Menu Mondays: Family Cook Out

My older sister was in town from Colorado on business so she combined it with family visits. Unfortunately at this time of writing this there are 32 FIRES going on in Colorado and many displaced people combined with 105 degree weather makes for some stressed Colorad'ians. The cool Ohio weather we have been having mid 70's with slight breeze and cool 55 degree nights have been a soothing balm to her soul. 

So sad that so many fires have been destroying many acres of land, natural habitat for the various animal population there and human dwellings- so far only 1 human life has been lost because the homeowner refused to leave her house.

Who can possibly say the devastation that the animals have suffered and how their loss of their natural habitat will affect an all already stressed human population?

I wanted to give her a nice family cook-out with tasty treats and family favorites as the rest of the family was gathering at my house to fellowship and love on her!

I have been reviewing different recipes and I found these AMAZING food blogs, "Mel's Kitchen Cafe" & "The Sister's Cafe" -Let me tell you they have sooo many awesome recipes I practically "pinned" their whole blog, I think she should become my personal chef because her taste in recipes in RIGHT UP MY ALLEY, as my momma used to say!

This menu reads like a wedding, 

Something Old, Something New, 
Something Borrowed and Something TRIED & TRUE!-

Used fruit skewers in place of floral arrangement!

(Ok so I made that last one up)

The Menu:

I. Meats:

Hamburgers & Hot dogs (Something Old & Tried and true:-)

 

Carved out Watermelon to hold fruit salad

II. Sides: (A lot of Something Borrowed, Something New, Something tried and true)

Pesto Pasta Salad, Italian Pasta Salad , Caramelized Onions and Bacon Potato Salad, Home made Coleslaw, Tortilla Chips & Homemade Salsa, Veggie -Cheese Board & Garlic Ranch Dip, Fruit Skewers & Salad, Roasted Veggie Kabobs, & Ranch baked Beans

III. Drinks:

 Sweet Southern Iced Tea, Slushy Punch, Water, & Soda (something tried and True)

IV. Desserts: (a Little something new, old, borrowed, and tried and true)

Cousin Mark's Chocolate Cream Pie, Brownies, Peanut Butter Dessert, & Creamy Fruit Salad

I used a hallowed out yellow pepper to hold the garlic herb dip!

Something Borrowed:

I adapted this recipe to our taste

I.Pesto Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan

*Serves 6-8

• 1 & 1/2  pound Rotini pasta
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups pesto (jarred or from your own favorite recipe)
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I used light mayo with great results)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chopped asparagus tips
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt & 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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1. Cook the Rotini pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking. & Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. 
2. Cool to room temperature, tossing every once in a while to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other as they cool.
3. In a food processor or blender, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. & Add the mayonnaise and puree. 
4. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta & Then add the Parmesan, asparagus tips, salt, and pepper. 
5. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

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Recipe Source: From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

II. One Minute Salsa

1/2 small red onion, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup drained jarred pickled jalapenos

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1. In the bowl of a food processor (or a blender), pulse the onion, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, garlic and salt until coarsely chopped.
2. Add the drained tomatoes and pulse until combined. 
3. Don't overprocess in this step if you want your salsa to remain chunky - just give it a few good 1-second pulses until everything is mixed. 
4. Place the salsa in a fine mesh strainer or sieve and drain briefly. 
5. Transfer to a bowl and serve. (The salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)

*Makes about 3 cups-from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)

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III. Great Cherry-Limeade Slushy Punch

Orignal recipe from  Amy ~ www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com,
(* I altered this recipe to my family's tastes.)

1 6oz can frozen limeade

11 cups water

1 & 1/2  cups sugar

2 quarts lemon lime pop or 7-up

fresh lime slices

Mix limeade, water and sugar until dissolved.  Freeze, stirring often.  2 hours before serving, thaw mixture in punch bowl.  1 hour before serving, add lemon lime pop or 7-up.  Garnish with fresh lime slices & Cherries from the 8 oz Maraschino jar.
I added the maraschino cherry juice from 8 oz jar to make a cherry-limeade slushy...was really good!

Makes 5 quarts
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IV. Smooth Sweet Tea

2 pinches baking soda
4 cups boiling water
12 tea bags
1-1/2 cups white sugar
12 cups cool water

1.     Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. 2.     Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

Funny how the baking soda makes the difference between cloudy and bitter and smooth & clear...really good!!

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