CELEBRATING FATHER'S DAY!

I tend to do things a little over the top, so instead of a Father’s Day “meal,” I’m actually celebrating Father’s Day ALL WEEKEND LONG!

Here’s what I’m serving:

MENUS

SATURDAY LUNCH:
CUCUMBER SALAD

ANTIPASTO WRAPS
MELON AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD

DINNER:

COBB SALAD DIP with chips
GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN

TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATOES
LEMON GARLIC BRUSSEL SPROUTS

SUNDAY COOKOUT
APPETIZER:
CLUB SANDWICH DIP

BBQ RIBS
BBQ CHICKEN

COLESLAW

CORN ON THE COBB
PEACH BERRY CRUMBLE

CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

(Adapted from Paula Deen)

1 pound cucumbers (about 2 cucumbers), peeled and thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large serving bowl, toss together the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MELON AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD

(Adapted from what’s gaby cooking)

3 cups cubed honeydew melon
3 cups cubed cantaloupe
2 tablespoons thinly torn fresh mint
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3-4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, sliced into thin strips
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the honeydew, cantaloupe, mint and lemon juice in a large bowl and toss to combine.
Arrange the fruit on a platter and chop the proscuitto over the melons.
Top with a few twists of some freshly cracked black pepper and serve.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

ANTIPASTO WRAPS

(Adapted from Pampered Chef)
8 ounces light cream cheese, slightly softened
2 tablespoons fresh basil, snipped
1 garlic clove, pressed
6 (8 inch) sun-dried tomato tortillas
6 romaine lettuce leaves
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced

1/2 cup water-packed artichoke hearts, chopped
4 ounces salami
4 ounces ham

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Mix cream cheese with the basil and garlic. On each tortilla, spread about 2 tablespoons of this mixture on the tortillas to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Layer with romaine, salami, ham, and cheese.
Next, layer on the olives, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts that you prefer. Tightly roll up the tortilla and cut in half on the diagonal.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

COBB SALAD DIP
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 ounces)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 medium avocado, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups, cut just before serving)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
4 slices bacon, well-browned and crumbled
Celery sticks or assorted crackers, for serving

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Place the sour cream, blue cheese, lemon juice, salt, and Worcestershire in a medium nonreactive bowl and stir until well combined.

Fold in the avocado, scallions, and parsley, transfer the dip to a shallow serving dish, and top with the bacon. Serve with celery sticks or assorted crackers.

GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Photo Credit: All Recipes

1 (5 pound) whole beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

Prepare beef: Trim off excess fat with a sharp knife. Fold thin tip end under to approximate the thickness of the rest of the roast. Tie with butcher’s twine, then keep tying the roast with twine every 11/2 to 2 inches (to help the roast keep its shape). Snip silverskin with scissors to keep roast from bowing during cooking. Then, mix oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper and salt; rub over roast to coat. Set meat aside.
Either build a charcoal fire in half the grill or turn all gas burners on high for 10 minutes. Lubricate grate with an oil-soaked rag using tongs. Place beef on hot rack and close lid; grill until well-seared, about 5 minutes. Turn meat and close lid; grill until well-seared on second side, another 5 minutes.
Move meat to the charcoal grill’s cool side, or turn off burner directly underneath the meat and turn remaining one or two burners (depending on grill style) to medium. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest section registers 130 degrees for rosy pink, 45 to 60 minutes, depending on tenderloin size and grill. Let meat rest 15 minutes before carving.
*Serve with horseradish sauce (mix 1 cup sour cream with prepared horseradish (at least 1 TBSP), Dijon mustard (1 TBSP) and S & P to taste.

TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATOES WITH GRUYERE AND ROSEMARY
(Adapted from Food 52)

Photo Credit: Pinterest

4 large sweet potatoes
2 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp butter, melted
4 TBSP Gruyere cheese, grated
4 TBSP light brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 dashes worchestershire sauce
~ 4 TBSP chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub sweet potatoes, then using a fork, make several holes to allow steam to escape. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until easily pricked with a fork. Allow to cool a bit, then slice each potato lengthwise.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Scoop out the centers and place in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the butter, brown sugar, rosemary, cheese and salt and pepper and mix well. Carefully add the potato mixture back to the skins equally.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Bake for ~ 15 minutes, or until just starting to brown on the edges.

For the topping, mix together the butter and worchestershire and drizzle over the halved potatoes. Sprinkle with the pecans and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

LEMON GARLIC BRUSSEL SPROUTS

(Adapted from what’s gaby cooking)

2 lb Brussel Sprouts
4 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced and zested
3 tbsp gruyere, grated
sea salt
pepper

Clean the brussel sprouts by trimming off the ends and peeling the outer layer of the sprout off. Cut each one in half.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Once heated, add the halved brussel sprouts to the pan and saute for about 7-8 minutes on each side until the outer part is a caramelized brown and the inside is soft and fully cooked.
Add the garlic half way through the cooking.
Reduce the heat to low and add the lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add the cheese on top and serve.

CLUB SANDWICH DIP

(Adapted from Pip and Ebby)

Photo Credit: Pip and Ebby

1 lb. sliced deli turkey, chopped
1 lb. sliced deli ham, chopped
8-oz. package cream cheese
12-oz. package American cheese slices, unwrapped and chopped
3⁄4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s)
16-oz. package bacon cooked according to package directions, chopped
8-oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
3⁄4 cup chopped pickles
Pita wedges, crackers or chips, for dipping

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Add the turkey, ham, cream cheese, American cheese, mayo and seasoning salt to a slow cooker or a baking dish.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Mix together and cook on low heat for 2 hours in the slow cooker or 30 minutes in the baking dish at 350 degrees F (stirring occasionally), or until cheese is melted and dip is warmed through.

Add the bacon pieces, tomatoes and pickles.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Stir and heat for 10 additional minutes on low heat. Serve warm with pita wedges, crackers or chips for dipping.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

BBQ RIBS
Gotta go with my favorite here – Montgomery Inn!

OK – I’m cheating here (montgomeryinn.com), which I think are just about the best there are! They are out of Cincinnati, OH, and I order them frequently for parties. You can grill them or just pop them in the oven. Then slather with their amazing (I think the best) BBQ sauce, cut them up; and you have finger food that your guests will love you for serving.

http://store.cincyfavorites.com/ribs–pulled-meats-c12.aspx

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

BBQ CHICKEN SANDWICHES

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TBSP Cajun seasoning
1 cup BBQ sauce (see below)

Brush chicken breast with oil and then rub with cajun seasoning. Grill until almost done (~8-10 minutes). Slather with BBQ sauce and turn to grill 2 minutes. Slather again with sauce and turn for another 2-3 minutes.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Serve with:
swiss cheese
BBQ sauce
Honey Mustard
Lettuce
Rolls

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

This sauce offers that perfect blend of tangy and sweet (but not too sweet). So good.
BBQ Sauce:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups ketchup
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 TBSP honey
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP molasses
2 TBSP Worchestershire sauce
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP Chili Powder
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp tabasco

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

In heavy saucepan mix all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Let cool and refridgerate up to one week.
Makes 3 cups of sauce.

LIMEY COLESLAW
(Gwynneth Paltrow)

Simply throw a bag of coleslaw in a bowl. Add a couple of heaping spoonfuls of veganaise, 1-2 tsp of lime juice and salt generously. Serve immediately.

GRILLED VEGIES AND CORN ON THE COB

PEACH BERRY CRUMBLE

(Adapted from Southern Living)

Photo Credit: Southern Living

3 cups fresh peach slices (about 4 medium)
2 cups fresh blackberries
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup uncooked regular oats
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375°. Place first 2 ingredients in an 11- x 7-inch (or 2-qt.) baking dish.