June kicks off the time of year when we have lots to celebrate – – Father’s Day, end-of-the-school year, graduations, the beginning of summer, pool parties, campouts, vacations, and more! And of course, we love to celebrate with food. Whether you’re hosting or need a potluck dish to share, here are some yummy recipes to make your celebration more memorable.
BBQ’d Carrots, Corn & Onions (Great for camping or outdoor BBQs!)
1 ½ Cups Sliced Carrots
1 10-oz. Pkg Frozen Corn
½ Small Onion, Sliced into Thin Strips
3 TBSP Butter
½ Tsp Seasoned Salt
1/8 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Combine the carrots, corn and onions in an aluminum pie tin. Dot the top of the vegetables with the butter. Sprinkle the top with Seasoned Salt and Cayenne Pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and let it heat over the campfire or BBQ until vegetables are tender.
Hot Artichoke Crabmeat Dip (Seriously Addictive!)
1 package (8 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14 ounces) of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 package (8 ounces) imitation crabmeat, chopped (about 1 & 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
Additional sliced green onions
Baked Pita Chips
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl; mix well. Add minced garlic. Drain and chop the artichokes, then chop the crab meat. Add artichokes, crabmeat, Parmesan cheese, green onions, lemon zest, and black pepper to the bowl; mix well. Spoon the mixture into a baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown around the edges and bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped red bell pepper and additional green onions. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or Baked Pita Chips, if desired.
Spinach Quiche (Great to make ahead of time)
1 Nine-inch, deep dish pie shell
1 Package Frozen Spinach (10 oz.)
1 Cup Mild Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
3 Large Eggs
1 Cup Evaporated Milk
2 Tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2-4 Ounces Canned, Sliced Mushrooms
2 TBSP Bacon Bits
½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Onion Powder
¼-1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the spinach, drain, and let cool. Bake the pie shell at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and allow to cool. Put everything except the bacon bits, mushrooms, and cheeses into a blender and rough mix (chop) to a medium-fine texture. Sprinkle the bottom of the pie shell with the cheddar cheese. Pour half of the blender mixture over the cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the bacon bits over the top, then add the mushrooms so that they cover the top. Pour the remaining blender mixture over the top of the mushrooms. Add more bacon bits to the top and sprinkle the entire dish with half the parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan cheese, covering any thin spots. Return the quiche to the oven for an additional 20 minutes or until the top is browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Variation: Quiche Lorraine – – Do not use spinach. Substitute Swiss cheese for the cheddar cheese and increase the amount by ½ cup. Use freshly cooked bacon and shred it into pieces. Add ½ Tsp white pepper, ¼ Tsp nutmeg, and 1 Tsp Dijon mustard. Substitute cooking sherry for the Worcestershire sauce.
Lemon Coconut Cake (Beautiful, Impressive, and Deliciously Perfect for Summer)
1 box white cake mix
1 can lemon pie filling
Zest of 1 to 2 fresh lemons (You can substitute store-bought grated lemon peel, found in the spice aisle. If using store-bought lemon peel, use 1 & ½ teaspoons.)
2 cans of whipped white frosting
2 cups flaked coconut
Prepare the cake batter according to the directions on the box. Using a citrus zester, zest one to two lemons and add the lemon zest to the cake batter. Mix well to incorporate the lemon zest. Divide the batter into two 9” round cake pans and bake the cake as directed on the box. Allow the cakes to completely cool.
Once the cakes have been cooled and removed from the cake pans, take a long, serrated bread knife and slice each cake crosswise through the middle so that you end up with four layers of cake.
In a large bowl, combine the two cups of coconut with the contents of the two cans of whipped white frosting. Mix well.
Place one layer of cake onto a cake plate or serving dish. Spoon one-half of the lemon pie filling on top of this cake layer, spreading evenly over the layer, stopping just short of the edges of the cake. Place another cake layer on top of the lemon-topped layer (make sure it is “crumb-side-down” or your frosting will not spread, and your cake will rip apart.) Frost just the top of this second layer of cake with the coconut/white frosting mix. Spread evenly, all the way to the edges.
Place the third layer of cake on top of the second frosted layer. Spoon the remaining half of the lemon pie filling onto this layer, again spreading evenly and stopping just short of the edges. Place the last layer of cake on top of the third layer (again, make sure it is “crumb-side-down” so that it frosts smoothly). Frost the top layer with the coconut/white frosting mix. Spread evenly, all the way to the edges, then frost the sides, starting from the bottom and going up. Decorate with fresh lemon slices, candied lemon slices, or other lemon candy if desired.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Categorized in: General
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