Happy Summer! Best Summers BBQ Recipe Roundup

Happy Summer Everyone!!
Thanks for stopping by and checking out the

BBQ Chicken Bombs

How about my Homemade Potato Salad? Great for Any BBQ this summer!

Ans finally Mom's Homemade Baked Beans to finish up the BBQ  Roundup!

The end of My Summer Blueberries.Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Love Sunday Brunch, Don't you?
It allows me to take a moment and linger a little longer over my first cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee of the season and say goodbye to the Summer's Bounty. I used the last of my Summer Blueberries in a Wonderful Sour Cream Coffee Cake this morning! hmmmm the weather hasn't shown it yet, but Fall is in the air! Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyy!!! 

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 greased and floured 10" Bundt pan
 (or a 12 count muffin tin)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (plus 2 tablespoons for buttering the pan)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups fresh blueberries (if possible, or frozen), 3 quarters of a cup for each layer
3 cups unbleached white flour, plus 1 tablespoon to toss with fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 cups sour cream 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° f 
Set oven rack on middle rack (or put Bundt pan on cookie sheet in oven)
Butter and flour Bundt pan. (or put cupcake liners in muffin tins)
In a small bowl combine quarter cup sugar, light brown sugar and cinnamon.
In a separate medium bowl toss fresh blueberries in a tablespoon of flour.
In a large bowl sift all remaining dry ingredients. 
In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. 
Then add eggs, one at a time, combine until incorporated. Scraping down sides periodically.
Add flour mixture, alternating with sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Scrape down sides in between additions. 
Spread 1/2 of the batter carefully on bottom of bundt pan, then add the blueberries and sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture.Pour remaining batter on top. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over top. 

Bake for 1 hour until cake is golden brown and set, and sides begin to pull away from the pan.
                  (*Baking time is 35-40 mins for muffins.) 
Let cool 10 minutes, then turn cake out onto rack and turn right side up and cool completely.

Serves ten to twelve. (at least) (yields 12 muffins) - 

Cocoa Dreams Ice Cream Sandwiches, A Last Summer Hoorah

Being a South Florida resident saying farewell to Summer is different than in other parts of the country. Summers ends on the calendar well before it does in our weather forecast. We are still experiencing sunny 90 degree days well into October and sometimes November. So when I think of the Labor Day weekend as the end of summer I have to shake off my New England upbringing and the feeling to make a hearty soup. I am drawn more to "How can I make the summer last all year long?"

Yesterday I was in a baking mood. I grabbed my favorite "easy" cookie recipe and dolloped out some adorable little cookies. 

Although adorable, kinda nondescript looking, No?. Nothing fancy, just delicious.

How can this really delicious, fudgey cookie be a special nod to Summer?

This is a "Last Hoorah" to Summer? Nope.

Ohhhhhhhh....

Make it an Ice Cream Sandwich!!!! Yes!!!

Now we're talking!

Now that's Summer! That's a treat that can bring Summer back to your mind anytime of the year!

These beautiful little treats can be wrapped in parchment paper and frozen to bring Summer goodness well into your non-sunny months!!!

One bite of these and you are "feeling" summer all year long!!!

Just because the calendar says Fall, these make your mouth say Summer!!!

Cocoa Dream Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Chocolate Cake mix

2 Eggs

½ cup Vegetable Oil

3 Tbsp. Cocoa

1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 350° f

Line a Baking Sheet with Parchment

In Large Mixing Bowl: Beat 2 eggs

Add Vegetable Oil and combine until frothy.

Add Cake Mix and Cocoa, Combine until well mixed.

Fold in Chocolate Chips.

Using a small ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons

Scoop mixture in even dollops onto parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Give room as they spread when baking.

*Be sure to make an even amount of cookies for sandwich making.

Using clean fingers; dab fingers with water and flatten dollops to ¼ inch thick.

Bake at 350° f 10-13 minutes, depending on size.

Remove from oven, cool on rack.

Making Ice Cream Sandwiches:

Place any candies, chocolate or nuts in small bowls.

Once cookies are cooled, arrange cookies on a baking sheet bottom side facing up.

Scoop one scoop of favorite ice cream onto each and top with another cookie.

Roll “sandwiches” in chosen addition. Serve immediately

*May freeze, wrapped in parchment until ready to serve.

(Stay fresh for 2 weeks minimum in freezer. If you place the parchment wrapped sandwiches into a freezer bag, they last twice as long. If you don't eat them first..LOL)

These are so versatile. Think of all of the combinations you could make, just by varying the ice cream, the candy coating, the "cake mix"...This is a Can-Do easy!! They are a Fantastic Hit for a Birthday party!

Switch out Chocolate Chips for M&M's for a Birthday Party??? Wow! Can you say Super Mom?!?

How about Strawberry Cake Mix, Frozen Strawberries, and Strawberry Ice Cream for a Girly Baby Shower Treat? The possibilities are endless!!! Give it a try!

He went fishing. So it's Crispy Vermilion Snapper for dinner tonight!

This weekend my Hunny went fishing. He is an avid Fisherman, but in South Florida that usually means alot of Kingfish. Not for nothin, I'm sick of Kingfish! So this time he went looking for something new. There apparently is a moratorium on Vermilion Snapper (pink mini snapper), You can only catch and keep 2 per person. We got lucky! He caught 2 and we had 2 Snapper for dinner! Yum. When fish is caught and cooked immediately and not frozen, it is at it's best! We love a light flaky fish, with a bold flavor coating. Yum!
I made Lemon Rice and a Broccoli Slaw to go alongside..and it was a fantastic Summer dinner!

Crispy Vermilion Snapper

Ingredients:
2 Snapper fillets
2 Lemons
2 tbsp Garlic
2 tbsp Complete seasoning
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper

1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 tbsp Parsely
Salt & Pepper

Instructions:
Marinate fillets in juice of 2 Lemons, Garlic, Complete Seasoning and Salt & Pepper.
Marinate for min 2 hours (preferably overnite)

When ready to cook fish:

Combine Bread Crumbs, Parsley, Salt and Pepper in a Plastic Bag (zip bag)

Add fish to bag

Shake to coat.

If Baking Fish: Preheat Oven to 400°.

                        Pour 2 tbsp Vegetable oil at bottom of Baking Dish.
                        Place Fish in Pan
                        Bake fish for 15 mins, turn Bake for 15 mins longer.
                        Fish is done when it gives resistance when touched in middle.

If Frying Fish: Preheat Peanut/Vegetable Oil to 350°
                       Place coated fish into Oil and fry until Golden brown on both sides.
                       (Approx 3-4 mins on each side)
                       Drain on paper towel 30 seconds. Serve.
Lemon Rice:
Prepare Rice per Directions on Rice.
Add 2 tbsp Butter, 2 tbsp Lemon juice & 1 tsp Lemon zest
Salt & Pepper to taste.       

Enjoy!

Summer Food Favorites!

My dear friend Rich Fletcher decided he couldn't decide. Rich is such a wonderful cook and has a fantastic repertoire of recipes that when it comes to deciding on just one it is an impossible task. I have to agree with him. He is a phenomenal cook and photographer! He not only can cook his butt off... but the photos alone will have you salivating and reproducing his recipes in a heartbeat!

 I introduce you too Rich Fletcher of Rich Fletcher's Good Food Revolution:


As I said he is a great cook, a fantastic photographer and ultra supportive friend! Rich surely knows the idea of Winter Blues. He lives in a Frozen Tundra. Canada!
His Photo Blog never ceases to astound! How a person that is so Deep in the frozen flurries can continue to provide his readers with Fresh, Wholesome, Locally obtained ingredient driven recipes is bewildering to me.
Rich's idea of a trip to grocery is a Daytrip to a wondrous land! As a foodie I so love Rich's shopping days. He always comes home with a story and an ingredient or two that will get the curiosity factor going.
So when Rich decided not to decide on what to submit to the Party..he gave a compilation of dishes sure to please.  Just one example would be the jaw breaker, juice dripping  1/2 lb Home Burgers Rich is famous for!

With or without cheese these tasty wonders will melt in your mouth.

Rich also has given us a choice of something fresh for maybe a starter..How about Fresh Melon wrapped in a nice salty prosciutto as seen here??

How could you go wrong with that??? 

For his final submission Rich has really saved a great for last.

Chili Chicken Skewers!!!   Juicy bits of fresh Free Range chicken, locally grown peppers and onions...a dish to die for!

This Final Summer in the Kitchen Party Blog has been a Blast!! 

Thanks so much to my dear friend Rich Fletcher at Rich Fletcher's Good Food Revolution for showing a Florida girl whats what when it comes to getting out of the Winter Blues!!

A Final Big  THANK YOU to all of my Participants, It truly has been a Pleasure!

Please take a moment to stop by and visit all of the Summer in the Kitchen Blog Party entries you'll be so glad you did!

Ken @ Top Chef Fan: Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos

Lynn @ Southern with a Twist: Grilled Shrimp over Baby Spinach

Amber @ My Simply Sweet Life as my Best Friend's Wife: Eggs in Purgatory

Zen @ Raw Girl in Mumbai: Pineapple Carpaccio & Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes

Chris and Amy @ A Couple in the Kitchen: Spicy Honey Mustard Ribs