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30 Cookout, Grilling, and Party Recipes for Labor Day Weekend

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30 Cookout, Grilling, and Party Recipes for Labor Day Weekend

We are headed to Hilton Head this weekend for one last beach trip before summer ends – not to worry – the house won’t be vacant.  We have a pet sitter coming so the dogs won’t be running amuck and doing water ballet in our living room like in those Farmers Insurance commercials.  Hilarious if not in your own house.  I thought I’d leave you with a recipe roundup to cover all your cookout, grilling, and party needs for the long weekend.  Party on!

APPETIZERS

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

Texas Caviar – The Beach House Kitchen

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Smoked Jalapeno Poppers with Bacon, Apple, and Brie – Tasty Ever After (pictured above & photo credit)

Baba Ganoush – Cook With Manali

Fig, Goat Cheese, Bacon + Honey Crostini – Feast and West

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Bacon-Wrapped Brats – Spiced Blog (pictured above & photo credit)

 

SIDES AND SALADS

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Bourbon & Brown Sugar Baked Beans with Candied Bacon – No Spoon Necessary (pictured above & photo credit)

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Spicy Lime Seasoned Salt -Ciao Chow Bambina

Peach & Chickpea Salad – Girl Heart Food

Quinoa Spinach Salad with Pesto – Family Food on the Table

Smoked Gouda Mac 'n Cheese

Smoked Gouda Mac ‘n Cheese – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

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Parmesan and Pea Pasta Salad – Tasty Ever After (pictured above & photo credit)

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Grilled Potato Salad with Everything Bagel Seasoning and 7  Minute Eggs – No Spoon Necessary (pictured above & photo credit)

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Easy Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

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Easy 7 Layer Salad – Tasty Ever After (pictured above & photo credit)

 

MEAT DISHES

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Sundried Tomato and Gorgonzola Burgers – Spiced Blog (pictured above & photo credit)

Grilled Country Style Pork Shoulder Ribs with Blueberry Peach Salsa – Cooking LSL

Honey Mustard Grilled Salmon – Kevin is Cooking

Roasted Vegetable Grilled Pizza with Garlic Herb Oil – Ciao Chow Bambina

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Honey Balsamic Chicken Skewers with Strawberry Kiwi Salsa – No Spoon Necessary (pictured above & photo credit)

Bacon and Feta Stuffed Lamb Burger with Tzatziki

Bacon and Feta Stuffed Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

 

DESSERTS

Banana Pudding in a Jar Recipe

Banana Pudding in Jars – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

S'mores in Mason Jars

S’mores in Jars – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

Butterscotch Blondies – Just About Baked

Grilled Pound Cake with Mascarpone Cream and Blueberries – Pumpkin ‘n Spice

Marshmallow Fruity Pebble Bars – Baked by an Introvert

Gluten Free Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Brownies – Beaming Baker

Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

Blueberry Coconut Milk Popsicles – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

Honeydew Kiwi Coconut Popsicles

Honeydew Kiwi Coconut Popsicles – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

Strawberry Kiwi Coconut Popsicles

Strawberry Kiwi Coconut Popsicles – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

Boozy Root Beer Float Popsicles

Boozy Root Beer Float Popsicles – Beer Girl Cooks (pictured above)

 

Ok.  Yes, I know that lawyers can’t do math, but I’m well aware that there are actually 31 recipes in this post of 30 recipes for Labor Day.  I just felt like the booze wasn’t well represented, so I had to add that last popsicle.

Y’all have a safe and fantastic Labor Day Weekend!  Fingers crossed that we all stay dry on the east coast and this hurricane spins back out to sea!

 

Easy Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

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Easy Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

We’ve been all things fall this week with back to school and football excitement, so it seemed like a good time to remember that we still have watermelon and summer produce for a little while longer.  I don’t know about you, but I sure do love some grilled watermelon.  Toss in some feta, mint, and balsamic reduction and I’m totally in the middle of summer even though we are staring Labor Day and the beginning of fall right in the face.

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Speaking of Labor Day, this Easy Watermelon and Feta Salad would be absolutely perfect to take to the cookout, picnic, or whatever festivities you may have planned to celebrate the holiday and three day weekend!  Woot!  So, what are you plans this weekend?  We decided to take a sort of last minute end of summer trip to the beach.  We’re headed to Hilton Head and turning this three day weekend into a five day vacation.  Heck yeah!  Unlike our last trip to the beach about a month ago, this one will just be the two of us without other family or little people shenanigans.  We’re all about the relaxation this time.

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Although there might be some boogie board action again.  We’ll just have to buy one for Chris, since we don’t have any little people to steal borrow them from this time.

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Whether you are going to the beach, a cookout, or having some friends over this weekend, I highly recommend that you make a grilled watermelon and feta salad.  You can totally change it up by using mozzarella instead of feta, basil instead of mint, or plain balsamic vinegar without reducing it.  You could also just grill a watermelon and call it a day.  It would be delicious!

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction
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Easy Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients

  • 1 small seedless watermelon rind removed and sliced into 1/2 - 3/4 inch wedges
  • 4 - 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup mint or basil leaves

Instructions

  1. In a small sauce pot, bring balsamic vinegar and honey to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thick and syrupy - 5 - 10 minutes, set aside to cool slightly while you grill the watermelon
  2. Grill watermelon slices over high heat 1 - 2 minutes per side
  3. Arrange watermelon slices on a platter, crumble feta over the top, drizzle with balsamic reduction, top with mint and/or basil leaves

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic Reduction

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado, Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

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I was given an opportunity to try The Produce Box free and all opinions are my own.  Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado, Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing 

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

 

Did y’all have a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day?  We certainly did, which is why I’m a little late to the party this week.  Speaking of parties, we are rolling out this week in style with a double boozy strawberry and goat cheese salad.  Now, I know a strawberry and goat cheese salad isn’t the most original idea on the planet and there are many delicious recipes out there.

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

 

So I added my own boozy style and twist to an old classic.  I took some of NoDa Brewing Company’s CAVU Blonde Ale and brined a couple of chicken breasts.  I chose CAVU because it’s a delicious summery beer with tropical fruit and citrus notes that makes it the perfect complement to a chicken and strawberry salad with limoncello dressing.  Trust me.

Trivia tip: CAVU is a flight term that means Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited and one of the brewery owners is an experienced pilot.  How cool is that?!?!

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

 

Next I grabbed a bottle of limoncello and whipped up a perfect dressing to finish off this salad. Again. Trust me.  I’m not exactly sure what in tarnation made me put limoncello in salad dressing, but the angels started singing.  Ok.  Maybe I hit the bottle and imagined the angels, but either way it’s a game changer.

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

 

Of course, I’m always inspired by beer and all things boozy, but this time the salad inspiration came from some beautiful strawberries and everything else fell into place.  As a member of the Charlotte Food Bloggers, I was lucky enough to receive a free trial from the kind people at The Produce Box. The Produce Box is delivers fresh local produce and specialty items, such as meats, cheeses, and breads all over North Carolina.

Remember when I said I was up to my eyeballs in strawberries?!?!?!  I ordered some in my produce box then my garden exploded with strawberries!  I certainly had enough to share, but I was on a mission to keep the birds from making a habit of dining on my berries!  There were many shenanigans happening over here from pounding on the windows, to garden hoses, to running and hand waving.  Needless to say, expect a few more strawberry dishes.  I’ll also be sharing another recipe later this week from The Produce Box contents.

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

 

I’ve got to go watch Dancing With the Stars now, so I hope y’all have a fantastic week!

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing
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Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado, Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

Ingredients

  • 2 Chicken Breasts
  • 1 16 ounce can of beer - I used NoDa Brewing Company's CAVU Blonde Ale because it has fruit and citris notes to complement the chicken and the salad
  • 2 cups strawberries hulled and quartered
  • 1 avocado removed from shell, pitted, and sliced
  • 1/2-3/4 cup sliced almonds toasted
  • 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • a few pinches salt
  • a few pinches pepper
  • a few pinches garlic powder
  • 6-8 cups arugula

For the Dressing

  • 1/2 small shallot diced
  • 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
  • 3 tablespoons Limoncello
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine chicken and beer in a zipper bag or container with a lid, refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour
  2. Meanwhile make the dressing by combining all ingredients to a mason jar, cover with the lid and shake vigorously, set aside
  3. Remove chicken from the beer brine and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet
  4. Discard beer brine - sadly, you can't drink it now
  5. Sprinkle chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper
  6. Broil chicken for 6-8 minutes each side, or until the internal temperature is 160 in the thickest part
  7. While chicken is cooking, prepare the salad
  8. In one very large bowl or two big salad bowls, add arugula and top with strawberries, avocado, and goat cheese
  9. Top with chicken and almonds
  10. Serve with dressing


Full Disclosure:  NoDa Brewing Company did not sponsor this post.  I just really love them and their beer!

 

 

Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Avocado Arugula Salad with Beer Brined Chicken and Limoncello Poppyseed Dressing

Roasted Vegetable, Kale, and Quinoa Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette

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Happy New Year, friends!  How were your holidays?  Did you have an exciting New Year’s Eve and a wonderful New Year’s Day?  Did you have souerkraut, black eyed peas, and greens?  We did.  I do not love any of these things, but I’m not willing to take any chances, so I ate them all.  We need all the luck we can get around here!

 

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Surprisingly, we had just four experiences with stomach bugs, a bit of doggie drama with bathing and furniture eviction, and only one middle of the night holy crap I’m in trouble with the law and need a criminal defense attorney phone call.

I know.  Good times.

 

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And trust me.  I know that it’s totally cliche to start out my first post of 2016 with a salad.  I also know that cliche should have one of those sexy punctuation things over the top, but I’m not technologically savvy enough to figure out how to put one there.  Don’t judge me.

 

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Any-hoo, after all the indulgences I’ve been guilty of giving and receiving, it’s time to add some hearty, healthy detox food to my life.  I actually love the combo of kale and quinoa in a salad.  Throw in some roasted beets, carrots, and BS with a citrus-y dressing, and it’s totally my jam!

 

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We need to be in fighting condition here in the Carolianas anyway ’cause we are 15-1, yo!  Our Cats are headed to the playoffs starting out in our own house!  Woot!

I think we’re all singing Sweet Caroline down here at this point! #keeppounding

 

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It was a bummer to lose to Atlanta last week and kill our undefeated status, but I’m hopeful to see Cam, Greg, Luke, and the rest of my Cats in the playoffs and we’d love to move onto SUPERBOWL 50.  (I don’t understand the Roman numbers and didn’t want to get it wrong).

 

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And now my vacation is over and I’m back at work.  #partysover

 

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Roasted Vegetable, Kale, and Quinoa Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 3 beets
  • 2 dozen baby Brussels sprouts
  • 5-6 carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for massaging kale
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • 6 ounces kale chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1/4 cup roasted and chopped chestnuts

Clementine Dressing

  • 2 clementines juiced and zested
  • 2 garlic cloves minced or pressed (via garlic press)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • pinch each of:
  • tarragon
  • basil
  • fennel pollen
  • salt white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Make individual foil packets for beets, drizzle beets with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, seal the foil tightly, and transfer to a baking sheet
  3. Roast in oven for 60 - 75 minutes, depending on size
  4. Toss carrots and Brussels sprouts with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a baking dish, roast for the last 30-35 minutes of the roasting beets
  5. Times will vary according to the size of the vegetables, roast until fork tender or texture of preference
  6. While vegetables are roasting, prepare quinoa according to package directions, spread out on a baking sheet or parchment paper to cool
  7. Toss kale in a large salad bowl with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt, and massage into leaves for 5 minutes or so
  8. Combine clementine dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously
  9. Add the quinoa to the kale and toss to combine
  10. When vegetables are done set carrots and Brussels sprouts aside to cool slightly
  11. Unwrap beets, peel with a paring knife and cut into 1 inch pieces
  12. Top kale and quinoa with all the roasted vegetables and either toss with dressing or serve with dressing on the side

Panzanella

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Have you noticed that everything seems different?  Does it feel like fall where you are?

 

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I woke up Sunday morning and it just felt different.  I mentioned to Chris that it feels like fall and he agreed.  I don’t know if it’s this cold front that started moving in or if we reached a turning point. It feels like there is a chill and a crispness in the air.  Even the sunlight is different and there are leaves falling in my yard.

 

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But I still have tomatoes!  And more are on the way!  I don’t think I’m going to give up on summer until October.  It’s official.  Queen Rachelle has declared summer is extended.  Who cares if school started and football kicked off last weekend?  I am putting my foot down and stopping this gateway to winter and all things dark and cold and snowy and gloomy.  Well, except for Christmas where everything is happy and sparkly and shiny.  And I’m not really stopping it – it’s more of a denial and delay, but I’ll take it.

 

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Because I’m lucky enough to live in the south where summer lasts almost until winter.

 

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Panzanella

Ingredients

  • 15 - 20 to matoes of combined variety chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 of a day old baguette sliced and torn into bite size pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves pressed or minced
  • 1 sweet onion thinly sliced
  • 12 or so basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives
  • 1/4 cup chopped tarragon leaves
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar plus 2-3 tablespoons more for finishing
  • 1/4 cup olive oil plus 2-3 tablespoons more for finishing
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Put the onion slices in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 10-15 minutes
  2. Add tomatoes, garlic, bread, onions, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Use hands to toss and combine.
  3. Set aside for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours at room temperature, tossing occasionally
  4. Add the herbs 15-20 minutes before serving
  5. Taste and adjust seasonings, finish with remaining red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper
  6. This salad is best on the same day it's made

 

Note: The bread should be hard and dry.  If it isn’t, you can dry it out in the oven on a baking sheet at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.  You do not want it to be toasted or brown.

Note: This is more of a guideline for panzanella, rather than a recipe.  You can use some or all of the herbs or add different ones.  The longer the salad sits, the more liquid gets absorbed into the bread, so you will want to taste it and adjust the dressing and seasonings prior to serving.  Also, keep kind of a rule of thumb that the bread should be 1/3 ratio to the rest of the salad.  Feel free to use up any fruits and vegetables in your fridge, such as cucumbers and bell peppers.

Roasted Beets – Homegrown!!

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Y’all, I have the most exciting news!

 

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I grew beets!   No joke! I’m sorry if that isn’t as exciting to you as it is to me, but I’ve never really grown anything but basil.  Oh, and a couple of serrano peppers for Chris.  And you’ve met me, right? I LOVE and totally HEART beets!

 

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I also grew some random tomatoes.  The tomatoes that are growing best in my garden right now are not actually in my garden.  They are growing by the side of my house where I tossed some unattractive tomatoes last summer.  Now the’re ginormous plants with green tomatoes all over them ready to explode into a welcome invasion of red tomatoes that I’m not sure what in tarnation I’ll do with.

 

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So yay me for growing some beets!  I kept them true to their best flavor and roasted them.  Then I just tossed them with some basil and balsamic and put them in a bowl.

 

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I’m glad I did.

 

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Roasted Beets – Homegrown!!

Ingredients

  • 8-10 beets
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 10-12 basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Individually wrap each beet in a foil packet drizzled with olive oil - the beet not the packet 🙂
  3. Roast for about 1 hour, depending on size, let cool
  4. Peel, then dice, slice, cube, or whatever floats your boat.
  5. Toss in balsamic
  6. Garnish with basli

Grilled Peaches and Watermelon

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This post is about mistakes.  We all make them, right?

 

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For instance, this dish?  Was supposed to be a Grilled Watermelon and Grilled  Peach Caprese.  I forgot the cheese.  Oops.

 

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I’ve had a lot going on this week. And I love knowing I have all of you, my friends, to talk to. Thank you for being you. I know that every single day I can wake up and talk to all of you. Your blog, my blog, I feel a connection to all of you.

 

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I appreciate each and every one of you.

 

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One of my mistakes: This was supposed to be a Grilled Watermelon and Peach Caprese for Lisa’s Annual Birthday Meat Fest.  I forgot the mozzarella.  Chris called me out on the lack of cheese when I put it on the table.  Lisa gave me a break.  She’s awesome like that.

 

I jack things up like that now and then.  I’m glad I’m forgiven.  XOXOXO

And this is me being honest.  Love y’all!

 

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Grilled Peaches and Watermelon

Ingredients

  • 1 watermelon
  • 4 peaches
  • A bunch of basil
  • 1/8 cup balsamic reduction

Instructions

  1. Grill watermelon and peaches about 1-2 minutes each side
  2. Arrange on plattter
  3. Top with basil, mozzarella, and balsamic reduction if desired

Cold Summer Soba Noodle and Vegetable Salad

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I need an intervention, y’all.

 

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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this salad in the last few weeks, but the 438 pounds of soba noodles I bought at the Asian market are gone.  It’s that good.  I’m hopelessly in love….

 

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It’s so dang easy to make that it just feeds my addiction.  I hear it calling me every second of every day. It haunts me in my sleep.

 

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And it’s is so pretty, colorful, and festive!  And summery! And crunchy!  And noodley!  And sesame-y!

 

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Of course, Jennifer is the one who got me into this mess.  She saw it on i am a food blog and sent it to me.  Now I’m trying to make this salad in my sleep and eat it for every breakfast, lunch, dinner, and anywhere in between.

 

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Chris is not as thrilled about it it as he was the first 178.236 times I made it.  Seriously dude?  Can I get some support here?

 

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Ok.  I fixed him a steak.  I watched as his eyes rolled back in his head.

 

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Happy Monday, y’all and have a fantastic week!

 

 

Adapted from i am a food blog

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Cold Summer Soba Noodle and Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 3 bundles of soba noodles - the recipe I adapted recommends 2 bundles I did 2, then 3, but I like things noodley, so I would recommend at least 4 bundles. Up to you
  • 1/4 head red cabbage thinly sliced
  • 3-4 ears of corn
  • 2 small or one large cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1 orange/green or red or combination of bell peppers seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 pint heirloom cherry size tomatoes halved or quartered
  • 1 head romaine shredded or roughly chopped
  • 4-5 green onions sliced

For the Dressing

  • 2/3 cup red wine or rice wine vinegar
  • 2/3 olive oil
  • Dash of Sriracha - or more if you like this stuff
  • 6 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook noodles according to package directions and transfer to a large mixing bowl
  2. Whisk dressing ingredients until combined
  3. Toss together noodles and dressing in a large bowl and set aside
  4. Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet on high heat
  5. Brush corn cobs lightly with olive oil
  6. Char in skillet until desired color
  7. Slice corn from cob
  8. Add all vegetables to dressing and noodles
  9. Chill until ready to eat or serve immediately
  10. Perfect at room temperature or cold and makes a great leftover for lunch or dinner

 

Heartthrob Salad

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Happy Friday, y’all!  I don’t know about you, but I sure am relieved that the weekend is almost here! What are you getting into this weekend?  Do you have any fun plans?  If so, let me know – maybe I’ll crash your party!   I’m totally not kidding.

 

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I’m seriously hoping to have some chill time this weekend.  Maybe hang out with Luke and Laura and totally binge on General Hospital.  Don’t judge me.

 

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Let’s talk about this salad.  I realize that salads are not the sexiest topic in the world, but this one is absolutely hands-down worth discussing.  I came across the original Heartthrob Salad recipe in a Valentine’s Day issue of Cooking Light Magazine about 10 years ago or so.  We made it, loved it, and have been having it pretty regularly ever since. It’s so simple and delicious.  You just have to plan ahead a bit and sometimes I just throw together the tomato dressing part the day before and stick it in the fridge overnight.

 

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Normally I make this salad with cherry, plum or Roma tomatoes, but you can use whatever tomatoes you like. Jennifer and I went to the farmer’s market outside of our work the other day and they had these gorgeous little heirloom tomatoes.  Most of them were cherry size, but some were tiny and some were the size of small Romas.

 

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Like the crazy lady that I am, I snatched up 3 or 4 pints.  I was so out of control grabbing all these tomatoes I can’t remember how many I bought.  Based on my produce hanging basket I’d say I was nuts slightly out of control.

 

Have a fantastic weekend, y’all!

 

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Heartthrob Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pint heirloom cherry size tomatoes sliced in half or quartered for larger ones
  • 2-3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
  • 2 tablespoons pitted and chopped kalamata olives
  • 3 pieces of heart of palm cut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch pieces plus 2 or so more to garnish, sliced into 2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide pieces - these sizes are approximate - do what makes you happy
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce cut or torn into bite sized pieces
  • Optional items - grated parmesan obviously not a vegan option and parsley

Instructions

  1. Combine tomatoes, garlic, olives, small pieces of heart of palm vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, and salt and pepper to taste in a container with a lid, stir to mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  2. Add lettuce to a large bowl, top with tomato/olive/dressing business and garnish with remaining pieces of heart of palm
  3. Top with parsley and parmesan if using

Inspired by and adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Grilled Radicchio and Romaine Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Mango Dressing

by 28 Comments

Grab your tongs and get your grill on!

 

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I’ve been grilling and putting beer in everything I can get my hands on lately.  There is no beer in this post, but stay tuned – there are some beer dishes and brewing posts coming very soon.  For now, how ’bout we just grill up a salad.

 

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I’ve been totally obsessed with mangoes lately too.  Which is weird – I have never been a big fan of the mango.  I didn’t grill them, but I did add one to the salad and tossed another one in the blender to make not one, but two salad dressings.

 

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Yeah – a hers and his because that’s the way we roll around here – some of us like it spicy and some of us are weenies.

 

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I’ll leave it to you to figure out who is who.

 

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Happy weekend, Y’all!

 

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Grilled Radicchio and Romaine Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Mango Dressing

Ingredients

For the Shrimp and Marinade

  • 1 lemon both juice and zest
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced, grated, or pressed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon DIjon mustard
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

For the Dressing

  • 1 mango peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, grated, or pressed
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 red chili pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad

  • 1 head radicchio cut into quarters or eighths - depending how big
  • 8-10 asparagus stalks
  • 1 head romaine halved or a package of romaine pre-washed and separated
  • 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 mango peeled, pitted, and cubed
  • 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced

Instructions

For the Shrimp and Marinade

  1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a zip top bag
  2. Add shrimp, seal, and refrigerate for 1 hour

For the Dressing

  1. Combine all ingredients except the water in a blender and blend until smooth
  2. Use water to thin 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency
  3. I removed about half the dressing into a Mason jar then threw the chili pepper into the blender with the remaining dressing and blended until somewhat smooth

For the Salad

  1. Heat grill or grill pan on high, lightly coat with cooking spray
  2. Toss radicchio, asparagus, and romaine in olive oil and salt to taste
  3. Add radicchio and asparagus to hot grill or grill pan and grill for 3-4 minutes, depending on size, turning radicchio 1-2 times and asparagus every minute or so
  4. Remove from grill to a platter and tent with foil
  5. Remove shrimp from marinade into a bowl, discard marinade
  6. Add shrimp to grill or grill pan, cook in 2 -3 batches if you don't have enough room to do all at once (I did 2 batches) about 2 minutes on one side and flip, cook another minute or so, depending on size - remove slightly before they are done and put on plate and lightly cover with foil tent, repeat with the rest of the shrimp
  7. Grill romaine - a couple of minutes if using a whole head split in half, about 1 minute for single leaves
  8. Add romaine and asparagus to the platter with the radicchio, arrange avocado and mango on same platter and toss shrimp and any juices from the plate over the top
  9. Serve with dressing

Notes:

  • Here is the deal on the divided dressing – I do not like spicy food, but for Chris – the hotter the better!.   I usually end up dividing things up and adding a bunch of spice to one and leaving the other without.  That’s what I did here.  I split up the dressing and added a chili pepper for Chris.  I seeded it and he said he would have like more heat, so use your own judgment.
  • You can also add more dried cayenne pepper to the shrimp marinade.  I could taste it and Chris could not, so it really depends on your tolerance.  For a scale – I have none and Chris is off the charts spicy man.

Update:  For some reason I must have lost my mind and in the recipe had only 2 tablespoons of olive oil. It now reads 1/4 cup and depending on your taste could be 1/3.  Also, salt and pepper to your preferences.