Fun Tips and Goodies

 Happy June all!

Today I am just listing a few fun and tasty ideas for having fun with food!

Tortillas are very versatile.  Most people think of burritos.  Oh my, they are tasty for so much more.

There isn't a thing that you can not put in them.

Burritos - Mexican or Breakfast

Meat/cheese/veggie roll-ups or wraps

Fruit - cream cheese - melted chocolate

They can be a meal or they can be appetizers.  No limit at all.  It is a fun and cool summer food.  I make meat and cheese and/or veggie rolls a lot in the summer.  Just downright tasty, frugal and easy.  I love chocking them full of summer veggies for a light and frugal meal.  This is a favorite summer food for me.

Can be left whole or can be sliced for easy bites.  You can make several different types using different ingredients and then slice for a great variety in bites and appetizers.

If you have never had fresh tortilla's - you are missing out!  They are magnificent.  So much better and lighter than the ones you buy.  Give it a shot -they are very easy to make.

Grilling fruit and veggies is a great idea.  You can grill about anything.  I love peaches and pineapple grilled.  It just intensifies the sweet flavor.  They are good alone or served with ice cream!!!!!  Oh my.

I am keen of grilled zucchini, squash, corn, potato slices, asparagus - even green beans. 

You can grill anything.  NO grill?  That is OK.  You can use an indoor grill if you have one (like George Foreman) or you can use a griddle or cast iron skillet.

Flavors become so intense when grilled and veggies and fruits just taste different.

Don't forget PACKET meals!  Those foil packets that contain veggies and a meat source.  They can thrown on the grill, or over a fire or even in the oven.  Flavors meld together and these are so easy and tasty and CLEAN-UP is a cinch!  You can put anything you can imagine in one of these packets.  Seafood, ground meat, sausage, potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, fresh green beans...........

Gardens will soon be producing so many yummy goodies.  Think outside the box a bit when using it all.

Fried green tomatoes

Breaded and fried green beans, asparagus, zucchini, okra, peppers, onions....

Grilled onions, squash, beans, etc.

Fried corn - grilled corn

Tomatoes, cukes (or zucchini) and onion  salad with dressing

Pickles and relishes

Salsa and sauces

Roasted veggies of all sorts.

Casseroles loaded with veggies

Salads loaded with different veggies

          Too much lettuce?  Oh yum - wilted lettuce.  My mouth drools just thinks about this!

DID you know?

• Adding tomato to roasts will naturally tenderize the meat.  Tomatoes contain an acid that works well to break down meats.
• One pound of b/s chicken equals approximately 3 cups of cubed chicken
• When grilling fish - rule of thumb is 5 minutes on each side per inch of thickness.  Rub with oil before grilling to seal in moisture
• When cooking greens - add a teaspoon of sugar to the water to help veggies retain their color
• Remember to use that garden mint or lemon balm in your teas - makes for a refreshing ice tea.  Can use alone in water and sweeten as you wish for a natural 'tea'.  Pick and dry for future use.  Place a few fresh leaves of mint at the bottom of your cup of hot tea or hot chocolate
• When serving cold soups or salads in summer - chill dishes as well
• When making fresh juice - one lemon yields about 1/4 C juice and one orange yields about 1/3 C juice.  Roll the fruit on the counter under your palm to release the maximum juice
• Place orange peels or other peels (clean) and whole cloves and cinnamon sticks in cheesecloth and steep in hot cider or tea for about 10 minutes
• Save and freeze over ripe fruit for making sweet breads/muffins or for smoothies
• You know all that juice that is in the bottom of the bowl of cut-up watermelon?  Save it - freeze in ice cube trays - great added to summer drinks.

Well there is a few 'make the most of it' tips!  No waste - use in a new way.

Hope these give someone an idea or two for fun foodie ideas for the coming months. 

Keep it EASY - Keep it TASTY - Keep it FRUGAL

ENJOY