Here is a tasty dish that is great for using up your leftover rice.  I enjoy dipping tortilla chips in.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 quart (32 ounces) tomatoes, canned
• 2 cups kernel corn
• 1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit

In your cooking oil, saute onion and garlic until onion is tender and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

While onion/garlic is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add cooked onions and garlic and mix well. Spoon ingredients into a nonstick 4-cup baking dish.

If desired, sprinkle grated cheddar cheese evenly over casserole.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Made with biscuit baking mix (such as Bisquick), this is such a pleasing way to dish up a favorite of many.

Ingredients:

Fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries, 1 quart

If you’re using fresh whole strawberries, use a medium-sized bowl and slice the strawberries in half or quarters depending on size. Take about 3/4 of a cup of the strawberries and mash slightly. Add 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar to the strawberries. Stir and refrigerate. This will make a nice saucy topping for your cake.

To make the cake:

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar

Mix all ingredients until soft dough forms. Press in an ungreased pan – I always use an 8″ round pan. You can also use a 8″ x 8″ square baking pan.

Bake at 400° preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until nicely browned on top.

Let cool slightly before slicing.

To serve:

Cut in squares or triangles. Split in cake piece in half. Place in an individual shallow serving bowl. Spoon strawberries over cake. Serve with whipped topping OR pour some milk over the strawberries and cake.

YUM!

Ingredients:

2    tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed

1    tablespoon mustard seed, crushed

3    tablespoons paprika

2    tablespoons light brown sugar

2    tablespoons kosher salt

1    tablespoon garlic powder

1    teaspoon cayenne

1    (10 lb) rib roast, boneless

¼    cup Worcestershire sauce

 
The evening before:

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the peppercorns, mustard seed, paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder and cayenne. 

Brush the roast with Worcestershire sauce on all sides. 

Rub the peppercorn mixture over the roast. 

Cover the roast with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

Before grilling:

Allow the roast to stand at room temperature for 40 minutes before grilling.* 

Heat the grill to medium. 

Grill the roast over indirect heat for 3- 5 hours on medium heat. The internal temperature of the roast should reach 135 degrees when completely cooked. 

Cover the roast loosely with foil and allow to rest 30 minutes before slicing.**

Notes:

*A large piece of meat when cold allows any juices to thicken.  By allowing the meat to stand at room temperature the juices warm up and will allow for the flavor to flow throughout the meat while grilling.  

**A large piece of meat needs to rest after grilling to allow the internal temperature to rise slightly before serving.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

¼ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil + extra to brush meat

1 tablespoon orange zest, grated

1 tablespoon ginger

2 teaspoons chili peppers, minced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

4 lbs. beef tenderloin

Plum Sauce:

4 plums, pitted and quartered

1 cup pineapple juice

¼ cup dry sherry

¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

Kosher salt

The evening before, prepare marinade:

In a large mixing bowl – Pour the orange juice, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Stir in orange zest, ginger, chili peppers and garlic, mixing well.

Place the tenderloin in a zip lock bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Seal and turn several times to coat the meat.

Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Prepare plum sauce:

In a large saucepan over high heat – Bring the plums, pineapple juice, sherry, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard powder to a rapid boil.

Place the heat on low and allow to simmer about 45 minutes or until the plums are falling apart. Sauce will also thicken while simmering.

Remove the plum skins from the mixture and allow to simmer until you only have 1 cup of liquid left (about 10 minutes).

30 Minutes Before Grilling:

Allow the tenderloin to stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Remove the tenderloin from zip lock bag and brush with the remaining sesame oil and sprinkle with the salt.

Heat the grill to medium heat.

Grill the tenderloin over direct heat for 20 minutes turning every 5 minutes.

Place over indirect heat and continue to grill 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.

Baste the tenderloin with the plum sauce occasionally and turn after each basting.

Allow the tenderloin to rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Reheat the sauce and serve on the side or over the top of each slice.

I always look forward to the warmer months. My mom used to describe the cooped-up feeling of winter as “cabin fever.”

Now, spring – almost summer – has arrived here in the Northeast – and what could be more fun (yes – fun!) than grilling out? It’s grilling out with friends.

Hosting your own backyard barbecue and inviting all your buddies over for a tasty meal and some backyard fun could not be easier.

Here are some tips to get the party started right.

The number one complaint I have about throwing a barbecue party is that I [the cook] do more cooking than enjoying my company. Has this been your experience also?

So, keeping in the line of “simple”, what are some things you can you do to avoid ignoring your guests and still put on a delicious spread?

If you are going to have a barbecue get-together, planning ahead is essential. Planning ahead will make your party easy on the guests and also on you – the host.

First you need to decide as early as the week before as to what you will be serving.

Make two lists: (1) a menu list; and (2) a shopping list

I always make a menu list. This goes a long way to helping you organize your food preparations. It also helps when you sit down to make your shopping list. Making these lists will help you to avoid running to the supermarket to pick up forgotten items.

Also, if your menu includes a dish that requires a recipe, dig the recipe out now and add any ingredients you may need to your shopping list.

As the day draws near for your outdoor get-together, you can begin preparing your food the evening before.

Appetizers or finger foods of some sort allow your guests to munch while they wait for the main course to finish on the grill – so it’s a good idea to prepare some appetizers before your guests arrive. They should be small especially if you plan on serving a variety of grilled meats and vegetables.

A veggie platter or fruit tray along with some low-calorie dip is usually a favorite at a barbeque get-together. Many supermarkets offered these platters ready for your to open and serve. These appetizer trays have no preservatives so it’s okay to buy them pre-packaged from the store.

However, it’s easy to make your own. Wash and cut up your vegetables or fruits, wrap or place in covered containers in the refrigerator the evening before or even the morning of your cookout. If you’re making your own dips, combining the ingredients ahead of time will usually help make them more flavorful.

Punch is a good idea for a party where there will be children as well as grown ups. If the punch is meant to be sparkling (by adding soda), chill the punch first without the soda and add it just before the guests arrive. That way, the punch won’t lose it’s kick while in the fridge.

Side dishes and cold salads can also be prepared the evening before. You can also prepare them at least an hour or two before the party. This cuts down on the work of the host and hostess. You can sit with your friends and await the goodies from the grill. Better still, everyone can watch the grill master at work and nibble on appetizers.

If your meat is frozen, you should take it out and place in your refrigerator the night before your barbecue.

Now, the “day” has come. You’ve prepared your food… you have enough seating for your friends… Now, you’re ready to grill!

If your guests were told to bring their appetites, you may want to eliminate grilled chicken from the menu. Chicken takes a long time to cook depending on the parts of the bird you are grilling.

However, if you really want chicken, we always bake up some garlic chicken wings, which can be served hot, warm and even cold. This, too, can be prepared ahead of time. You can also pre-bake your chicken before grilling to reduce cooking time.

Remember to always preheat the grill. When people come in and see smoke rising from the grill they expect that you have already put food on it. Don’t surprise them with the smell of smoldering charcoal. Forty-five minutes before the party, start the gas or charcoal grill so that the coals get hot and are ready for grilling once the guests arrive.

Your backyard barbecue should flow smoothly when you take the time to prepare. When the work is done early, the fun can begin as soon as the guests arrive.

Yes, keep your barbecue as simple as you can. The whole idea here is for YOU to have fun – and doing as much as you can ahead of time will help add to your enjoyment.