Avacado Basil Pasta

Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 8  oz dried bow tie and/or wagon wheel pasta
• 2  md avocados; seeded, peeled, and coarsely chopped
• 6  slices bacon; cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled
• 2/3  c chopped fresh basil
• 2  Tbs lemon juice
• 1  Tbs olive oil
• 3  cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4  tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8  tsp salt
• 1/2  c finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine: avocado, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, pepper and salt.
3. Add the hot pasta and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese.

Potato Au Gratin (Variations)

Prep: 15 min Preheat: 375 F Bake: 80 min Serves: 8-12 Cost: ab $8for basic and $12 for casserole

Ingredients:

• ab 12 red potatoes (3-4lbs), washed
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 Tbs onion powder
• 1 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper, freshly ground
• 1 1/2- 2 c milk
• 2 1/2 c shredded cheese, divided
• 1/4 c dry bread crumbs
• paprika

Potatoes Au Gratin Casserole Options:

• 1-2 c broccoli or cauliflower florets
• 4-5 carrots, peeled & sliced 1/8" thick at an angle
• 1 turkey or chicken horseshoe sausage, sliced 1/8" thick at an angle

Directions:

1. Line a 9x13" pan or 1 1/2 qt casserole dish with aluminum foil, shiny side up, to save yourself on cleanup.
2. Melt butter in baking dish, pour into a large bowl.
3. Mix in: onion powder, flour, salt & pepper until thoroughly combined.
4. Stir in milk & 2 c shredded cheese
5. Spread potatoes & any desired optional ingredients evenly in pan & cover with cheese mixture.
6. Bake 1 hour.
7. Combine remaining shredded cheese & bread crumbs in a bowl.
8. Sprinkle cheese & bread crumb mixture over the top of the potatoes.
9. Sprinkle with paprika, to taste.
10. Bake an additional 20 min.

Picnic Spodie Boat

Prep:1 hour
(picture borrowed from indobase.com to show as an example)

Ingredients:

• 1 large seedless watermelon
  
• 1 honeydew melon
  
• 1 cantaloupe
  
• 1 lb strawberries
• 1 pineapple
  
• 1/2 to 1 c lemon juice, to taste
  
• 1, fifth, lemon vodka (suggestions: Absolut Citron Vodka, Stolichnaya Limonnaya Vodka, Smirnoff Lemon Vodka)

Optional Ingredients:

• 2 c blueberries, washed
  
• 1 lb grapes, washed
• quartered kiwi
• banana slices (I don't add banana because it gets mushy)
  
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• Sprite for non alcoholic Picnic Boat
  

Directions:

1. Using a knife cut a lid from the top of the watermelon in a shark teeth style circle, remove the lid.
2. Use a melon baller to ball out all the meat of the melon down to the core.
3. Place balls & juice into a large strainer over a large bowl & discard watermelon "scraps" (pieces that do not work as balls) into a separate bowl.
4. Scrape out the inside of the melon core so it is mostly smooth.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for both Honeydew & Cantaloupe.
6. Wash strawberries, remove leaves, stem & core; place berries into large bowl & scraps in garbage.
7. Cube pineapple into 1 in pieces placing in large bowl, discard rind & hard core in garbage.
8. Gently mix fruit in large bowl tossing with lemon juice.
9. Fill the Watermelon with fruit & and the bottle of lemon vodka.
10. Finish off the watermelon by filling the rest of the way with fruit juice.
11. Replace lid & chill overnight to allow fruit to absorb the alcohol.
12. Use remaining fruit to make a non alcoholic version in either a fruit bowl or in the cantaloupe & honeydew shells; use sprite rather than vodka & serve within 1 hour of adding sprite so it retains the carbonation.
    

Hot-Pepper Chicken

Prep: 15 min Serves: 10 or more
Tip: To feed more people and get the best use out of the raw marinade you can rotate in even more chicken as you are grilling!

Marinade Ingredients:

• 5+ lbs chicken (wings or drumsticks are amazing)
• 1 3/4 c soy sauce
• 1 c Dijon mustard
• 1 cup water (I don't add water to mine, I prefer to make it thicker like a sauce)
• 1/2 c Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 c garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

(Optional) Cilantro sour cream dipping sauce:

• 1/2 c sour cream
• 2 Tbs heavy cream
• 2 tsp chopped cilantro
• kosher or coarse salt
• ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk all marinade ingredients except chicken in a large bowl.
2. Reserve 1/2-1 cup marinade for basting & sauce. Never use a "raw" marinade (any marinade that has had raw meat in it) to finish a dish. That's why we set some aside in this recipe.
3. Add chicken to marinade, cover, & refrigerate at least 1 hour (the longer you marinade the more flavourful your meat will become). Turn occasionally to make sure chicken is thoroughly marinated.
4. To Grill: Remove chicken & place on grill over medium-low coals, turning often, until chicken cooks through, about 15 minutes. You want the chicken to cook slowly so it cooks thoroughly before the glaze burns. Baste a few times while grilling. Cut into one of the pieces to make sure no pink remains near the bone & remove from grill. Discard raw marinade.
5. To Broil: Remove chicken from marinade & place in a broiler pan under a preheated broiler on low setting, 4 inches from heat source. Broil about 10 minutes per side. (If your broiler does not have a low setting watch carefully so the glaze doesn't burn.) Heat reserved marinade in saucepan and baste chicken a few times while cooking. Cut into one of the pieces to make sure there is no pink remaining near the bone and remove. Discard raw marinade.
6. To make cilantro sour cream: In a small bowl, mix first three ingredients together. Salt & pepper to taste. Yields 1/2 cup.
7. To serve: Top wings with 1 tsp of warm reserved marinade. Don't use more than a drizzle, though — it's really strong. Serve whatever is left on the side for heat lovers. Serve with cilantro sour cream.

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Prep: 30 minutes, Cook: 3-5 minutes, Serves: 10-15, Cost: under $15

Ingredients:

• 1, 20 oz, can pineapple chunks, in 100% pineapple juice
  
• 1, 15 oz, can mandarin oranges, in fruit juice
  
• 3 Tbs reserved, pineapple & orange juice
  
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 Tbs vinegar
• 3 Tbs sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 jar maraschino cherries, strained
  
• 2 c green grapes, stemmed & washed
  
• 1 large sweet apple
• 1 medium banana
  
• 1 medium, firm peach
• 1 large pear

Optional Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs vanilla flavoring
• 1 tsp cinnamon (&/or) 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 c miniature marshmallows
• 1 c shredded coconut
• 1/2 c chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Open the canned pineapples & mandarin oranges pouring the juice into a cup; reserve 3 Tbs juice.
2. In a small pot beat egg yolk, vinegar, juice & salt.
3. Heat egg mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick & foamy.
4. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
5. In a large bowl beat heavy whipping cream (vanilla & spices) until stiff peaks form, refrigerate.
   
6. Peel & cube: apple, banana, peach & pear.
7. Combine all fruit with whipped cream.
8. Gently fold in egg mixture and any other optional ingredients you desire.
9. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour before serving to allow fruit to chill.

Refrigerate leftovers & eat within 2 days.