It’s July 4th!

What a great holiday.  Food, Fun, Fireworks and no presents to buy.  This month we feature recipes for the grill and the picnic menu.  Throw some salmon steaks on the grill and serve them with grilled cherry tomatoes.  Make savory grilled Portobello Pizzas.

For a great picnic, make Asian Chicken Salad with Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning or one of my favorites -  Tomato, Cucumber and Feta Salad with Sicilian Seasoning.

Have a Great 4^th of July Weekend!

Asian Chicken Salad

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4 as main course/8 as a first course

• 1 cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, 1.5-2 lbs.
• ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
• 2 lg. cloves garlic chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Victoria Taylor’s Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Tamari soy sauce
• 1 cup chopped red cabbage
• 2 cups broccoli slaw
• 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced

Remove the skin from the chicken and tear or chop the chicken into bite size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Sauté garlic in sesame oil for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning and almonds; sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the oil in the pan starts to turn light brown. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, vinegar and soy sauce. Add almond mixture to the chicken and toss. Add red cabbage, broccoli slaw and scallions to chicken mixture and toss.

Grilled Fish Steaks with Cherry Tomatoes

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time: 14 minutes

Serves: 4 People

• 2 Lbs. Swordfish, Tuna or Salmon steaks
• 25-30 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp. Victoria Taylor’s Seafood Seasoning

Basting Mixture

• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Victoria Taylor’s Seafood Seasoning
• 1 tsp. Salt

Prepare the grill for cooking with medium to high heat.  Rinse the steaks in water and pat dry.  Rub the steaks first with 3 Tbsp. olive oil then rub with 3 Tbsp. Barrier Reef Rub.  Put the tomatoes on 2 or 3 grilling skewers.  Prepare the basting mixture by combining 3 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp. Barrier Reef Rub and 1 tsp. salt. Place the fish steaks and the skewered tomatoes on the grill over medium to high heat. Baste the tomatoes and fish occasionally while grilling for 7 minutes per side.

Menu Suggestion: Serve the grilled steaks and tomatoes with cucumber slices and feta cheese

Savory Grilled Portobello Pizzas

Preparation Time: 25 Minutes

Serves: 4 People

• 4 Large Portobello Mushrooms (4-5 inches across)
• ½ Cup Olive Oil divided
• 4 tsp. Victoria Taylor’s Tuscan Seasoning
• 2 Medium Tomatoes
• 16 Kalamata Olives, pits removed
• 4 oz Feta cheese or Goat Cheese, crumbled

Prepare the grill for a hot fire. Remove the stems from the mushrooms.  Use a spoon to scrape out the mushroom gills.  Use half the olive oil (¼ cup) to coat the mushroom on both sides.  Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch slices and arrange 3 slices on each Portobello Pizza.  Sprinkle each pizza with 1 tsp. Tuscan Seasoning.  Slice the olives in quarters lengthwise and arrange on the pizzas and top with the crumbled cheese.  Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the pizzas. Place the pizzas directly over a hot fire on the grill and cover the grill.  Grill covered for 5 minutes. Serve.

Sicilian Tomato, Cucumber and Feta Salad

Serves: 4 People

• 1 large cucumber, peeled, sliced 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 medium tomatoes, cut 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium white onion, cut 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large green pepper, cut 1 inch pieces
• 2/3 cup feta cheese chunks
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Victoria Taylor’s Sicilian Seasoning

Combine all ingredients and stir gently. Let salad sit for 15 minutes or more before serving.

NOTE: Use a full cup of feta in the salad (or more). Served with French or Italian bread, this greek style salad makes a satisfying light meal.