Summer is for BBQ

Every year we do everything in our abilities as humans to BBQ as much as possible. We live in Canada so when winter hits, you have no choice but to cook inside. On the top of our list for BBQ is steak, we probably cook it at least twice a week.

The one thing that should be on the top of your list when it comes to a good steak is an amazing marinade. I have a marinade that I can not get enough of, if we are having steak I am marinating it in this. The one thing that I will let you in on, is that if you are a wild meat eater this marinade can be converted into an amazing wild meat marinade. All you have to do is add a cup of prepared mustard.

Steak Marinade

¼ Cup Soya Sauce ½ Cup Olive oil

1/3 Cup Lemon Juice 1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbs Garlic Powder 1 Tsp Basil

1 Tbs Parsley 1 Tsp Rosemary

1 Tbs Oregano 1 Tsp Pepper

1 Tbs Onion Powder 1 Tsp Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a container or freezer bag.

2. Add in steaks and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Grills steaks to your liking and enjoy.

I don't think steak is complete without corn on the cob in the summertime. I live near a place in Alberta that is called Taber and they produce some of the best corn every year. They are so popular for their corn that there is even such a thing called the Taber Corn Fest. Cooler corn is the easiest way to cook corn on the cob. Shuck your corn and throw it in a cooler, pour boiling water in and close the lid. This method cooks the corn perfectly and keeps it hot until dinner. The other method is to soak the corn in water for about 10 minutes then grill it with the husk on.

Now that we have covered the steak and corn, lets talk salad. There are 3 salads that I can not do without in the summertime. I have not gone a summer in my life without making coleslaw, macaroni, and potato salad. Here are my favorite recipe's for all three of these salads.

Coleslaw has long been one of my favorite salads. If you invite me to a BBQ, I am most likely bringing it as my dish for the potluck. I love the combination of sweet and tart as well as the crunch of the cabbage. The only recommendation is that you make it the night before you eat it so it has time to soak up some of the flavor.

Coleslaw

1 Cup Green Cabbage, Shredded 1/2 Cup Red Cabbage, Shredded

1/4 Cup Shredded Carrot 1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise 2 Tbs Pickle juice or Vinegar

1/2 Tsp Pepper 1/4 Tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Whisk together Mayo, Pickle Juice, Salt, and Pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Shred Cabbage and Carrot into a bowl.

3. Chop onions and add to the cabbage.

4. Add dressing to the cabbage mix and turn to coat.

5. Let sit at least 30 mins, mix a second time and serve.

The next salad that I enjoy is macaroni salad. I am a bit of an odd ball in the fact that when I make Mac & Cheese I use one box of noodles and two packages of cheese so I always have extra noodles around the house. This recipe works good with those noodles or just some elbow macaroni.

Macaroni Salad

2 Cups Macaroni 1/2 Cup Onion, Chopped

1/2 Cup Celery, Chopped 1 Can Tuna (Optional)

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise 2 Tbs Pickle Juice/Vinegar

1/4 Tsp Salt 1/2 Tsp Pepper

1 Cup Mozzarella Shredded (Optional)

Directions:

1. Bring pot of water to a boil and cook macaroni Al dente.

2. Drain and rinse.

3. While the macaroni is cooking, chop the onion and celery.

4. Whisk together Mayonnaise, Pickle Juice, Salt and Pepper.

5. Mix Macaroni, Dressing, Vegetables and Tuna together.

6. Top with shredded Mozzarella if desired.

Potato salad is a staple at the BBQ. I only have one demand, it has to have hard boiled eggs in it. I don't know what it is about eggs in potato salad, but I am always disappointed if I buy a potato salad, usually because I don't have time to make it, and there are no eggs in it.

Potato Salad

1. 6 Med Potatoes, cubed 6 Hard boiled eggs, chopped

4 Slices Bacon, Chopped 2 Ribs Celery, Sliced

1 Onion, Chopped 1 Cup Mayonnaise

1 Tbs Prepared Mustard 1 Clove Garlic, Chopped

1/4 Tsp Pepper 1/2 Tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Boil eggs and Potatoes, fry bacon, cut and put into a bowl.

2. Chop onion and celery and add to the bowl.

3. Add Mayonnaise, Mustard, Garlic, Salt and pepper to the bowl.

4. Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

I hope that you enjoy these recipe's this summer. If you like these recipes please give this story a little love.