Murder Sends a Postcard (A Haunted Souvenir)
Page 22
Place the mixture in the container of a 4-quart ice cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. When the freezing is completed, place the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer until firm and ready to serve.
The standard Southern beverage, sweet tea, is served at every meal. Southerners like their sweet tea, and most traditional homes will have a pitcher or two in the refrigerator.
SWEET TEA
6 cups water
6 tea bags—traditionally, plain black tea
1 cup sugar
mint sprigs or lemon slices for garnish, optional
Bring the water to a boil, add the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Steep the tea bags in the sweetened water to the desired strength, and serve in tall glasses of ice. Garnish with mint sprigs or lemon slices, if desired.
A grilled dinner is a tradition across the country on Independence Day. But instead of the standard burgers and dogs, try these recipes for an exciting change of pace. Add a big jug of sweet tea or a cooler of beer, and you have all the ingredients for a spectacular Fourth of July.
Felipe’s Grilled Gala
Shrimp in lettuce cups, or lettuce wraps, are a cool spicy/sweet start to an evening of grilled goodness. The lettuce acts as a bowl or wrap, which makes these finger food.
SHRIMP IN LETTUCE CUPS
1 pound cooked cocktail shrimp
1 small cucumber, chopped
1 large avocado, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 head Boston, Bibb, or romaine lettuce (see instructions)
Toss together the shrimp, cucumber, avocado, tomato, and cilantro. Mix the white wine and olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the shrimp mixture.
For lettuce cups, use Boston or Bibb lettuce. Wash and dry leaves and arrange on a plate. Place a spoonful of shrimp in each lettuce “bowl” to serve.
For rolls, use romaine lettuce. Cut the bottom off the lettuce, wash and dry leaves, and cut in half crosswise. Place a spoonful of shrimp mixture on each half leaf, fold up one end about a half inch, and roll up like a cigar. Use a toothpick to secure each roll.
Serve with plenty of napkins!
This simple marinated and grilled chicken is the perfect antidote to a summer of hamburgers. Served with grilled vegetables, it makes a hearty, and healthy, summer meal.
GRILLED CHICKEN
3/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup melted butter
1 ounce lemon juice
5–6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried rosemary, or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves
salt and pepper to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon each
2 chickens, 3–4 pounds each, quartered; or 6 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
Mix all the ingredients except the chicken; reserve about 1 cup for basting. Pour the remaining mixture over the chicken in a plastic bag. Turn and shake gently until the chicken is completely coated. Force out as much air as possible, close the bag securely, and allow the chicken to marinate for several hours in the refrigerator.
Place the chicken bone-side down on a hot grill. Baste with marinade, and continue basting frequently while cooking. Cook for about 10–12 minutes, turn and baste, and cook another 10–12 minutes. Repeat turning and basting until the chicken is completely cooked (meat thermometer reads 180° when inserted in thickest part of the piece). Total cooking time is about 45 minutes.
Vegetable skewers, with their variety of colors and textures, are an attractive addition to any grilled menu. Use or omit any vegetable that you prefer, or do each skewer with a single vegetable and allow your guests to help themselves to their favorites.
SKEWERED VEGETABLES
2 each medium red bell, green bell, and yellow bell peppers
2 small yellow squash
2 small zucchini
1 red onion
24 cherry tomatoes
24 mushrooms
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Prepare the vegetables: remove the seeds and stems from the peppers, and cut into 2-inch squares; section the squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch slices; peel the onion and cut into 2-inch squares; rinse the tomatoes; the mushrooms may be used whole, or halved if they are very large.
Mix the remaining ingredients, pour over the cut vegetables in a plastic bag, and marinate for 3–4 hours. Soak ten 12-inch bamboo skewers in water, or use metal skewers. (Be careful when handling metal skewers; they will get very hot!) Thread an assortment of vegetables on each skewer, place over a medium-hot grill, and cook 10–12 minutes, turning regularly and basting with marinade.
Eggplant does well on the grill. Be sure the eggplant is tender, but don’t overcook it, as it can get mushy.
GRILLED EGGPLANT
2 eggplants
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon each thyme, basil, dill, and oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Slice the eggplants about 1/2-inch thick. Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Coat the eggplant slices with the oil and vinegar mixture (brushing works well), and grill on a hot grill, turning once, for about 15 minutes.
Tomatoes show up in lots of Southern dishes. They can be baked, broiled, fried, sliced, diced, made into sauce—or grilled. This basic recipe can be enhanced with herbs or spices such as oregano or pepper flakes, depending on your personal preferences, topped with fresh herbs such as basil or thyme, or garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
GRILLED TOMATOES
4 large tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Mix the salt, pepper, and garlic powder; season the cut side with the dry mixture. In a small saucepan (you can do this on a side burner, or the back of the grill), sauté the minced garlic in olive oil and set aside.
Place the tomatoes cut-side down on a hot grill. Grill 3–5 minutes, turn over, top with the garlic and oil mixture, and grill for another 3 minutes. When the tomatoes are done, they can be topped with fresh herbs, bread crumbs, and/or grated cheese.
This grilled menu holds an array of vegetable dishes and aromatic chicken, a departure from the standard grilled meal. But we bow to tradition with the inclusion of the classic summertime dish: baked beans. And while a traditional cook would start with dried beans and spend a couple days cooking, this recipe takes a shortcut and starts with canned pork and beans, then improves them.
BAKED BEANS
3 15-ounce cans pork and beans
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 ounce lemon juice
1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
Mix all the ingredients except the bacon in a fireproof baking dish (a disposable aluminum pan works well). Sprinkle the bacon pieces on top. Cover with foil and heat on a grill for 1 1/2–2 hours. All the ingredients except the bacon are already cooked, but the longer cooking time allows the flavors to blend and mellow.
After an excellent meal, this light dessert
is a perfect finish. Sweet and juicy, it’s like a little slice of peach heaven. Choose fruit that is still firm to the touch; too ripe and it will fall apart on the grill.
GRILLED PEACHES
6 medium peaches, ripe but still firm
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup honey or brown sugar, optional
Halve the peaches and remove the pits. Peeling is not necessary but you may do so if you prefer. Brush the peaches with the melted butter. Brush on the honey or sprinkle with brown sugar, if you want a little sweeter dessert. Lightly oil the grill. Place the peach halves on the grill facedown. Cook for about 4 minutes. Turn. Brush on additional honey, or sprinkle with more brown sugar, if desired. Cook for another 4–5 minutes, until the peaches are soft.
Serve plain, or with vanilla or peach ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream.