Recipe for refreshment

Summer is the time for grilling, outdoor potlucks, refreshing fruits and vegetables, and campfires.

If you’re sick of treating friends and family to the same old dish, try some of these, courtesy of readers and DL Newspapers staff, to shake things up.

Pork Tenderloin Packages

From: Patty Nelson

Ingredients:

Bacon

1 ½ inch-thick pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Sweet onion, sliced ¼ inch thick

Tomato, sliced ½ inch thick

Green bell pepper, sliced ¼ inch thick

American cheese slices

Directions:

Cross two slices of bacon and place tenderloin in the center. Season with salt and pepper. Stack onion, tomato and green pepper on top. Bring bacon slices up around stack and secure with a toothpick.

Place each tenderloin package on indirect medium heat on a grill and cook for 30 minutes. Place cheese slice on top and grill for another 15 minutes.

Grilled Salmon Filet

From: Patty Nelson

Ingredients:

Aluminum foil

Salmon filet

Lemon pepper

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Dill weed

Directions:

Make a foil “boat” to fit the size of the filet. Spray salmon with Pam (or other non-stick spray) and place in foil. Generously sprinkle in layers each of the seasonings.

Grill over medium heat until fish is flaky, and serve with melted butter. It can also be cooked in the oven.

Nelson wrote, “My brother-in-law gave me this recipe years ago and it’s been a favorite of mine.”

Texas Grilled

Baked Potatoes

From: Dale Westley

Ingredients:

Russet potatoes

Olive oil

Coarse pickling salt

Directions:

Wash and clean as many potatoes as you wish to serve. Brush each potato with olive oil and roll or coat each with coarse salt. Lay directly on a hot grill or hot coals and cook for one hour and rotate until done.

Classic Cucumber Salad

From: Mary Brenk

Ingredients:

4 cucumbers, thinly sliced

Small white onion, thinly sliced

1 c. white vinegar

½ c. water

¾ c. white sugar

Dill weed, to taste

Directions:

Toss cucumbers and onion together in a large bowl.

Over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumber and onions.

Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least one hour.

Summer Pasta Salad

From: Ashley Halbur

Ingredients:

1 pound tri-colored rotini, or really any pasta on hand

3 Tbsp. olive oil, more if desired

1 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning blend

1 cucumber, chopped

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed, strain. Mix Italian seasoning, oil and water together.

Combine cooled pasta, oil mixture and vegetables in a large bowl, and refrigerate for at least one hour prior to serving.

Mango, Peach and

Pineapple Salsa

From: Luanna Lake

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 small peaches, halved, pitted and cut into a ½ inch dice

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 white onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 c. fresh pineapple, diced

1 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. white sugar, more or less to taste

¾ c. water

Directions:

Stir together mango, peach, tomato, onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, pineapple and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Then, add other seasonings: garlic, lime juice, salt, sugar and water.

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Adult Watermelon

From: Mary Brenk

Ingredients:

1 seedless watermelon

1 ½ c. rum, or as needed

Directions:

Rinse the outer rind of the watermelon thoroughly, and pat dry. Set the watermelon in a position so it will not roll over, and press the tip of a funnel through the rind of the melon. If using a plastic funnel, you may need to cut a hole.

Situate the melon on a towel in the bottom of the refrigerator or on the counter. Pour rum into the funnel a little at a time, refilling as it seeps into the melon.

Brenk wrote, “I start the afternoon before, since we usually leave to go to events in the morning.”

Allow the melon to marinate at least a few hours, before removing the funnel. Slice just before serving.

Peanutty S’mores

From: Mary Brenk

Ingredients:

Large marshmallows

Graham cracker squares

Peanut butter cups

Directions:

Cook marshmallows over an open flame or hot coals until they are browned outside and soft all the way through, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Place the marshmallows on top of a graham cracker square, place peanut butter cup on top, and finish with another graham cracker square.

Tags: niche pubs, summer living