BBQ Side Salads

With this sudden onset of wonderfully sunny weather the planned roast was ditched in favour of a BBQ and I guess like me, many of you will have done the same.

I am not a great lover of BBQs because even though it seems a great idea at the time: the men of the house all stood round the barbie cooking up some grub.  In reality there is a lot of behind the scenes preparation that still has to go on.

Here I have just done some very basic side dishes that will be eaten by the children as well as the adults.   As it was just family we bought in some meat rather than marinade my own and kept it simple.

Pasta Salad - this is one my son loves and will make up for himself as just a snack.
Ingredients
Pasta Shapes - tricolour ones add colour to this dish or simple as I have done
Curry Powder
Mayonaise
Paprika - it is more for decoration than taste
Parsley

Cook the pasta according to packet, taking of the heat before it is fully cooked - then rinse it and leave it in cold water to cool (the water stops it from sticking together).
Meanwhile mix a good sprinkling of curry powder with a generous helping of mayonaise.  (I do this in my final serving dish so it is all coated as well and you don't lose any)
Add the pasta and mix well.
Decorate with the paprika (just a sprinkling)  and parsley.

Potato Salad - another very popular dish among the children
Ingredients
Potatoes  -  I like to use new or salad ones but old can work just as well
Onions - again it is what you have, salad ones are great but red or normal work
Salad cream
Garnish with chopped mint / parsley / chives

Boil the potatoes until soft and then drain them and stand in cold water.
Chop the onions finely .
Cut the potatoes roughly and sprinkle over the onions in the serving dish.
Add a good dollop of salad cream and mix well with a knife to chop the potatoes a little more.
Sprinkle with your garnish

Tomato Salad  - there are many different versions of this available but here is mine
Ingredients
Tomatoes - again any variety  if you are entertaining the coloured mixed ones look great
Onions - red or normal
Oil / Vinegar Dressing - I used a simple french dressing I had made for a previous BBQ
Mint chopped to garnish

Cut the tomatoes, chop onions finely (I don't use a whole onion here but may use two small salad onions).
Mix
As you take to table add the dressing.
Add the garnish 


Garlic Mushrooms -  my son had added mushrooms into the shopping basket in the hopes of a barbie.
Ingredients

Mushrooms
Butter
Garlic - powder/ granules  works best with this recipe
Mayonaise
Garnish

Melt the butter in a pan, add a spinkling of Garlic
Add the mushrooms and cook until soggy.
Take off heat and drain (water comes out of them when cooked )
Leave to cool
Just before serving mix mayonaise with garlic, add the mushrooms and mix well.
Add the garnish.

There are so many variations on these dishes.  I change the curry powder for garlic.  You could add tomatoes, peas, sweetcorn to the pasta.   See what this inspires you to try and let me know. Please add your comments and let me know what works for you.

Take a look at my other blog -  Tiggy Hayes

Happy eating -  enjoy this sunny weather

Tiggy 

Pear and Ginger Crumble

This weekend why not try this wonderful pear and ginger crumble for the family or if you have friends coming round.  It is easy and any crumble goes down really well.

I rarely cook puddings as none of us in the family really eat them, but I do try on a Sunday or if I am entertaining to do something.   I was given a set of terracotta stone dishes that are perfect for single portion puds or starters and so I have made these as individuals but they would work just as well in one dish.

Ingredients

Small piece of ginger – chopped into very small cubes

Brown sugar

Boiling water

Couple of eating apples – peeled and cored

3 large desert pears

Butter  - not straight from the fridge

Plain flour

Sugar

Porridge oats

The amount of butter /flour and sugar will depend on how many you are cooking for and how much they like crumble.  In my family (2 adults, 2 teenage boys and a hungry 9 year old) they most definitely prefer crumble to the fruit so I have used 3oz of butter / sugar and 6oz flour with a large mummy sized handful of oats for crunch.

I make the ginger juice first by putting the boiling water over the ginger and brown sugar and keep boiling.   I think you are supposed to throw away the ginger and just use the juice but I add plenty of water then boil for a long while to soften the ginger.  

When most of the juice has evaporated I then add the apple first and as it softens add the pear followed by a sprinkling more of brown sugar.

Once the fruit has softened but still kept some shape take it from the heat and lay in a layer  in dishes.   Allow it to cool.

In the meantime make the crumble by mixing the butter and flour by hand.   When it resembles breadcrumbs add the sugar and stir gently by hand.   Add the handful of oats and stir again.

Top the fruit and cook in a medium oven till browned on top. 

Serve with cream, ice cream or custard then sit back and listen to their ooohs and aahhhs of  pleasure as they tuck in.

Have a go and spoil them this weekend.  Tell me how you get on 

Tiggy

read my trials and tribulation on my other blog at Tiggy Hayes.