It’s time to celebrate everything American and officially kick off the summer. Are you entertaining at your house this weekend or traveling to a friends lake house and need a delicious appetizer, salad, side or dessert for a weekend Bar Q? Our weather looks kinda iffy and not sure if it will be a poolside weekend but I do know we will be enjoying several of these easy and delicious dishes over the long holiday weekend!
I sometimes get in a rut of making the same appetizers over and over so I have really been trying to rotate in some new ones.
Chicken Taco Dip
1 can Refried beans
2 Cups shredded chicken breasts
1 Cup Guacamole
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 Cup Sliced black olives
Salsa
1 Cup Shredded cheddar cheese
Layer all in order into a Pyrex pie dish and serve with Tostito scoops
Baked Caprese Dip
1 pint Grape tomatoes cut in half
8 oz’s shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz fresh mozzarella cut into cubes
8-10 fresh basil leaves
2 crushed garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
Serve with Crostini or warm baguette
Preheat oven to 400
Lightly grease a small casserole dish or 8 inch iron skillet
Layer ingredients tossing them together
Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted
Serve with crostini or warm baguette sliced or celery stalks for those not eating carbs
This is by far one of Jon’s all time favorite appetizers . My sister shared this recipe years ago and I think of her each time I make it.
Shrimp Dip
1/2 lb cooked shrimp chopped up
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
5 dashes tobacco
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1 tsp fresh crushed garlic
2 chopped scallions
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients and serve with pita chips or crackers
Cucumber Salad
4 large cucumbers sliced thin
1 small red onion chopped up
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 packet stevia or 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (my kids don’t like dill so I often leave out)
1 8oz container crumbles feta cheese
Combine onions and cucumbers in large bowl
Mix dressing and pour over cucumbers and onions and seal tight. Chill in fridge at least an hour. Add crumbled feta on top before serving
Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Steaks
2 heads of Cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp onion salt
3 Tbsp Franks hot sauce
3 Tbsp honey
8oz container crumbles blue cheese
Heat grill to medium high
Cut leaves off of Cauliflower but make sure to leave stalk on so it doesn’t crumbled into florets
Cut each head in half and then cut 1/4 inch off of each end . Cut 1 inch thick steak pieces.
Mix chili powder, garlic powder, onion salt, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and mix.
Brush each piece of cauliflower with olive oil on both sides.
Sprinkle seasoning all over on both sides .
Place on grill and cook 7 minutes on each side .
Mix honey and hot sauce and brush all over top of cauliflower .
Place on platter and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles
Crab Salad
1 can of lump crab meat
1 bag Boston Bibb lettuce
Container cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 can hearts of palm sliced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
Salt and pepper
Combine lettuce, crab, tomatoes onion and cheese .
Mix olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad
Juiciest Grilled Burgers
2 lb lean ground beef ( I like to use 80/20)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs ( gluten free can be used )
6 dashes Worcestershire
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp ground sage
Salt and pepper
Mix all together well and form 6 patties. Gently form, do not over press. . Press thumb into middle to make indentation.
grill 4-6 minutes on each side depending on your welldoneness.
Whatever your plans are, I hope you have a fun and relaxing weekend enjoying some tasty food!
