Grilled Pizza for Your 4th of July Get Together

Caprese pizza made with fresh thinly sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and basil is on my Top 10 and so easy to make. It screams summer fresh.

If you love pizza and your grill, you can have it all!  Check out how to make on your grill and you can have easy, delicious supper in 30 minutes. Or check out a local granite counter top maker for a scrap piece of granite that will fit in your grill (16 x 18 and 1 1/2 inches thick a good size).   Never touch a hot stone or granite!  Remove pizza with spatulas and leave on the grill until grill and stone are cold to touch.
  
1.Buying pizza dough at your local market is a time saver or head to your favorite pizzeria to inquire about purchasing  pizza dough. 

2. Store bought sauce is easiest but you can find a 5 minute tomato sauce below that is delicious.

3. Organize your toppings ahead of time.  Grated cheese, sliced cheese, sliced tomatoes, chopped or sliced vegetables. My favorites are sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, black olive and fresh basil.  I visit our local Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.  You can slice, and dice ahead of time before grilling to save time. Refrigerate in plastic bags after you have prepared until ready to use. Tomatoes, basil, green and red peppers, mushrooms, spinach and onion are among my favorites and at peak right now.  

4. Use a pastry brush and fill a small mason jar with olive oil for easy access.  Brush the dough using your pastry brush with olive oil to keep the dough from sticking to the grill.

                                         Here is an easy 5 minute tomato sauce to top your pizza!

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 3 medium clove of garlic, finely chopped, 1 28 ounce can crushed red tomatoes.

Combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium - high heat, just 45 seconds or so until it is fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer for a couple of minutes.  Remove from the heat and taste.  Now is a good time to add more salt if needed.  Brush onto your grilled pizza crust while on the grill and add toppings.  Grill until done to your liking. Transfer from your grill carefully with spatulas, serve and enjoy!  

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday🎆

                                                     
                                                        

Easy Grilled Corn

I can't get enough of our local Farmer's Markets and go as often as possible.  Windyacresfarmstand is a favorite vendor of my daughter and myself and we stock up on our favorite corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, blueberries and raspberries.....let's not forget their peaches! ( I love tossing sliced peaches in my green salads).

Corn on the cob is best when cooked on the day you buy it.  

  Peel the husks back, but leave attached to the ear.  Remove as many of the silks as you can.  For extra deliciousness, soak the corn in milk for an hour in the refrigerator before grilling. The milk acts like a brine and gives the corn added moisture and flavor.  Found this on betterhomesandgardens grilling secrets. 

Recover the ears with the husks.  Tear or cut a long piece of husk and use to tie the tip of the husks together.

Grill corn for 25 minutes or until kernels are tender.  Turn the cobs occasionally.  Top with flavored butter below.

Top corn with butter and enjoy!

EASY Grilled Chicken Leftovers

When I grocery shop, I buy enough chicken breasts to cook for 2 meals.  This week I simply marinated chicken breasts in ziplock bags with Italian dressing in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight), and grilled them for about 25 minutes.   They were moist and delicious and served them with fresh corn on the cob. Perfect summer meal! I sliced the remaining chicken breasts and sealed them in ziplock bags to freeze.  After the weekend Farmer's Market I visit each Saturday morning, I like serving fresh green salads with lettuce, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, chopped walnuts, and sliced chicken I have frozen and thawed.  My dressing of choice is a raspberry vinaigrette, but balsamic dressing drizzled on this salad is great too. Easy and won't heat your house on these warm summer days.  Don't forget a basket of crusty rolls.

~Happy Grill Tuesday~

Enjoy a Fall Picnic

I look forward to Fall every year. Leaves on the trees become brilliant colors and the air is suddenly crisp. Visiting the local farmers market and farm stands for the best selection of apples, pumpkins and squash are at the top of my list this month. Temperatures in the Midwest have been in the 90's this week, with humidity levels making it feel like 100. Summer is lingering and I'm not complaining. 

Al fresco dining is something our family enjoys Summer and Fall. .  With the calendar pages turning to September, you can still create a picnic Fall gathering easily with a bit of creativity. 

Here are a couple of simple suggestions to help enhance the experience.

1)  Throw a plaid blanket on a picnic table and give your table a nostalgic look.  

2)  Mason jars can serve as drinking glasses, utensil holders or my favorite is to pack individual salads in jars.

3)  Use pie plates as plates or muffin tins to hold condiments.

4)  Bundle silverware ahead of time in cloth napkins.

5)  Pumpkin or apple cider doughnuts (what else do you need?)

6)  Portable grills.

7)  Pumpkins and apples can serve as natural centerpieces.

What's your favorite picnic food?

Have a great weekend and embrace the day!