Summer is upon us! And who wants to spend it in the kitchen slaving away? Not us, so we've provided you with some quick and easy meals, recipes courtesy of Our Best Bites, ENJOY!
Option number one is for the picky eater, the kid at heart, and the actual kids. Also, it is stuff you probably have around the house already.
Maple Drizzled Apple-Cinnamon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Measurements are approximate. These are sandwiches- don’t overthink it!
Ingredients
4 slices rustic sandwich bread
8 slices sharp cheddar cheese (or enough to cover all the slices)
1-2 sweet, crisp apples
ground cinnamon
kosher or sea salt
3-4 tablespoons real butter
100% real maple syrup
Instructions
Butter each slice of bread and place slices butter-side down on a cutting board. Place cheese on each slice of bread. Core apples and slice into 1/8 inch slices. Place apple slices on 4 slices of bread and lightly sprinkle them with ground cinnamon and salt. Put sandwich halves together and grill in a hot skillet, or on a Panini grill, or broiled in the oven, flipping sandwiches and cooking until each side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Drizzle with maple syrup, or serve on the side for dipping. Makes 4 sandwiches.
Option number two is because sometimes it's just too hot and the last thing you want to do is turn on your stove or your oven to make things even hotter! Plus it's vegetarian.
Blackberry & Pear Salad with Red Wine Poppyseed Dressing
For the salad
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 package mixed greens
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (or pecans), roasted
- ½ cup cooked and crumbled bacon
- 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola, blue, or feta cheese
- 3-4 red or green pears, sliced
- 1 small package blackberries, washed
For the dressing
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 small onion
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ cup oil
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- In the jar of a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients except the oil and the poppy seeds. Blend until smooth.
- With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Transfer the dressing to a storage or serving container and whisk in the poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, toss together the salad ingredients.
- To serve, either toss the salad in the dressing immediately before serving or allow people to drizzle it on individual salads. Makes a lot. Like enough for a large party.
Option number three is for the men, the hangry teens, and all their friends that inevitably show up along with them.
Grilled Dr. Pepper Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce can Dr. Pepper
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 5-6 cloves garlic, smashed or roughly chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped (plus green ends for garnish, if desired)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
- 2-3 lb. pork tenderloin
Instructions
- Pierce pork tenderloins several times with a fork and place in a Ziploc bag. Set aside.
- Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the pork. Marinate for at least four hours, not longer than overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat grill over medium high heat. Set one side of the grill to high and the other to low. Lightly oil grates. Place the tenderloins on the side set to medium-low and cook for 7 minutes. Flip and cook for 6 minutes. Leave the lid closed, turn off heat, and allow to stand for 5 more minutes (an internal temperature should read at least 145 degrees F.) Slice into 1/2" slices and serve with veggies and rice if desired.
That's all folks. We owe it all to Our Best Bites and our love of summer, and food! Obviously. Here is their website for even more ideas and deliciousness.