My recipe confidant Sheila Kern has come up with three delicious - and easy - recipes that use ingredients on sale this week. And they just happen to be perfect for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Enjoy, and don't work too hard.
Watermelon is plentiful and reasonable. You can pick up a whole seedless melon for $3 at SaveMart; $3.47 at Raley's/BelAir; $3.88 at Safeway; $2.98 at Foods Co.
Watermelon Lemonade
Serves: 4
1½ pounds sliced seedless watermelon, rind removed
Zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup honey or to taste
1½ cups cold water
1 lemon, sliced thin for garnish
In a food processor, puree the watermelon until very smooth. Set a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the pureed watermelon through it. Stir the pulp to let as much liquid as possible drain into the bowl. Discard pulp.
Pour the watermelon juice into a large pitcher and add the lemon zest. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and honey until honey dissolves. Stir this mixture into the watermelon juice, then stir in the water.
Cover and refrigerate until very cold. Serve over lots of ice and garnish with lemon slices.
-- Recipe from Rozanne Gold in "The Oprah Magazine Cookbook" (Hyperion)
and from www.seattlepi.com, May 13, 2008
Not all chicken needs to go on the BBQ. Here's a recipe for chicken salad sandwiches that are perfect for a picnic. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are on sale at Raley's/BelAir ($1.77 a pound); Walmart ($13.98 for a 5lb pack) and SaveMart ($2.49lb).
Apricot Chicken Salad Sandwiches
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2/3 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
1 medium green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
4 dried apricots, finely chopped
3 tbsp. apricot preserves
2 tbsp. nonfat mayonnaise
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
4 slices whole wheat bread
Lettuce leaves
Directions
Stir the chicken, green onions, apricots, preserves, mayonnaise and parsley in a medium bowl.
Divide the lettuce and the chicken salad between the bread slices.
Nutrition Information
Calories 307, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 41mg, Sodium 381mg, Total Carbohydrate 51g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Protein 19g, Vitamin A 28%DV, Vitamin C 10%DV, Calcium 7%DV, Iron 13%DV
And, lastly, a fresh corn salad. White or yellow corn is available at just about every supermarket from Raley's/BelAir (4/$1) to Walmart (3/99-cents) to Vic's on Fulton (5/$2) and SaveMart 3/$1.
Fresh Corn Salad
5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.
Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.
From www.foodnetwork.com
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, copyright 1999
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