FANDANGO Catering Offers Summer Food Ideas

FANDANGO Catering offers Part II of its 2010 Series, "Summer Food and Entertaining Ideas" with some delicious summer food ideas that take advantage of the best of the season and can be served indoors or outdoors.

Use these ideas as a starting point for your menus.

Beach Shrimp
Serves 6 to 8
An informal seafood fest that's a bit messy but great fun if you're a seafood lover!
Purchase a large disposable roasting pan for easy cleanup.

3 lb. unpeeled raw shrimp
1 16 oz. bottle Italian dressing
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 lemons or limes, halved
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped tarragon
1/2 cup butter, cut up

Place first 4 ingredients in roasting pan, tossing to coat. Squeeze juice from lemons or limes over shrimp mixture and stir. Add lemon or lime halves to pan. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and dot with butter. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Serve in pan.

Steak, Mushrooms, and Greens Salad
A wonderful way to highlight the season's produce.

Marinate a flank or skirt steak with olive oil, white wine or tarragon vinegar, Dijon, lime juice, and Worcestershire, then season with a prepared grill seasoning such as Montreal steak. Set aside at least two hours in refrigerator, then grill and slice thinly.
Meanwhile, brush yellow peppers, sliced mushrooms, and green onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill until tender and mix in a large bowl while still warm with halved very ripe cherry tomatoes and allow flavors to blend for around 15 minutes. Mix steak and veggies with torn Romaine pieces and serve. If you want a dressing, mix sour cream with a little prepared pesto and thin with a little Italian dressing, then drizzle over this salad.

Watermelon Cooler-Ritas
Makes 8 cups
A great way to get the most of summer's wonderful fruit.

8 cups watermelon cubes (no seeds)
1 1/2 cups ginger ale
1/3 cup water
1 6 oz. can frozen limeade concentrate

Place watermelon cubes in a single layer in a ziplock bag and freeze 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Process half watermelon, ginger ale, water, and limeade in blender until smooth; pour into pitcher. Repeat process with remaining half. Stir and serve in glasses rimmed with lime juice, then dipped in lime zest or chopped fresh mint--prepare a trayful to greet your guests as they arrive!

Enjoy!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Partner, Director of Sales & Operations
FANDANGO Catering
(281) 796-9841