More Memorial Day BBQ or Picnic Recipes

Here are a few more tasty recipes for a Memorial Day barbeque or picnic.

If you have a recipe that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you! Recipes, with photo (and a short story/history), if available, can be submitted to ads@thedrummer.com.

Ginger-Peach Soda

1 c. sugar

2 T. minced fresh ginger

2 very ripe peaches

2-liter Seltzer

16 fresh mint leaves

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring 1 cup water, sugar, and ginger to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove simple syrup from heat, cover, and steep for about 30 minutes.

Over a medium bowl, pour syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing minced ginger against sieve with the back of a spoon to extract flavor. Discard ginger. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.

Evenly distribute peach slices among 8 tall glasses. For each glass, lightly press peaches with the back of a wooden spoon to release their juice. Pour about 2 tablespoons chilled syrup over peaches. (Store remaining syrup in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.) Add ice cubes; then top with seltzer. Stir to distribute syrup, peach juice, and seltzer evenly. Garnish with 2 mint leaves.

Bacon Lettuce Cups  

1 lb. cooked bacon, chopped

½ c. Buffalo Wing sauce

16 butter lettuce leaves (as little cups)

Grape tomatoes, sliced, as many as you’d like in each lettuce cup

Favorite crumbled Blue Cheese, or other medium-hard cheese for topping

Toss chopped cooked bacon in wing sauce.

Place in lettuce leaves along with sliced grape tomatoes and crumbled blue cheese. 8 servings.

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

8 oz. whole-wheat Fusilli pasta

12 oz. chicken breast — cooked & cut into bite-size pieces (about 1 very large or 2 small/medium breasts

1 romaine lettuce heart, chopped (about 8 oz.)

1-pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 c. croutons

1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Caesar Dressing, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.

If necessary, cook the chicken breasts. Cut into bite-size pieces.

Add the pasta to a large serving bowl. Top with the chicken, romaine, tomatoes, croutons, and Parmesan. Drizzle with Caesar dressing and toss to combine. Enjoy cold or at room temperature. 6 servings.

Charred Corn Salad 

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1 red chili, seeded and chopped

1/4 c. fresh lime juice

1 T. olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly-ground black pepper

6 ears fresh corn, shucked

3/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled (about 1 c.)

Heat grill to medium. Toss together red onion, chili, lime juice, and oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill corn, turning occasionally, until charred, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, then cut corn from cobs. Add to onion mixture and toss to combine. Fold in cilantro and queso fresco. 8 servings.

Glazed Bacon-and-Cheese-Filled Burgers

3 T. dark brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. chipotle powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh-ground pepper

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

6 slices bacon, cooked

4 rolls

Heat grill to medium. Combine the sugar, spices, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Form the beef into 8 equal patties. Toss the cheese and crumbled bacon together and place an equal amount on 4 of the patties.

Place the remaining patties over the cheese and bacon and pinch the edges to seal. Generously pat each burger with the reserved spice mixture. Grill to desired doneness -- about 5 minutes per side for medium. 4 servings.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Garlic & Lemon

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. whole-grain mustard

2 lb. large easy-peel shrimp

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced and 1 halved

Kosher salt

Freshly-ground black pepper

Chopped fresh chives, for serving

Combine oil, garlic, celery seed, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden, sizzling, and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard and transfer to a bowl; cool completely.

Add shrimp and sliced lemon to oil mixture. Season with salt and black pepper; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Heat grill to medium-high. Grill shrimp and lemon slices until lemons and shrimp are lightly charred and shrimp are just cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side.

To serve, transfer to a platter, sprinkle with chives, and squeeze lemon halves over top. 8 servings.

Cracker Jack and Pretzel Treats

Cooking spray

3/4 c. (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1 (16-oz.) bag marshmallows

7 c. Cracker Jacks

4 c. coarsely chopped salted mini pretzels

1 c. cocktail peanuts

3/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows until melted. Fold in Cracker Jacks, pretzels, peanuts, and salt until coated. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer; cool completely. Cut into 15 squares.

Cast-Iron Apple-Blackberry Crumble with Sour Cream Whip

Crumb Topping:

3/4 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

3 T. granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

8 T. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 c. pecans, chopped

Apple-Blackberry Filling:

Unsalted butter, for pan

4 lb. apples (such as Golden Delicious & Gala), peeled, cored, & cut into 1/2” wedges

2 c. blackberries

2/3 c. granulated sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1 T. lemon zest plus 2 T. fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

Sour Cream Whip:

1 c. heavy cream

1 c. sour cream

1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a bowl. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add oats and pecans and press mixture into small clumps. Freeze while preparing filling.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Toss together apples, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice, and salt in a bowl. Transfer to prepared skillet. Scatter topping over fruit.

Bake until topping is browned, and fruit is bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour (cover with foil after 20 minutes, if crumble becomes too dark before fruit is bubbling). Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Sour Cream Whip alongside. 10 servings.

Make Sour Cream Whip: Beat together heavy cream, sour cream, confectioners’ sugar, and pure vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 1-1/2 cups.

Quote of the Week:

“...And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions we must strive to keep faith with them and with the vision that led them to battle and to final sacrifice.” 

~ Ronald Reagan