Barbeque Time!

It is summer where the weather is inviting all of us to leave the indoors and gather outside. It is time to enjoy warm breezes wafting the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. Summer is time to enjoy outdoor living. What other human behavior exemplifies outdoor living than barbecuing? I think this tops the list. We adore our grills, outdoor patio tables and chairs, and the ravenous appetites of our guests! Creativity abounds when it comes to barbecuing. Book after book, magazine article followed by many more publications all detail innovative methods of transforming the outdoor grill into a chef's mandatory tool for fabulous edible delights. Let us set the table and tempo for a fabulous night outside barbecuing with our friends and family.

First, make certain the yard is in great shape. Weed the weeds, mow the grass, and freshen the mulch. Secondly, power wash the side of the house, hose down the patios, and scrub the outdoor furniture. Before you grill, make certain the grill is clean clearing any residue from the last barbecuing event!

Now that the outside of your home is "clean" and inviting...you are ready to prep your dinner fare.

We have decided to barbecue beef tenderloins and for dessert, pineapple slices to be served on organic vanilla bean ice cream.

Gourmet Beef Tenderloins
Ingredients:
4 beef tenderloin steaks:1-1/2 to 2" thick
6 ounces each -- about, up to 8

Herb garlic cheese topping

7 ounces herb and garlic cream cheese
2 tablespoon half and half
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 1/2 ounces sliced mushrooms,drained

Instructions:
Heat grill. When ready to grill, place steaks on gas grill over medium heat or charcoal grill 4-6" from medium coals. Cook 14-25 minutes depending on desired meat temperature, turning once. In small saucepan, combine cheese spread, half and half and pepper; blend well. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts and mix is smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in mushrooms until heated, stirring constantly. Serve over steaks.


Salad Ingredients

Baby spinach
Mandarin orange sections, drained
Toasted slivered almonds

Dressing Ingredients

1 cup canola oil
2-4 Tablespoons rice vinegar or any neutral flavored white vineyard
2-4 Tablespoons ginger or orange marmalade

Directions

Carefully wash hands, then wash and dry the spinach in a salad spinner. For each person to be served, put a handful or two of greens into the salad bowl.

Toss in a generous amount of drained mandarin orange segments and top with toasted almond slivers.

To mix the dressing, put two tablespoons of vinegar in a small bowl.

Measure out a cup of canola oil and slowly, while stirring the vinegar with whisk, add in the oil with the vinegar slowly, emulsifying it as it blends.

Add in two tablespoons full of marmalade, whisk to blend.

Taste and adjust flavors with vinegar and marmalade to personal preference.

Dress the salad lightly. This quantity of dressing should be sufficient for several dinner salads.

Dessert:
Grilled Pineapple slices served with organic vanilla bean ice cream.

Take fresh pineapple and prepare for pineapple rings by removing the outer pineapple skin. We utilized a pineapple ring "cutter". But if you don't own this tool, below are step by step instructions for achieving pineapple rings ready to grill.


Coring a pineapple:
Place the pineapple on its side on the cutting board and remove the stalk.

Cut off the top of the pineapple.

Cut off the bottom of the pineapple.

Stand the pineapple on its side and cut the skin off of the sides in strips.

Continue cutting strips around the pineapple until you have cut all of the skin off of it.

You should now be left with a cylinder of pineapple flesh. Mmmmmm, yummy. Depending on how close you sliced when removing the skin you will most likely have some divots left, you can remove these with a mellon baller or potato peeler easily.

Place the pineapple on its side and begin cutting slices. The thickness is up to you.

Work your way down the pineapple until the entire thing has been sliced up.

Taking a slice firmly in your hand, begin cutting around the core. Some pineapples have soft cores that can be eaten, but most of the time it will be pretty hard.

Depending on the knife you use it will be easier to cut by either 'sawing' or by 'stabbing' your way around the core.

Once you've cut all the way around the core, use your fingers to dislodge it and voila! You're all done, time to enjoy!

Now, place the rings onto the grill to heat them thoroughly browning them slightly.

Plate them with the pineapple on the bottom and one generous scoop of organic vanilla bean ice cream on top. Yummy!

Serve your dinner with a red Zinfandel or a fantastic Cabernet.

Allow the evening to sparkle with conversation over summer plans, trips, camps, and other objectives! What a wonderful way to begin your summer!