I’m a fan of that. There’s a lot to be said for the adage, “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” I can’t prove it, but I’m sure someone in my family tree said that first. How can we beat the heat this summer? Of course, there’s no law saying that it must all be grilled or cooked outside. Salads of all types can be made to help round out the meal. Fresh produce is another excellent way to beat the heat and celebrate the season. The color that they add to dishes is amazing.
Need some new ideas? Here are a few recipes to get you started! Stay cool, my friends!
Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops
6 1” thick pork chops 1 20 oz. can pineapple slices in juice, drained and juice reserved
½ cup soy sauce 1/3 cup vegetable oil ¼ cup minced Vidalia onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 TBSP light brown sugar
Directions: Place pork chops in a 9x13 baking dish (or similar size dish).
Combine pineapple juice and remaining ingredients (except for pineapple). Pour over pork chops. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Grill over medium coals 40-45 minutes, turning about every 10 to 15 minutes, basting each time with marinade. At the last 5 minutes of cooking, add a pineapple slice on top of each porkchop.
Daddy’s Stuffed Burgers
1 ½ lbs. ground chuck or lean ground beef
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1/3 cup water
6 slices American Cheese (or Swiss)
6 slices thin bacon
Toasted hamburger buns (And your favorite condiments)
Directions: Combine beef, soup mix, and water in a large mixing bowl. Create 12 thin patties and place on a sheet pan.
On six of the patties, add the cheese. Top with the remaining six patties. Wrap the patties with a slice of bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick. Place burgers on a preheated grill 5 inches from hot coals. Cook about 10 minutes each side or to desired doneness. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite condiments.
Marinated Slaw
(This is one of my sister-in-law’s recipes that she gifted to me in the late 80s because Jimmy loved it. The only downfall was that it needed to cook and, of course, marinate. If you don’t have the time to create the marinade, feel free to cheat like I did on days that I needed to “abbreviate” the cooking time: I used an equivalent amount of a good brand of Italian or Greek dressing. I promise, it’s good either way!)
1 large cabbage, shredded
1 large purple onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and diced
¾ cup white vinegar
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp dry ground mustard
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp salt
Directions: Place vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss. In a medium saucepan, add the remaining ingredients except for oil. Mix and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in oil. Pour mixture over vegetables, but do not stir. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. Stir gently before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Libby Hires is a columnist with the Bryan County News.