Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup orange juice
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and thawed
2 cup pasta, any kind
1 cantaloupe, diced

Instructions:

Place the mayonnaise into a large mixing bowl.  Add the orange juice and mix together well being sure that the mixture becomes very smooth.  Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Set the oven on 375 degrees.  Place the chicken breast in a shallow baking pan.  Bake 25 minutes.  Chicken will be done when juices run clear when pierced with a fork.  Remove from the oven and allow cooling.  Once the chicken has cooled enough to work with, use a sharp knife to dice it into small chunks.  Cook the pasta as directed on the package.  Rinse with cool water and drain well.  Place the pasta into a large serving bowl.  Add the diced chicken and blend well.  Remove the orange juice mixture from the refrigerator and pour over the top of the pasta and chicken.  Use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together.  Add the cantaloupe and stir to incorporate.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.  Salad should be cold when served. 

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1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
5 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 quart ice cream, any flavor

Instructions:

Place the water in a saucepan over high heat.  Bring the water to a quick boil.  Place the butter in the boiling water.  When the butter has completely melted add the flour and stir. Do this quickly so the dough forms in a ball.  Place the dough ball in a large mixing bowl.  Add one egg at a time.  After each egg beat with a mixture on medium speed until the egg is completely blended in.  Using two spoons place mounds of the dough onto a cookie sheet sprayed with a non stick cooking spray.  Set the oven temperature on 350 degrees.  Bake the mounds 35 minutes or until a light golden brown.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack where they can cool completely.  When the mounds have cooled use a sharp knife to cut three quarter of the way through each mound.  Fill the mound with the ice cream.  Be sure the ice cream is firm when you do this.  Place the mound on a piece of aluminum foil and then wrap the mound tightly.  Continue until all the mounds are filled and wrapped.  Place the wrapped mounds in the freezer until the ice cream if very firm again at least 2 hours.  Serve the ice cream mounds immediately after removing from the freezer. 

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Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced
4 red potatoes, sliced
2 carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces
2 ears of sweet corn cut into 4 sections each
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

Place the soft butter into a mixing bowl.  Stir in the mustard until well blended.  Stir in the garlic.  Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and blend the ingredients together well.  Place the onion, potatoes, carrots and corn into a large mixing bowl.  Pour the butter mixture over the vegetables.  Toss to coat evenly.  Heat the grill to medium high temperature.  Place one quarter of the vegetable mixture into a piece of aluminum foil.  Seal tightly around the vegetables.  Continue until you have used all the vegetables.  Place the foil wrapped vegetables on the grill.  Gill 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. 

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Put the mushrooms and peppers on skewers.  Mix together all other ingredients and brush onto the mushrooms.  Grill for approximately 4-6 minutes, or until tender.

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Cool and crisp is what most people are looking for during the heat of summer.  They want something that will not be heavy to eat.  To ensure everyone’s safety, remember that if you’re taking cold salads they must be kept cold, especially if they contain mayonnaise.  This is easily accomplished by placing the bowl with the salad into a larger bowl and place ice between them.  If you want to be fancy, place the two bowls together, carefully pour water between the bowls and place flowers, shells, or any item that will fit and put the bowls into the freezer.  When you are ready to leave for your outing, put the salad into the inner bowl.

Nothing is better on a hot summer’s day than a huge bowl of fresh fruit salad.  It’s not hard to make, either.  It may be time-consuming, but the effort will be so worth it.  Purchase your favorite fruits, cut them up, and place them in a large bowl.  You don’t have to use a dressing for fruit salad, but you probably want to squeeze lemon juice over it to keep the fruits from discoloring.

If you do choose to put a dressing on a summer fruit salad, consider adding one package of vanilla pudding to the fruit.  This option also works well for those with diabetes as they can add sugar-free pudding.  You may also choose to use yogurt or whipped cream.

People are used to having potato salad, especially during summer barbecues.  Recipes for potato salad vary according to region and family.  Some families use mustard, others use a vinegar base, and some add sour cream to theirs.  No matter what you add, potato salad is something that families across the country will enjoy.

Cole slaw is another quick summer salad, and again it’s something that each family makes differently.  The major ingredient, of course, is cabbage; what you add to it is what makes it different.   Many people use a cider vinegar in their cole slaw, but you may prefer to leave it out.

Are you looking for something different to take to a summer party?  Are you tired of tossed salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing?  Are you sick of potato salad or cole slaw?  Consider taking a broccoli salad instead.  It’s very easy to make.

Broccoli Salad

2 lbs. chopped broccoli 
2/3 cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated cheese 
¼ cup sugar
4 strips crumbled bacon 
4 tsp. vinegar
1 diced red onion

Fry the bacon until crispy; drain well and then crumble.  Add the bacon to the broccoli, onion, and cheese.  Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together in a small bowl and then pour that over the salad.  Toss well to evenly coat the broccoli.  Chill well before serving.

Warm weather is a great time to make summer salads for any occasion.  They’re healthy, quick to fix, and won’t heat up your kitchen.  All in all, they’re the perfect summer fare for any event you need to attend.

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1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound Golden Delicious apples, cored, cut into 1/2 inch slices (6 cups)
1 pound Granny Smith apples, cored, cut into 1/2 inch slices (6 cups)
1 (15 ounce 2 crust) package refrigerator piecrust
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
Instructions:

Combine butter and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl.  Add both types of apples and toss to coat.  Line two large baking pans with aluminum foil. Heat oven to 475 degrees.  Roast apples one pan at a time for 5 minutes turning once while roasting.  The apples should just start to brown around the edges. Allow the apples to cool right in the pans.  Reduce oven heat to 375.  Bring piecrust dough to room temperature.  Place one crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate.  In a mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, flour and salt.  Place the roasted apples, both pans juice included into the bowl with the brown sugar mixture.  Coat the apples well.  Place the apples in the pie plate.  Flour a flat surface and roll the second dough out to a 14 inch circle.  Cut 4 slits in the dough.  Place the dough over the top of the apples.  Cut dough to 1/2 inch beyond plate.  Crimp edges.  Place the lightly beaten egg in a bowl.  Add the water and mix together.  Brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture.  Place aluminum foil around the edge of the pie to keep the crust from browning too much and becoming hard.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove the aluminum foil from the edges and bake 35 minutes longer.  The top should be a golden brown and the filling bubbly.  Drizzle with the caramel topping as soon as you take the pie from the oven.  Cool.     

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Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 medium zucchini squash, sliced
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 small green pepper, cut into strips
½ C. onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1.  In a skillet, heat butter and oil over low heat until butter melts. Note that both butter and oil should be used as the oil keeps the butter from burning. Add bouillon cube, stirring and mashing until dissolved.

2.  Add zucchini, mushrooms, and carrots.

3.  Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add green pepper and sliced onion.

4.  Cook 3 more minutes, until vegetables are crispy tender. Add lemon juice and mix well. To turn this into a main dish, serve over rice.

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A different twist on an old breakfast favorite!

Ingredients:

4 slices of bread
3 eggs
¼ C. milk
Dash of salt
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
½ C. brown sugar
¼ C. water
Sliced fruit (optional)

Directions:

1.  Melt butter in skillet.

2.  In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, and salt together.

3.  Dip bread into egg mixture and cook until light brown and egg is cooked. Bread should be slightly fluffy. Remove from pan.

4.  Add brown sugar to pan and stir until melted. Add water and stir.

5.  Place bread back in pan and turn to coat. Remove from pan.

6.  Serve with mom’s favorite fruit, sliced, as a garnish or side dish.

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Ingredients:

3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 cup barbecue sauce
3 ounces cheddar cheese, grated, divided (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup green onions with tops, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 package (17.3 ounces) grand-size flaky or buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)
1 package (10.2 ounces) grand-size flaky or buttermilk biscuits (5 biscuits)

Instructions:

1.  Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, breaking into pieces.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Preheat oven to 350° F.

3.  In a bowl, combine cooked beef, 1/2 cup of the cheese, green onions, bell pepper, garlic and half of the barbecue sauce; mix well.

4.  Separate 12 biscuits and place on a cutting board. (set aside extra biscuits for another use.) Using a roller, roll each biscuit into a 5-inch disk, flouring dough as needed.

5.  Spoon beef mixture evenly onto center of each biscuit.  Gather up edges of dough over filling, pinching lightly to seal.

6.  Place biscuits, pinches side down, into muffin pan. Do not press down into cup. Cut through top of each biscuit wrap making a crisscross pattern.

7.  Bake 26-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.

8.  Sprinkle the rest of your cheese over the biscuit wraps. Remove from the muffin pan and place on a cooling rack. Serve with remaining barbecue sauce.

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