SUMMER’S THE TIME TO GRILL’EM UP & FILL’ER UP

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas

If you prefer your margarita blended, then this fresh watermelon and lime juice frozen version is just for you. Recipe courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cubed watermelon

1 cup tequila

1/2 cup each lime juice and orange liqueur

1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups ice

Directions: Puree all ingredients together in a blender. Divide among glasses and garnish with lime and watermelon.

Popsicle Punch

Nothing screams summer louder than using popsicles in place of ice cubes in this refreshingly fun mango-strawberry lemonade. Recipe courtesy of www.delish.com.

Ingredients:

4 c. lemon lime soda

4 c. lemonade

1 (12-oz.) can seltzer

1 c. sliced strawberries, plus more garnish

2 mangoes, cubed, plus more for garnish

3 Popsicle Strawberry Fruit Pops

3 Popsicle Mango Fruit Pops

Directions:

In a large pitcher, stir together soda, lemonade, seltzer, strawberries, and mangoes. Pour into glasses and garnish rim with a strawberry and mango slice. Place a popsicle in as garnish with lime and watermelon.

Spicy Pork Skewers

The marinade—a sweet, spicy, tangy mixture of chiles, garlic, Sprite, vinegar, and dried mushrooms—is so full of flavor, we don’t want even one drop of it to go to waste. That’s why we simmer the leftovers (in a pot on the grill!), then use it to baste the skewers as they cook. Recipe courtesy of Tom Cunanan of Washington, DC and www.bonappetit.com.

Sweet Tea Sangria

This spiked sweet tea features peaches, raspberries and a big splash of white wine – perfect for porch sitting! Recipe courtesy of www.countryliving.com.

Ingredients:

6 c. sweet tea

1 bottle white wine

1 pt. raspberries

Sliced peaches

Fresh mint

Directions: Fill a pitcher with 6 cups sweet tea and a bottle of white wine. Add raspberries and peaches. Let chill for a few hours or overnight. Garnish with fresh mint (optional). For extra presentation points, serve in Mason jars with tea bags tied around the lids with twine.

Strawberry Colada Smoothie

What’s the secret to creating the perfect texture for these too-pretty-to-drink smoothies? Greek yogurt! Recipe courtesy of www.cookingclassy.com.

Ingredients:

8 oz fresh strawberries, chilled, hulled

1 ripe banana, peeled and frozen

1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple

1 (5.3 oz) container coconut Greek yogurt

1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk beverage (found in dairy isle)*

Directions:

Pulse strawberries in a food processor until well pureed. To a blender add banana, pineapple, coconut Greek yogurt and 1 1/4 cups coconut milk. Pulse until well blended, adding an additional 1/4 cup coconut milk as needed. Spoon pineapple mixture into glasses filling about 1/3 full then add a spoonful or two of the strawberry mixture, swirl lightly with a butter knife then repeat twice more. Serve immediately. Alternately, all ingredients can be blended together in a blender versus processing strawberries separately. *Light canned coconut milk can also be substituted, just blend 1:1 with water.

Ingredients:

2 lb. skinless, boneless pork shoulder

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

12 red Thai chiles, coarsely chopped

8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 cup Sprite or 7UP

½ cup soy sauce

⅓ cup cane vinegar (such as Datu Puti) or unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 Tbsp. black peppercorns

1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more

6 dried shiitake mushrooms

Special Equipment

A spice mill or mortar and pestle

12-16 eight-inch metal skewers or soaked wooden chopsticks or bamboo skewers

Directions:

1. Freeze pork on a rimmed baking sheet until very firm around the edges, 45–60 minutes. Remove pork from freezer and slice

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks With Savory Caramel

For this grilled chicken recipe, cooking the legs over indirect heat gives them time to render fully and start to crisp so they won’t become gluey when glazed. Try this savory caramel glaze on whole fish or lamb kebabs. Recipe courtesy of Chris Morocco and www. bonappetit.com.

Beer Can Bacon Burgers

Just when you thought burgers couldn’t get any better ... try this burger bowl wrapped in bacon! Recipe courtesy of www.delish.com. Watch how-to video at www.delish.com/ cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53148/beer-can-burgers-recipe.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil (for grill)

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 lemongrass stalk, top third trimmed, tough outer layers removed, finely grated

½ cup sugar

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. fish sauce

12 large chicken drumsticks (about 3 lb.)

Kosher salt

Directions: as thinly as possible. Slice pieces lengthwise into 1” to 2” wide strips.

1. Prepare a grill for high indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off; for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side); oil grate.

2. Meanwhile, combine onion, chiles, garlic, Sprite, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, and 1 Tbsp. salt in a large resealable plastic bag. Grind mushrooms in spice mill or with mortar and pestle to a powder; whisk into marinade. Add pork a few pieces at a time, coating well so they don’t stick together and can evenly absorb marinade. Cover and chill 6-8 hours.

3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade and thread onto skewers. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil on the grill. Cook 1 minute, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Move to a cooler part of the grill.

4. Season pork lightly with salt and grill, undisturbed, until well browned, about 2 minutes. Turn and baste with marinade. Continue to grill, turning and basting every minute, until cooked through and browned all over, about 4 minutes longer.

2. Bring garlic, lemongrass, sugar, vinegar, red pepper flakes, cumin, black pepper, and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, and cook until reduced to ½ cup, about 8 minutes. Let cool and stir in fish sauce. Transfer half of sauce to a small bowl and set aside for serving.

3. Season chicken with salt. Place over indirect heat and cover grill with vent open (if you have one) and positioned over chicken. Grill, turning once or twice, until skin is browned and crisp and meat is nearly cooked through, 25-30 minutes.

4. Uncover and move chicken to hotter part of grill. Continue to grill, turning often and basting with remaining sauce, until lacquered and lightly charred in places, 6-8 minutes longer.

5. Serve with reserved sauce alongside.

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium.

2. In a large bowl, season beef with Worcestershire and garlic powder. Roll into ½-pound balls, then place a beer can in the middle to shape into a bowl. (Hint: spray beer can with cooking spray before pressing it into the meat) Press beef up the sides of the beer can. Gently twist beer can to come out of burger bowl and season with salt and pepper.

3. Wrap two slices bacon around the bowl. If stuffing with cheddar and jalapeño, top with cheese and jalapeños. If stuffing with peppers and onions, stuff with peppers and onions and top with a slice of provolone.

4. Grill until burger is cooked, 30 minutes for medium.

5. Serve on buns with lettuce and tomato.