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A PERFECT SUMMER PICNIC MENU

~Submitted by Sandra H., Cypress Inn, TN

Summer Breeze Ribs
Pea and Macaroni Salad
Fresh Onion Dip
Home Run Pie
Two-Tone Lemonade Mousse

SUMMER BREEZE RIBS

~Submitted by Sandra H., Cypress Inn, TN

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 pounds pork loin back ribs or pork spareribs
1/4 cup yellow mustard
4 cups hickory or fruitwood chips
1/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce
Bottled barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, seasoned salt, and chili powder. Brush ribs with mustard. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture onto ribs. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.

2. At least 1 hour before grilling, soak wood chips in enough water to cover. Drain.

3. In a grill with a cover arrange preheated coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above the pan. Sprinkle some of the drained wood chips over the coals. Pour 1 inch of water into the drip pan. Place ribs, meaty side up, on grill rack over drip pan but not over coals, or use a rib rack placed over the drip pan. Cover and grill for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until ribs are tender, adding more coals and wood chips as necessary.

4. Brush with the 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Grill ribs for 5 minutes more. Serve with additional bottled barbecue sauce. Makes 6 servings.


PEA AND MACARONI SALAD

~Submitted by Sandra H., Cypress Inn, TN

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh pea pods
8 ounces dried elbow macaroni
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup horseradish mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons chopped onion
Milk (optional)
Pea pods (optional)

Directions:

1. Remove tips and strings from pea pods. Cook macaroni according to package directions in lightly salted boiling water, adding pea pods and peas during last 1 minute of cooking. Drain and rinse. Halve pea pods diagonally; set pasta and pea pods aside.

2. In a small bowl stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper; set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine cooked macaroni, pea pods, peas, celery, and onion. Pour mayonnaise mixture over macaroni mixture. Stir gently to combine.

4. Cover; chill 4 to 24 hours. Stir mixture before serving. If necessary, add additional milk (1 to 2 tablespoons) to moisten. Top with additional pea pods, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 side-dish servings.


FRESH ONION DIP

~Submitted by Sandra H., Cypress Inn, TN

Start with summer-sweet onions and butter—cook them until tender, then whirl them in a blender along with an emphatic combination of black and red peppers, sour cream and salt.

Makes 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 teaspoons snipped fresh chives
Milk (optional)
Dippers

Preparation:

In a medium skillet cook onion in margarine or butter about 5 minutes or until tender. Cool.

In a blender container or food processor bowl combine cooked onion, sour cream, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth.

Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in chives. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours.

Before serving, stir in additional milk, a teaspoon at a time if necessary, to make of dipping consistency. Serve with a variety of dippers, such as chips and sliced raw vegetables.


HOME RUN PIE

~Submitted by Sandra H., Cypress Inn, TN

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons water
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts
1-1/2 to 2 cups caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts

Directions:

1. Pastry for Single-Crust Pie: Stir together all-purpose flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of the mixture. Gently toss with a fork. Push to side of bowl. Repeat until all is moistened. Form into a ball.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Divide pastry into 4 portions. On lightly floured surface roll each portion of pastry into a 6-inch circle. Ease each pastry round into a 5-inch individual pie pan. Trim pastry, if necessary, to within 1/4 inch of the edge of pie pan. Snip star shaped points around edges of crusts with kitchen shears.

3. For filling, in a medium bowl combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, margarine or butter, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in dry-roasted peanuts. Place pans on a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Divide filling evenly among the pastry shells.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

5. Remove pans from oven. Divide 1-1/2 to 2 cups of the caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts over the 4 pies. Return to oven and bake 3 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooling. Cover for longer storage. Makes 4 tart-sized pies (8 servings).

Note: It is essential to make sure the piecrust extends all the way to the lip of the pie pan so that no filling can leak underneath. Leaks cause pie to stick to the pan, making it impossible to remove. If you do not have metal tart pans, foil ones from the supermarket work well.


TWO-TONE LEMONADE MOUSSE

~Submitted by Sandra H., Cypress Inn, TN

Prep: 25 minutes
Chill: 3-1/4 hours

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 4 drops red food coloring
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 3 thin lemon slices, halved, or pink grapefruit half slices (optional)
• Lemon peel curls (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan combine gelatin and sugar; add 2/3 cup of the water. Cook and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining water and lemonade concentrate. Divide mixture in half, transferring each to a medium bowl. Stir red food coloring into one portion of the mixture. Cover and chill about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until mixtures mound.

2. In a chilled bowl beat whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl); set aside.

3. Wash beaters. Beat plain lemonade mixture with electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until light and foamy. Beat pink mixture until light and foamy. Fold half the whipped cream into each lemonade mixture.

4. Carefully layer plain mixture and pink mixture into 6 small serving glasses or dessert dishes, dividing evenly.

5. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with fresh berries, and if desired, citrus slices and lemon peel curls. Makes 6 servings.

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For Two...

SALMON CLUB WITH AVOCADO BUTTER

Serves 2

This light, summery salad sandwich is loaded with flavor and gives you a double dose of good fats.

1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
Juice from a half a lemon
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 t fresh oregano leaves
1 ¼ t kosher salt
1 8-os salmon fillet, sliced into ¾-inch pieces
6 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
1 ½ cups arugula leaves, loosely packed

Place the avocado, lemon juice, butter, oregano, and ¾ teaspoon of the salt in a food processor. Pulse until nearly smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with a vegetable cooking spray. Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining salt. Place in heated skillet. Cook until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Assemble 2 sandwiches, alternating pumpernickel, avocado butter, salmon, and arugula. Secure with toothpicks before serving.