Summer Picnic Dinners

So the heat continues to sizzle. You want to eat well, healthy, thrifty and tasty and still stay cool. Well, these dishes fit the bill. Easy, Breezy. Cold Broccoli & Pea salad with Peanut Dressing, Rosemary Oven Fried Chicken & Peaches with Mozzarella and Basil will please your palate, be easy on your pocketbook and take such little time you’ll still have time for a dip in the pool before dinner.

Cold Broccoli and Pea Salad with Peanut Dressing

Cold Broccoli & Pea Salad with Peanut Dressing

• 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets (or bag of pre-cut florets)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 thinly-sliced green onions (green & white parts)
• 1 cup peanuts
• peanut dressing
• peanuts & sesame seeds, for garnish

Peanut Dressing ingredients

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablesppons
• 2-4 tablespoons hot water, to thin sauce

 

1. Heat a large pot of water until it is boiling.
2. Plunge broccoli florets and peas and boil for 30 seconds.  Use a strainer to transfer them into a bowl of ice water, then drain.
3. Add scallions and peanuts. Then add peanut dressing and toss gently till combined. Serve at room temperature. This salad tastes great the next day! You can also garnish with extra peanuts and sesame seeds.

To Make the Peanut Dressing:

Whisk all ingredients together until combined. If the dressing is too thick, add in hot water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a smoother consistency.

 

Rosemary Oven Fried Chicken

Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

Chicken Thighs (as many as you want!)
Handful of Rosemary sprigs
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Swirl of Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 400. Snip rosemary branches and tuck between chicken skin and thigh. Strip some rosemary leaves off a branch and chop finely to make 2 tablespooons. Sprinkle on the chicken.
2. Put chicken in a bowl and swirl olive oil around to coat.
   Place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Bake until skin is crispy (about 45 minutes to an hour). Place in bowl, lined with paper towels to absorb the oil. You’ll smell the rosemary while you assemble the two other salads. Delish!

 

Peaches, Mozarella & Basil

Peaches with Mozzarella & Basil

Peaches, cubed into 1/2″ cubes
Fresh Mozarella, cubed into 1/2″ cubes
Fresh basil leaves, torn
Swirl of Olive Oil

Assemble above in a serving bowl. swirl olive oil. Eat right away.