May Recipes...Just in time for Summer!

Hello my fellow cooking divas! It's Lauren here and I am happy to be hosting this month. The theme for May recipe club is "Summertime Goodness". If you haven't already guessed, these recipes are hopefully going to rescue us during this hot, Alabama summer. All of the recipes below are from www.southernliving.com. Happy Cooking!

Oh, I forgot to mention...most of this recipes are ridiculously easy. I hope you don't care!

Tomato-Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon
• 2 pounds assorted tomatoes, halved or chopped
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 large English cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation: Grate zest from lemon to equal 2 tsp.; squeeze juice from lemon to equal 2 Tbsp. Combine lemon zest, juice, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Toss with crumbled feta just before serving.

Turkey-Artichoke-Pecan Salad

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Chopped cooked turkey
• Canned artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
• Green onions, thinly sliced
• Chopped toasted pecans
• Feta cheese

Preparation: Whisk together vinegar, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until blended. Toss with chopped turkey, chopped artichoke hearts, sliced green onions, chopped pecans, and feta cheese.

Shrimp and Blue Cheese Spread

• Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp (21/25 count)*
• 1/4 cup diced sweet onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Assorted fresh vegetables
• French bread baguette slices
• Preparation
• 1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.
• 2. Sauté onion in hot oil in a skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Transfer to a bowl, and let stand 15 minutes. Chop shrimp, and return to bowl.
• 3. Stir in cream cheese and next 10 ingredients. Cover and chill 4 hours. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Serve with vegetables and bread slices.
• *2 1/2 lb. frozen unpeeled, large raw shrimp (21/25), thawed according to package directions, may be substituted.

Roasted New Potato Salad

• Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds small red potatoes, diced
• 1/2 medium-size sweet onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 8 to 10 cooked crisp bacon slices, crumbled
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup prepared Ranch dressing
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Preparation:
• Place oil in a 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan; add potatoes and the next 4 ingredients, tossing to coat. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer.
• Bake at 425° for 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Toss together potatoes, bacon, green onions, and dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Strawberries and Mint Yogurt Dip

• Ingredients:
• 1 quart vanilla yogurt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
• Garnish: fresh mint sprig
• Fresh whole strawberries

• Preperation:
• Line a fine wire-mesh strainer with a coffee filter, and place over a bowl.
• Spoon yogurt into filter. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 24 hours. Yogurt may be chilled up to 72 hours. It gets thicker the longer it chills.
• Discard liquid in bowl, and whisk together thickened yogurt, mint, lemon rind, and honey until blended. Garnish, if desired. Serve with strawberries.
• * Note: Low-fat or fat-free yogurt may be used, but be sure to choose a brand that does not have gelatin as an ingredient. This does not make for a good strained yogurt.

New South Jalapeno Pimento and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 (8-oz.) blocks extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (8-oz.) block mild Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 (7-oz.) jars diced pimiento, drained
• 1 (12-oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup drained pickled jalapeño pepper slices
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Assorted crackers or bread slices

Preparation

• 1. Process first 3 ingredients, in batches, in a food processor 45 seconds or until well blended. Add pimiento and next 4 ingredients, and pulse 5 to 6 times or to desired consistency. Cover and chill up to 1 day. Serve with crackers or bread slices.
• *Note: This recipe yields 6 1/2 cups. If you need a smaller amount, you can easily cut the recipe in half.

Nutter Butter Banana Pudding Trifle

Ingredients:

• 3 cups milk
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 medium-size ripe bananas
• 1 (1-lb.) package peanut butter sandwich cookies
• 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
• Garnishes: peanut butter sandwich cookies, dried banana chips, fresh mint sprigs

Preparation

• 1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.
• 2. Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.
• 3. Meanwhile, cut bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Break cookies into thirds.
• 4. Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-qt. bowl or pitcher. Top with bananas and cookies. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies. Top with sweetened whipped cream. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Garnish, if desired.
• Note: For testing purposes only, we used Nabisco Nutter Butter® Sandwich Cookies. For photography, we divided mixture between 2 (1 1/2- to 2-qt.) wide-mouthed pitchers.
• Shortcut Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle: Omit eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. Substitute thawed extra creamy whipped topping for sweetened whipped cream. Reduce vanilla to 1 tsp. Place 3 cups milk and vanilla in large bowl; add 2 (3.4-oz.) packages vanilla instant pudding mix. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until thickened; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream. Proceed with recipe as directed in Steps 2 through 4.
• Note: For testing purposes only, we used Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie Filling and Cool Whip Extra Creamy.

Marinated Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• Preparation
• 1. Cook beans in boiling water to cover 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.
• 2. Whisk together vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add beans and onion, tossing to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Creamy Grits with Corn

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 (4-oz.) container light garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Bring 3 cups water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually stir in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in corn, cheese, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Alouette Light Garlic & Herbs Spreadable Cheese.

Shrimp Cornbread

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (14.75-oz.) can cream-style corn
• 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped green onion
• 2 cups plain yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 pound unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (31/35 count), peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped

• Preparation
• 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Heat a 10- to 12-inch (1 1/2-inch deep) cast-iron skillet in oven 15 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in seeded and minced jalapeños.
• 3. Stir together milk, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in corn, cheese, onion mixture, and chopped green onion.
• 4. Stir together cornmeal and next 5 ingredients just until blended. Stir in milk mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in shrimp. Pour into hot cast-iron skillet.
• 5. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
• Note: To make cornbread in a baking dish, prepare recipe as directed, beginning with Step 2. Pour batter into a well greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Proceed with recipe as directed, increasing bake time to 50 minutes.

Vanilla Caramel Flan

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1 (6-inch) vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Combine 1/3 cup sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour into 6 (6-ounce) custard cups coated with cooking spray, tipping quickly until sugar coats bottoms of cups; set aside.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, and egg whites in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add milks; stir until smooth. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into milk mixture, reserving bean for another use. Divide mixture evenly among prepared cups. Place cups in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; add hot water to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cups from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
• Loosen edges of custards with a knife or rubber spatula. Place a dessert plate, upside down, on top of each cup; invert custards onto plates. Drizzle any remaining syrup over custards. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.
• Spring Linguine with Basil
• Ingredients:
• 9 ounces uncooked fresh linguine
• 1 cup shelled fresh green peas
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 2 ounces shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Preparation
• 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add peas to pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup pasta liquid.
• 2. Heat oil and butter in pan over medium heat 1 minute or until butter melts. Remove from heat; stir in pasta mixture, reserved pasta water, juice, salt, and pepper; toss well.
• 3. Divide pasta mixture evenly among 4 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon basil and about 2 tablespoons cheese. Serve immediately.

• Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookies
• Ingredients:
• 1 cup (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz.)
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
• Preparation
• 1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• 2. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips, oats, and peanuts.
• 3. Drop dough in rounded 2-tablespoon portions, 3 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. With a lightly floured fork, flatten slightly into 2 1/2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
• 4. Bake in a 350° oven until cookies are golden and tops feel set when lightly pressed, 12 to 14 minutes (they will feel underdone but will firm up as they cool); if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.
• 5. Let stand 5 minutes on sheets, then, with a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
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