July: BBQ

The sisters of the Coal Creek ward seriously fired things up tonight with the BBQ themed meeting. What a feast! Thanks to the Williams for hosting, and thanks to the ladies that attended for all of the DELICIOUS food and the great company and conversation. Don’t miss the salsa cook-off next month! Take advantage of the amazing fresh tomatoes in your garden or at the farmers market to craft your winning salsa recipe. OR, if you don’t have time to cook, just saunter over to Allison Bird’s house on Aug. 12 at 7:30 to sample, sample, sample and vote for the winner!

Herbed Grilled Salmon

2 lb salmon filet, skin on

1 lemon

white wine

mayo

1 tsp each dried oregano, basil, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, lemon pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat grill on high. Mix herbs and spices and set aside. Place fish skin side down on a large piece of aluminum foil. Squeeze lemon juice over, drizzle a little white wine over, spread a very thin coat of mayo over, then sprinkle herb mixture. Cover with a second piece of foil, crimping the edges to seal. Grill fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Grilled Asparagus

Preheat grill. Wash one bunch of asparagus and trim the tough ends from the bottom of each stalk. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place spears directly on grill, cook 6-8 minutes, turning every few minutes will tongs.

Carolina Pulled Pork with Tangy Slaw

For pork:

5 lb bone-in pork butt

Vinegar

Your favorite barbeque rub

For slaw:

One bag pre-chopped cole slaw mix

2 packages zesty Italian dressing mix

oil

vinegar

Soak pork butt in solution made of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water for 2-3 hours. Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Place pork directly on grill and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When pork has cooled slightly, shred meat. Toss with powdered rub mix before serving.

Mix slaw mix and Italian dressing mix, add oil and vinegar to taste—a little goes a long way, so start small and add little by little until you’re happy with the consistency.

To serve: pile pork and slaw on a toasted bun. EAT.

Grilled Pizza

Crust

3 1/2 to 4 cups flour (I used part whole wheat, part barley)

1 pkg active yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

2 Tbs olive oil

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until dough comes together into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and set aside for 1 1/2 hours to rise. I’ve put it in the fridge overnight at this point and taken it out the next day to rise--it still turned out great.

Preheat your grill somewhere between 400 and 450. Divide your dough into two chunks. Sprinkle a piece of aluminum foil with corn meal. Press one lump of dough into a rough circle on aluminum foil. When the grill is ready, drizzle the dough circle with olive oil, then use your hands to remove it from the foil and flip it onto the grill (olive oil side should be on the grate, cornmeal side up). Close the cover and let the crust cook for 4 minutes. Using a pair of tongs or a meal spatula, transfer the crust from the grill to a platter or large cutting board. Top with toppings, then return to grill for 3-4 more minutes to heat toppings and melt cheese.

The toppings on the above pizzas are—left, olive oil and garlic for sauce, sliced sausage, sautéed beet greens and chard with balsamic vinegar, feta cheese, fresh minced mint and oregano; right, olive oil and garlic for sauce, sliced tomatoes, sliced sausage, fresh mozzarella, fresh chopped basil.

Other sauces I like to use: pesto sauce, fresh ricotta cheese with a little crushed garlic, roasted red peppers pureed with a little cream cheese, and Noralyn suggested tapanade, which sounds amazing!

Very Teriyaki Grilled Chicken

You can get Very Teriyaki sauce at most grocery stores. Marinate your chicken for a full day, if possible. Grill, then serve sliced to have on salads or just to eat.

What a great turn out!

Notice the clean plates—everything was amazing.

Lots of laughter.