Grilling Season is Here

 Grilling season is back.  So to help you do a better job of grilling, I have a few rules for you.

1.       Preheat the grill.  Just like an oven, a grill works best if you start it, then cover it and let the grate get hot.  Your food won’t stick as easily.

2.       Oil the food, not the grate.  If you rub oil on the grate, you can get flare ups.  It’s better to brush or spray the food then the grate.

3.      Take the chill off.  It helps to take cold food out 30 minutes before cooking to let it warm up a bit.  Longer if needed.  You want it close to room temperature.  By doing this, your food cooks more evenly.

4.      Understand the two-zone fire.  Whether it’s coals or gas, set up your grill with heat on one side and no heat on the other.  Sear a thin cut of meat directly over the heat.  Then move it away from the heat to finish.  Or start thick cuts and bone-in chicken pieces on the cool side.  Then move them over the direct heat to finish browning at the very end.

5.      Reverse the sear.  Conventional wisdom says you cook thick steaks (more than an 1½ -inches thick) over direct heat for several minutes per side, then move it to the cooler side of the grill to finish.  But if you want a juicy steak that’s rare to medium-rare in the middle, switch that around.  Cook it for about 20 minutes on the cool side and then put it over the heat and finish it.  Turning it over a few times until it has a nice, browned crust.

6.       Plan your fire.  Charcoal briquettes usually last about an hour.  If you’re cooking something that takes longer, set up a few rows of unlit briquettes on one side of the grate, touching each other.  After you light the coals on the other side, pile then next to the unlit coals.  They’ll light slowly and keep the heat going longer.

7.      Keep it safe.  Never put cooked food back on the same platter you used for raw food.

8.      Use tongs and not a fork.  Always use tongs to turn or move food on the grill.  Using a fork pierces the food and lets all the juices inside escape, making your food dry out and tough.

Best Egg Salad (GF)

 

Best Egg Salad (GF)

(4-6 servings)

 

Ingredients:

6 large Fresh Eggs, boiled and peeled

4 strips Bacon, cooked and chopped

2 tbsp. Fresh Chives, chopped

¼ cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

3 tbsp. Mayonnaise

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash together cream cheese, mayonnaise, chives, salt and pepper.  In a medium bowl using a pastry cutter, mash up eggs.  Add finely chopped bacon to the eggs.  Now add cheese and cream cheese mixture to the eggs.  Mix together until well combined and eggs are coated.  Serve as desired.

Notes:              Make gluten-free sandwiches or serve on lettuce leaves.  Or dip with gf crackers

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Egg Casserole with Spinach (GF)

 

Egg Casserole with Spinach (GF)

(6-8 servings)

 

Ingredients:

5 oz. Fresh Baby Spinach

1 lb. Bulk Breakfast Sausage

6 large Fresh Eggs

1 cup Milk

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, wilt spinach by cooking for a minute or so stirring often.  Transfer spinach to a plate and add sausage to the pan.  Cook sausage, breaking up meat, until browned.  Remove from heat and drain any grease.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper until well mixed.  Using pan spray, spray a 8x8 baking dish.  Pour a third of the egg mixture into dish.  Now layer sausage, spinach and cheese evenly in dish.  Top with remaining egg mixture and place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let set 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes:              You can substitute ham or bacon for the sausage if you like.  Use a pound of either in the recipe.  Chop up both the ham and bacon before adding to that layer to the dish.  Remember to cook and drain the bacon first.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Gluten-Free Egg Dishes

 This week my gluten-free recipes are a couple of egg dishes.  Even with prices going up, eggs are still an inexpensive ingredient.  So I hope you enjoy these.

Wednesday’s recipe is for “Egg Casserole with Spinach” and is quite easy to make.  Thursday’s recipe is easy as well and it’s the “Best Egg Salad (GF)”.

Just remember to always check your ingredients to confirm that they are gluten-free if that is important to you or one of your tablemates.

There are also many egg recipes in the recipe tabs above that are or can be made gluten-free.  So check them out.

Until next time, “Happy Cooking” and please spread the link for all these recipes to others.  Thanks.

Double-Lemon Cheesecake Bars

 

Double-Lemon Cheesecake Bars

(16 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Vanilla Wafers, crushed

3 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted

4 large Fresh Eggs, divided

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

1¾ cups Sugar, divided

3 tbsp. Flour

1 tbsp. Lemon Zest

1/3 cup Fresh Lemon Juice, divided

½ tsp. Vanilla

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

½ cup Water

Directions:

Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil extending over the sides   In a medium bowl, mix wafer crumbs and butter until blended.  Press mixture into the baking dish and place in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  Separate one egg, refrigerating yolk until needed.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, lemon zest, 2 tbsp. lemon juice and vanilla until well blended.  Add the egg white and remaining 3 eggs, one at a time mixing on low speed after each egg just until blended.  Pour batter over crust and bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool one hour before placing in refrigerator for 4 more hours.  Shortly before the refrigerated pan is ready, make the glaze.  In a medium sauce pan, mix the cornstarch and remaining sugar together.  Over medium heat, gradually stir in the water and remaining lemon juice until well blended.  Bring to a boil stirring constantly and cook until clear and thickened.  Lightly beat in reserved egg yolk in a small bowl with a fork until blended.  Stir in 2 tbsp. of the hot mixture.  Return this to the remaining mixture in the sauce pan and stir in until well blended.  Cook one minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cool slightly and then spoon lemon glaze over cheesecake.  Refrigerate one hour or until firm.  Use the foil to remove cheesecake from pan.  Now cut into serving sizes desired.

Notes:              Remember that if the cream cheese is too cold, it will not blend well.  To soften cream cheese, unwrap and place in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 10 seconds or until just softened.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Lemony Blondies

 

Lemony Blondies

(9-12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

1½ cups All-Purpose Flour

½ tsp. Salt

1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened

1½ cups Sugar

2 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Zest, divided

4 large Fresh Eggs

6 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice, divided

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 medium Fresh Lemon, sliced paper-thin, seeds removed

Directions:

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt.  In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar and 1 tbsp. lemon zest until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Reduce speed to low; mix in 3 tbsp. lemon juice, vanilla and flour mixture.  Prepare a 9x9 baking dish by spaying with pan spray, covering with parchment paper and spraying again.  Now pour mixture into pan and place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool 30 minutes before removing from pan.  While cooling, combine powdered sugar, remaining lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl.  When blondies are cooled, spread glaze over evenly.  Allow glaze to set, about 30 minutes before cutting into desired size.  Garnish with the lemon slices if desired.

Notes:              The recipe doesn’t mention any other lemon besides the one for the slices.  But you will need one or two lemons to get the zest needed plus the juice.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Lemon Bars for the Summer

 I don’t know what it is about summer, but the lemon flavor is highly favored.  So, this week I have a couple of lemon bar recipes for you.

“Lemony Blondies” on Wednesday starts us off.  Then we have “Double-Lemon Cheesecake Bars” to try on Thursday.  If you’re a lemon fan, these will be a big hit.

Just remember to use fresh lemons and watch out for the seeds.

Next time I’ll have some gluten-free egg recipes for you.  So: “Happy Cooking” until then and please help share this link with family and friends.  Thanks.