Happy July Fourth weekend!
Last week I offered up the salad recipes for an unusual holiday picnic. This week the menu gets finished off with recipes for mixed grill shish kabob, fruit punch and white chocolate parfaits for dessert.
I like combining beef and sausage in shish kabob, and plenty of vegetables. Everything is marinated together, which makes it simple. Cut everything up the night before, make marinade and place all in a large plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. Then you will have more time to enjoy your company.
The parfaits will finish the meal off with an appropriate red, white and blue send-off.
MIXED GRILL SHISH KABOB¬ MAKES ABOUT 10 SERVINGS
Marinade
3 cups pineapple juice
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup vegetable or olive oil
1âÑ4 cup sugar
1âÑ4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon browning sauce, optional
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
(or use some lemon zest and black pepper)
Mixed Grill
2 pounds of beef tenderloin, cut into large cubes
1 pound fully cooked sausage ( I like kielbasa or bratwurst)
4 medium green peppers, quartered or cut into good-sized chunks
5 medium onions, quartered
Portabello mushrooms cut into large pieces
After marinating overnight, drain and discard marinade. Alternate meat and vegetables onto metal skewers or soaked-in-water wooden skewers.
Grill covered, over medium heat, 6-8 minutes on each side, until beef is cooked to your liking.
FRUIT PUNCH
Makes 5 quarts
Ingredients:
2 quarts cranberry juice
3 cups pineapple juice
3 cups orange juice
1âÑ4 cup lemon juice
1 liter cold ginger ale
1 naval orange, thinly sliced
1 small can pineapple chunks (optional)
Combine juices in a large container and refrigerate. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale and fruit.
WHITE CHOCOLATE PARFAITS¬ ¬
4 servings
Ingredients:
3âÑ4 cup whipping cream
1âÑ4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 egg yolks
4 ounces white baking chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups whipped topping
1âÑ2 cup fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
In a saucepan, heat cream just to a boil. In a bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in yolks until combined. Stir a small amount of hot cream into yolk mixture. Put all in the saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in chocolate until melted, add vanilla. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Place ¼ cup in each parfait glass or dish. Combine blueberries and strawberries; place ¼ cup in each dish. Repeat layers so you have 3 layers ending with fruit on top. Garnish with a small dollop of whipped topping if desired, and a sprig of fresh mint.
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Pat Altomare's "Pat's Kitchen" runs weekly in The Eagle-Tribune. She invites your questions and comments. E-mail patakitchen@yahoo.com, or write c/o The Eagle-Tribune, 100 Turnpike St., North Andover, MA 01845.
