This summer marks Jersey Bites’ 4th Anniversary. I launched Jersey Bites the day after a barbecue where I had been asked a number of times for “my” (Alton Brown’s) Baby Back Rib recipe. Instead of emailing it to several people, I thought, “I’ll just put my recipes up on a blog. They’ll be that much easier to share.” That was the whole “big plan” behind Jersey Bites. It has since grown beyond any expectations and I am sure will reach new heights in the coming year (we now have a plan.) But, plan or no plan, the inspiration behind the launch of Jersey Bites remains the same, to share great food. And, so, we are continuing that tradition here today.
Since we have 4 years of posts to source from, the number of recipes can get a little overwhelming. Some of our all time favorites for barbecues are listed in the Barbecue Section. Some of the staples in my house are Creamy Coleslaw (below), Corn, Black Bean & Avacado Salad and 3 Bean Baked Beans. If you’re plan is to barbecue some burgers this weekend, why not try something different. This Turkey Burger recipe is out of this world. And, if you like Lamb Burgers, here is a real winner. Wrapping up my personal recommendations is the Bodacious Balsamic Barbecue sauce we posted last 4th of July. You will never go back to bottled sauce after trying this. Slather it on ribs, chicken, even shrimp, and invite me over.
Vicki Rimasse (Essex County) and Wayne Galya (Middlesex County) offer up their family’s favorites below. Have a wonderful 4th of July Weekend, Biters. Stay tuned for my “Bites from the Editor” tomorrow. We’ll be introducing some new Editors and giving you the scoop on what’s in store for July.
Baby Spinach, Arugula, and Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing (Red, White and Blue Salad) by Vicki Rimasse
Serves 4
Salad Ingredients:
2 cups Baby Spinach
2 cups Arugula
1 cup mixed dried cherries and walnuts
1 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
2 cups Grilled chicken, sliced, 1 boneless breast per person
8 oz Goat cheese,
Dressing:
Equal amounts of extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Add pepper to taste. Mix equal amounts of the olive oil and balsamic together in a jar and shake well. Add pepper to taste, shake again.
Toss spinach and arugula together, add the nuts and cherries, strawberries and blueberries. Toss with dressing.
Place salad greens on a dinner plate and top with slices of grilled chicken and the goat cheese.
(AKA Too-Farty Bean Recipe)>Wayne’s idea.
Serves 24-30, great take along
2 green or red peppers, diced
2-large onions, diced
2-large tomatoes or 4 small, seeded and diced
2-16oz drained kidney beans
2-16oz drained black beans
2-16oz drained pork and beans
2-C brown sugar
1-24oz ketchup
1-lb bacon crumbled (reserve pork fat)
4-T Worchester Sauce
2-T garlic powder
2-T chili powder
2-T hot sauce, liquid smoke
Preheat oven 350-375.
PREP:
Bake bacon in oven till crispy (reserve some fat).
Drain all beans set aside.
Dice onions, peppers and seeded tomatoes and put in large bowl or aluminum tray you make be using to bake them in.
ASSEMBLE:
Add brown sugar, ketchup, all the beans, worchestire, garlic, chili, hot sauce or liquid smoke, as well as crumbled bacon.
May add 2-4T bacon fat, if desired. TASTE! Alter to taste.
BAKE: 2 hours, uncovered
Just remember this recipe is definitely better the longer it bakes, the longer it sits!
Creamy Coleslaw
by Deborah Smith
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 Cup mayonnaise
3 Tbs. sugar
11/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp celery salt
1 dash black pepper
1 Tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large bag of shredded cabbage or 1 large head, shredded
Serves 8.
