By Cheryl Radkiewicz

Finally it’s summertime and the living is easy.  I’ve been perusing through some of my favorite “can’t wait to prepare” summer dishes and have some winners.  These are all tried and true and are big hits at family parties. I hope you enjoy them.

El Paso Dip:

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, chopped

1 (3 1/2 oz.) can pitted black olives, drained and chopped

3 to 4 green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp. oil

1 Tbsp. vinegar

Salt and pepper

Tabasco or hot sauce, to taste

Mix tomatoes, chilies, olives, onions, oil and vinegar.  Add salt, pepper and Tabasco or hot sauce, to taste.  Marinate in refrigerator for approximately one hour.  Stir before serving.  Great with tortilla chips.  Makes one cup.

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Along with summer comes fresh lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, and that means one thing—salad time.  Here is my favorite, easy-to-make bleu cheese dressing recipe.

Bleu Cheese Dressing:

3/4 cup sour cream

1 1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

4 oz. Danish bleu cheese

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise and seasonings.  Fold in bleu cheese.  Refrigerate for one week.  Makes two cups.

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Every year my husband plants pots of Swiss chard.  I find this to be a great side dish that is so fresh. However, there are times when we just eat a bowl of this.

Swiss Chard Delight:

1 large bunch fresh Swiss chard

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. water

Pinch of dried crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp. butter

Pinch of salt

Roughly chop Swiss chard into inch-wide strips.  Thoroughly rinse chard leaves in colander.  Remove toughest third of the stalk and discard.  In a saute’ pan over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper.  Saute’ for about one minute. Add chopped chard leaves and cover.  Check after about five minutes.  If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip leaves over in the pan and cover again.  After another five minutes, remove a piece and taste it.  Add salt and butter.

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This one is heavenly with lots of French bread to soak up all the sauce.

BBQ Shrimp:

Seasoning:

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/16 tsp. white pepper

1/8 tsp. paprika

1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

Shrimp:

1 stick butter

2 lb. large shrimp (shell on)

1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic

4 oz. (1/2 cup) beer

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

French bread

Note: I usually decrease the amount of black pepper and only use a sprinkle of cayenne.

Mix all seasonings together and set aside. For shrimp:  Heat butter in large skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides.  Add shrimp, garlic, seasonings, beer and Worcestershire sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Soak up juice with French bread.  Serves four to six people as a main course and about eight as an appetizer.

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This is probably the best steak marinade I have ever tasted.  Keeps for a month or more in your refrigerator in a tightly sealed jar.  Give it a try.

Fred Pabst Steak Marinade:

6 tsp. unseasoned meat tenderizer (Adolph’s)

3 Tbsp. sugar

6 Tbsp. dry sherry

6 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. honey

3 tsp. salt (or less)

3 tsp. Accent (Eliminate if you can’t tolerate MSG)

Mix all ingredients in a large jar and shake.  Make sure sherry is at room temperature. Before using stir or shake well. Tender cuts of beef need be marinated for only about 30 minutes.  Thicker, less tender cuts should marinate for about an hour, and meat should be pierced with a fork every couple of inches.  Great for broiling, but fabulous for grilling.  Baste at least once to several times for thick cuts.  Be sure to brush on some additional marinade before serving.

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I couldn’t believe ground turkey could taste so good until I had this recipe. With everyone becoming more health-conscious, you won’t even miss the ground beef.

Turkey Barbecue Sandwiches

2 1/4 lbs. ground turkey

2 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

1-14 oz. bottle ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. mustard

Brown meat, onion, pepper, and drain well.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Place in Dutch oven or pan.  Bake in oven at 325 degrees for one hour. Recipe freezes well. Serve on rolls.

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I have copper molds hanging on my kitchen wall, and I just love all the shapes and sizes. They come in handy when I make this refreshing dessert.

Lemon Pineapple Jell-O Mold:

1 small box lemon Jell-O

1 cup boiling water

1 (9 oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed

1 medium can crushed pineapple, drained

Maraschino cherries for decoration

Dissolve jello with boiling water and refrigerate.  When just beginning to set, remove from refridgerator and beat with beaters. Add Cool Whip and beat on low or medium speed until well mixed.  Fold in pineapple.  Put in mold or square baking dish and refrigerate.  Decorate with maraschino cherries.