Grilled Bartlett Pears A La Mode

Ingredients

• 5 Bartlett pears
• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Mexican vanilla extract
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

Cut pears into thick slices (4 to 5 per pear). Place slices evenly in a large pan or bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour melted butter over pears. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla to pan and mix until pears are thoroughly coated with the mixture.

Place pears directly onto hot grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove pears and place in individual dessert bowls. Pour remaining butter mixture into a medium, grill-safe saucepan. Place saucepan on grill and cook, stirring, until boiling. Remove from heat.

Place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream over the pears in each bowl. Pour butter sauce over ice cream and serve.

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Crock Pot Italian Vegetable Soup & more!

Start this soup in the morning and enjoy it that night.

Ingredients -
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
1 can Italian Zucchini Squash
1 (16 ounces) can Tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
1 (8 ounces) can Tomato Sauce
2-3 diced Potatoes
1-2 pounds Ground Beef
2 tablespoons chopped Fresh Oregano Leaves
A pinch Basil Leaves
Couple shakes Garlic Salt
3 Bay Leaves

Preparation:
1. In large skillet, brown ground beef over low heat. Drain off excess fat.

2. Add ground beef, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, tomato sauce, potatoes, oregano, basil, garlic salt, and bay leaves to crock pot.

3. Cook on LOW heat 6-8 hours.

This recipe can be found at squashrecipes.net along with a whole list of great squash recipes!  Check them out for some great ideas!

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Yellow Summer Squash Parmesean

3 yellow summer squash
2 tbsps. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 - 2 tbsps. fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, grated

Yellow summer squash fresh from the market
Basil leaves fresh from my garden

Melt butter in pan. Slice the squash into thick slices

Add to melted butter in pan and brown on both sides. About 7-10 minutes each side.

This is my favorite part. Add the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. I just love, love, love the aroma of fresh garlic sauteing away in the butter.

Remove from heat, sprinkling on the chopped basil and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grate parmesan cheese into hot squash and stir.

Add more grated parmesan cheese to top and that's it! Enjoy!

Find this recipe, along with step by step pictures, and more great recipes at isavortheweekend.blogspot.com.

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Fried Yellow Squash

It's plain and simple, but more than satisfying!  If you've never had fried squash, you have been missing out!

2 med. size yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. self-rising flour
Vegetable oil


Dip squash slices in milk in a small mixing bowl; dredge squash in flour. Fry in 1/2 inch deep hot oil 350 degrees until light golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Transfer squash to a serving platter and serve immediately. Yields 2 to 3 servings.

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Muscadine Pie

1/2 gallon ripe muscadines
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
Dots of butter

Mash muscadines.  Separate hulls from pulp.  Strain so as to get juices, leaving pulp and seed.  Cook hulls in juice until tender, adding a little water if needed.  let cool, then add lemon juice, flour, and sugar.  put this mixture in a 9-inch unbaked pie shell and dot with butter.  place lattice crust across top.  Bake in a 400 degree over for approximately 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake another 30 minutes.  Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

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Muscadine Jelly

Makes 8-10 pints
4 quarts ripe Muscadine grapes
2 2/3 cups sugar
2 pkg. of pectin

Take off the stems and wash Muscadines in a large pot. Rinse several times. Then mash the Muscadines and fill pot with water just about 2 inches covering over them.
Simmer for 25 minutes. Pour the juice into another pot through a colander to catch the seeds and skins. Strain through cheesecloth back into the original pot. Heat to boiling. Boil juice for 5 minutes and then add the sugar.
Turn down heat to a simmer and cook until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer. "This took me around 30 minutes. The directions on the pectin will tell you how to test it.
Skim off the foam. I had my jelly jars already washed and sterilized in another pot filled with hot water. You should sterilize jelly containers in boiling water for 10 minutes before using them. Then keep the containers hot in hot water until you use them. This will keep them from breaking when you fill them with hot jelly. In another small pot there was the lids and seals in hot water. Pour the juice into the jars with a funnel. Put the seals and then the lids on. I wiped the edges of the jar tops with a damp, hot paper towel.
Process your jelly for 15 minutes in boiling water. Allow 2 to 4 inches of water above jar tops for brisk boiling - just enough for the water to cover the tops of jars and have space to boil freely. Then carefully remove the jars and place them on a towel out of a draft.

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Green Chile Cheeseburgers

• 1 1/2 pound ground beef sirloin
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
• 5-6 fresh-roasted Hatch Chiles 
• 1 fresh poblano chile
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup chopped, cilantro
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 4 thick slices cheddar or American cheese
• 4 hamburger buns  

1. In a large bowl gently but thoroughly combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, minced onion, cilantro and chili powder. Gently form the meat into four 6 ounce patties, about 1/2-inch thick, and place on a plate. Refrigerate the burgers, covered until needed.
2. Trim off stems of roasted Hatch Chiles, slice in half and discard seeds and ribs. Chop the chiles to your preference, Some like the chiles in long strips others prefer them in smaller pieces.  
3. Preheat grill. 
4. Cook the burgers to desired degree of doneness. Top each burger with chopped chiles and a slice of cheese and cover, cooking until cheese melts over green chiles. Transfer each burger to a bun and top with your choice of dressings (lettuce, onion, ketchup, etc...) Serve immediately

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