Easy Entertaining for Beginners

Serves 8
2 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut in to pieces
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Light an outdoor grill or stove-top grill and spray with cooking spray. Brush the salmon with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill the salmon (skin-side down) over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn over and with spatula or knife, remove skin from salmon and discard. Grill for 3-4 minutes more. Remove from grill, cover. Place the orange juice concentrate in a bowl and heat over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and whisk in the zest, butter and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the grilled salmon to serve.
NOTE: The salmon should be pink and flaky with just a slight bit of pinkish red in the middle. After you remove it from the grill, either cover it with aluminum foil or an inverted plate. It will continue to cook from it’s own heat while you are preparing the Orange Butter Sauce. The result will be perfectly cooked salmon!

Serves 8

1 pound green beans, fresh, trimmed and cut in half
2 cups good quality croutons
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano, fresh, chopped or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped, fresh
Zest of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan, blanch the beans in boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt for 2-4 minutes. Drain in colander and immediately run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process. Drain well.

In a 325 degree F oven, toast walnuts on baking sheet for 2-5 minutes to bring out flavor and cool. Make dressing (recipe follows).

In a large bowl, toss green beans with dressing. Add lemon zest, Parmesan, croutons and walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white onion chopped finely or grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic, chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk ingredients together and add to green beans.

Serves 8-10

2- 2 1/2  pounds potatoes, Yukon Gold, peeled, chopped into 1″ cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 – 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon oregano, chopped, fresh
1 tablespoon flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped, fresh
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes in medium saucepan and cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, 18-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place in large bowl. Add the butter, half-and-half or milk. Mash with a potato masher, ricer or electric mixer. Do not over mix. Stir in the cheese and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 10 to 12 servings
1 cantaloupe, cleaned and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pint strawberries, cleaned and sliced
4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (1-inch chunks)
1 cup red seedless grapes
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple (1-inch chunks)
Brown Sugar-Lime Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
Mix the fruit together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
To make the dressing, mix the lime juice, brown sugar, and yogurt together in a small bowl. Add to the fruit salad right before serving.
Tip: You may also use a melon baller to scoop out small balls of the cantaloupe and watermelon.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

2 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 8 medium)
2 teaspoons salt for boiling potatoes
4 eggs
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (preferably) or dried dill
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a saucepan, and add water to cover and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, cover, set the heat to low, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, or until just tender when you stick the potatoes with a fork. Do not overcook. Drain in a colander.
Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Set the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 13 minutes. Drain, put the eggs back in the pan, and cover with cold water. When the eggs are cool, drain. Tap each egg on the counter and roll it between the palms of your hands. Peel off the eggshells. Discard the shells and chop the eggs.
In a large bowl, combine the celery, onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the potatoes and eggs. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip: Never leave potato salad unrefrigerated for very long. The eggs and the mayonnaise can spoil fast at room temperature and even faster if left in the sun.

Gourmet Hamburger Bar
Tangy Dill Potato Salad
Fruit Salad with Brown-Sugar Lime Dressing
Gran’s Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream (page 72-Easy Entertaining for Beginners)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups vegetable broth, purchased
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pineapple pieces, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Heat olive oil in large skillet and add onion, stirring for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add rice. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until rice turns from translucent to milky white, about 4-5 minutes.

Add hot vegetable broth, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Stir in salt, pineapple and basil and serve in hollowed out halves of pineapple for a festive presentation.

2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 gallon purchased Mango Sorbet or tropical flavored sherbet

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat egg whites with electric stand or hand-held mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar. Fold in the coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Turn off oven, open door slightly and cool completely in oven.

To serve, place a scoop of sorbet in a bowl with 2 macaroons.

1 – 16 oz. bag Cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage & carrots)
3/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
3/4 tablespoon Wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish-International aisle)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled, grated
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix all ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until serving. The slaw may be made the morning of your dinner party.

8 chicken breasts, boneless, skin attached
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Assemble all ingredients for Pineapple Citrus Sauce, but do not cook yet. Pre-heat grill. Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer until they are a uniform 1/2″ thickness. Rub both sides with oil and salt and pepper. Grill breasts, skin-side down for 4-5 minutes, turn and cook and additional 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove to platter and cover with foil for 5 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, make the Pineapple Citrus Sauce. You may remove skin to serve, if desired.

Pineapple Citrus Sauce

2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable broth, purchased
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh pineapple juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Add all ingredients except cornstarch to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. To avoid lumps whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add to sauce. Bring to a boil until thickened, about 1 minute; serve immediately over chicken breasts.

Note: Purchase 1 fresh pineapple and use it for the 2 tablespoons juice for the sauce, 1/3 cup small dice for the Basil-Pineapple Rice and cut up the rest to serve as a refreshing appetizer. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise through the green top and carefully cut out the flesh from each half, reserving the shells to use as a bowl for the rice. Cut out the core and discard. Cut remaining pineapple into chunks. Squeeze a few into a small bowl to obtain 2 tablespoons of juice for the sauce.