Say Farewell to Summer with These 4 Recipes

Labor Day is right around the corner, which means we’re running out of time to try our favorite summer recipes. We have variations on a classic appetizer, two sweet side dishes and a dessert starring fresh berries. Say farewell to the season the right way by sharing these dishes at a holiday party (or—why not—eating them all on your own in one sitting.) 

Four Delicious Deviled Egg Recipes

Classic

Step 1:

• Mash yolks from 6 hard-boiled eggs
• Add 1/4 tablespoon mayonnaise (or yogurt)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• Pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

• Fill the halved egg whites with the yolk mixture.
• Sprinkle with paprika

Bacon & Paprika

Begin with Classic recipe’s Step 1. 

Directions:

• Stir in 2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Fill the halved egg whites with the yolk mixture
• Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with a bacon bit

Wasabi & Unagi 

Begin with Classic recipe’s Step 1.

Directions:

• Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese mustard, 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• Fill the halved egg whites with the yolk mixture
• Top with unagi

Sriracha & Cilantro

Begin with Classic recipe’s Step 1.

Directions:

• Stir in 2 Tablespoons chopped green onions.
• Fill the halved egg whites with the yolk mixture.
• Top with 2-3 stripes of Sriracha sauce; sprinkle with paprika and top with a cilantro leaf.

Grilled Produce

Think beyond the beef and go to your yard or the farmers’ market to get fresh-picked goodies for the grill. Here’s the tips you need to get started:

1. Cut fruit into large pieces so that it keeps its form as it heats up and doesn’t fall between the grates.
2. Use skewers and baskets to grill small fruits like strawberries, plums and kumquats.
3. Most fruits cook best with lower heat. Put them on the outside edges of your grill, not over the hottest spot.
4. Before placing fruit, heat grill to medium high for 10 minutes, then scrape and oil the grates.
5. Brush fruits with oil before grilling, and select a neutral-tasting oil that works with high heat, such as safflower and grapeseed oils.
6. Choose firm, not-overly-ripe fruit that will maintain its structure as it heats.
7. The natural sugars in the fruits require a lower cooking temperature to prevent the sugars from burning. For caramelized, but not burnt fruit, cook your fruits over indirect heat or wait until the coals begin to die out and the temperature is less intense.
8. To get grill marks and char, grill fruit over high heat for about 3 minutes without moving or flipping it (depending on fruit’s size and thickness). Turn and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes.
9. Have your meal ready to serve before you start grilling fruits and vegetables. They cook quickly and are best served right from the grill.
10. Try grilled fruit as a side dish with your main protein—pineapple and banana with fish, peaches with chicken, apples with pork.

Summer in a Cone

Cones aren’t just for ice cream. Today’s pros fill them with everything from berries to scrambled eggs, ahi tuna to lattes. 

Crafting a Cone

1. Pour prepared batter into cone maker.
2. Allow batter to cook through (1-2 minutes) before removing from heat
3. Roll around form while still warm to shape the cone.

Cone Concoctions

1. Blend olive oil with softened feta cheese to the consistency of yogurt; top with halved cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, slivered red onion and chopped cucumber. 
2. Line cone with basil leaves. Toss mozzarella “pearls” with a tablespoon of chopped tomato and fill the cone. Top with toasted pine nuts and drizzle with EVOO and balsamic vinegar.
3. Fill cone with chicken salad made with toasted almonds and halved green grapes.
4. Layer thin slices of smoked salmon with dilled cream cheese and top with capers.

The Lowdown On Strawberry Shortcake

A proper strawberry shortcake is made with a slightly sweetened biscuit, and it only takes a few steps to perfection.

Biscuits

Directions:

1. Like pastry, the first step in making biscuits is mixing cold butter with flour, but the key is keeping the butter cold. You can do this with your hands if they’re cool and you work quickly. Better: Use a pastry blender. 
2. You can also use a food processor, just be careful to pulse in short bursts so the dough doesn’t overblend. The mixture should be coarse with little cold lumps of butter. 
3. Knead the dough very lightly. You don’t want to build up the gluten—it makes the biscuits tough. 
4. Use a heavily floured pastry cloth to roll out the biscuits.
5. Roll out the biscuits with a light touch, using a silicone-coated rolling pin. Again, don’t over-work the dough. 
6. Dip your biscuit cutter in flour to prevent it sticking. 
7. Bake biscuits in a hot oven—400-450 degrees. Invest in an oven thermometer.

Strawberry Shortcake

It only takes a few more steps to turn your sweet biscuits into a scrumptious strawberry shortcake:

Directions:

1. Cut your strawberries in half and mix with sugar. Allow them to rest to get those juices out.
2. Split your trusty biscuit horizontally and layer with halved strawberries.
3. Obviously, you need whipped cream on top. Add a healthy dollop and serve!

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