Easy Entertaining for Beginners

Serves 6-8

This delicious salad is made with juicy beefsteak tomatoes and topped with a balsamic glaze, blue cheese and fresh fried onion rings. Mmmm! Serve this at all your summer dinner parties.  Too bad summer only comes once a year!

3 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup baby greens
½ Balsamic Vinegar
1 medium sweet onion such as Vidalia or Maui, sliced ¼ inch thick, separated into rings
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Canola oil for frying onion rings
Salt and pepper to taste

Pour balsamic vinegar into small saucepan and simmer on low until reduced by half (1/4 cup) to make the balsamic glaze. Cool completely.

To make the onion rings, pour 1 inch oil in a small frying pan and heat to 375 degrees. In a small bowl combine the milk, flour, baking powder and salt. Dip each ring into batter and fry in hot oil for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in 300 degree oven until all are fried.

To assemble salad, arrange greens on platter and arrange sliced tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles, drizzle with balsamic glaze. Top with onion rings, salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

1 lb. green beans, washed & trimmed
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
½ cup shallots, sliced thinly
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place green beans in medium sauce pan with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes until crisp tender. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well. Place oil in large frying pan and cook shallots for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the green beans and tomatoes and stir about 1-2 minutes until heated through. Toss in Feta cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, room temperature

Honey-Lime Butter
½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey

Mix ingredients together for Honey-Lime Butter and set aside. Stab each sweet potato several times with a fork and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in a 350 oven for 55-60 minutes or place on the grill over indirect heat, turning occasionally for 55-60 minutes. Put the grill cover on while roasting. Remove and serve with Lime Butter.

1 cup Midori Melon liquor    
½ cup vodka
2 ½ cups pineapple juice

Mix in pitcher and serve over ice in a lowball glass. Garnish with mint, pineapple slice or a little umbrella.

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut in half width-wise to make 8 steaks of uniform size
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Chimichurri Sauce
1 cup fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon salt
Dash red pepper sauce such as Tabasco, Tapatio

For Chimichurri Sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until pureed. Serve as a sauce with the Chili-Rubbed Chicken Breasts. Best made 2 hours in advance and served at room temperature.

Mix chili powder, cumin and salt together and rub on both sides of chicken breast steaks. Oil grill well and heat to medium high. Place chicken breast steaks on hot, oiled grill and grill for 2-3 minutes, turn & grill for an additional 1-2 minutes until no longer pink in the middle. Do not overcook. Remove to platter, cover with foil and let rest for 5-6 minutes.

Substitute: Chili-Rubbed Chicken Breasts are also great served with a dollop of my Zesty Guacamole from the Family Fiesta Chapter of my book, Easy Entertaining for Beginners.