Watermelon BBQ Sauce

Sorry that this week’s recipe is a few days late; this week has been a bit hectic. Better late than never, though, right? This week we have another way to use up some of that watermelon that you don’t want to go bad but you don’t know what to use it for.

What You’ll Need…

2 Cups Watermelon Juice

1 Cup Vinegar (Any kind)

¾ Cup Dijon Mustard

¾ Cup Brown Sugar

¾ Cup Ketchup

Pepper (To taste)

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch (Optional)

Start out by breaking down cubed watermelon in a food processor until you have two cups.

Add all of the ingredients except the corn starch to a medium sauce pot, stir to combine, and place the sauce over medium high heat. Allow the sauce to come to a boil and to boil for about 3 minutes. This will help the sauce to come together and to tighten up.

If you would like a thicker sauce add the corn starch after all of the ingredients have been added but before turning on the heat.

Once the sauce has boiled remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Add it to your favorite BBQ dishes and enjoy!

This sauce is great with tofu, chicken, meatballs, or anything else you like with BBQ sauce. 

Chocolate Melon Smoothie

Kids are going back to school already… what’s up with that? I remember when I was in school we always started on the Thursday before Labor Day. Well, while kids are back in school it is still summer, for another month actually. Now, because it’s still summer melon is still in season and is delicious. So, here’s a good use for that left over watermelon and cantaloupe that you have laying around after you just can’t eat any more of it… or before it goes bad.

What You’ll Need…

1 ½ Cups Watermelon (Cubed)

1 ½ Cups Cantaloupe (Cubed)

1 ½ Cups Frozen Pineapple

2 Tablespoons Nut/Sunflower Butter

2 Tablespoons Dark Chocolate Syrup

Splash Milk (Vanilla Almond Milk/Soy/Regular Milk)

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and pulse until combined.

This makes one very large smooth, two good sized individual smoothies, or as many as you would like in smaller portions.

Enjoy! 

Fresh Grilled Salsa

This week’s recipe uses three great summer ingredients, two of which you can find at just about any farm stand. We had some tomatoes and corn in the house that needed to be used and well, this is what I came up with.

What You’ll Need…

4 Medium Tomatoes

2 Ears Corn

1 Bell Pepper

½ Medium or 1 Small Onion

1 Peach

4-5 Basil Leaves

2 Tablespoons Vinegar

Hot Sauce (To taste)

Start out by grilling the tomatoes until charred but not cooked through, you don’t want them to be mushy. Also grill the corn until it is just barely cooked through but has char on the outside. Once the tomatoes are grilled allow them to cool so that you can remove the skin. Allow the corn to cool as well and carefully remove the kernels from the cobs.

While the tomatoes are cooking and cooling you can move on to the other ingredients. Dice the pepper, onion, and peach and chop the basil.

When the tomatoes have cooled and the skins have been removed cube them and add all of the fruits/veggies to a bowl. Add the basil, vinegar, and hot sauce and gently stir to combine.

Cover the salsa and allow the flavors to marry in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy your fresh salsa in burritos, quesadillas, taco salad, or as a compliment to anything else you care to add flavor to. 

S'mores Parfait

This week’s recipe is one that we literally just ate. It’s a good one for during the summer and one that can be made in the winter to make it feel like summer.

What You’ll Need…

One Package Instant Pudding (Any flavor; Chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, or tapioca are probably best.)

2 Cups Milk (Unless a different amount is specified for your chosen pudding.)

2 Graham Crackers (Crushed to crumbs.)

Chocolate pieces or chips

4 Large Marshmallows (Toasted)

Prepare your pudding per the instructions on the box and allow it to chill.

Just before you are ready to prepare your parfait toast your marshmallows.

Assemble each parfait starting with a layer of pudding followed by a layer or cracker crumbs, then marshmallow, and finally chocolate. Repeat this pattern a second time. Finally, top with one more layer of pudding and a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs.

As mentioned above you could use any kind of pudding you like or even try experimenting with different add-ins such as peanut butter or different candies. Also, this recipe could be used to make one large parfait or small ones… it’s all up to you. Enjoy!