Dinner for a Sizzlin' Hot Night

The temperatures here have been just this side of Hell for a while now. When it's this hot, cooking becomes something you tend to avoid. But last night we had a rush for lots o' good food, so we grilled a roast (basted periodically with Pine Ridge Jalapeno BBQ Sauce), fried up some zucchini and summer squash, and made a pretty awesome potato salad. It was a rather decent dinner.

Grandma's Potato Salad ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Sue Gronholz in the Aug/Sept 2012 edition of Taste of Home magazine)

3 pounds small red potatoes, boiled with skins on, cooled, diced

Dressing
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/8 cup white vinegar
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar (minus 1 to 2 Tbsp.)
2 1/4 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup Miracle Whip

Salad
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 to 3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
3 to 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
Paprika

• For the dressing: Using a double boiler over barely simmering water, heat water, butter, and vinegar until butter is melted. In a small bowl, beat egg, add sugar and cornstarch. Add to melted butter mixture, cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a large bowl; cool completely.
• For salad: In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Stir Miracle Whip into the cooled dressing mixture; fold in the whipped cream. Stir in diced onions, green onions, salt, pepper, and diced hard-boiled eggs. Add the diced potatoes; toss lightly to combine well. Refrigerate, covered, until chilled (at least 4 to 6 hours).

To serve, top with sliced hard-boiled eggs and dust with paprika. Serves 12.

Fried Squash ala ~DKBB~

Zucchini
Summer (yellow) squash
Cornmeal
Kosher salt
Cracked pepper
2 eggs
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
Canola oil

• In a large, deep pan heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil on medium/medium high; use a splatter screen to keep from making a huge mess.
• Slice squash 1/2 inch thick.
• Put about 2 cups of cornmeal in a gallon sized zip loc bag; add kosher salt and cracked pepper (enough so you can see it in the mix); close the back and shake well to mix.
• In a pie tin/plate, beat eggs and milk together well.
• Dip each squash slice in egg, covering well, then put in bag of cornmeal mix and shake well to coat.
• Place coated squash slices in hot oil and cook until almost crisp.
• Remove from oil and drain well.

Serve with ketchup, if desired.

Gingerbread Pancakes ala ~CHB~

Gingerbread Pancakes ala ~CHB~
My husband came up with this little change-of-routine breakfast gem.

Pancake mix (NOT a complete mix, but one using egg and oil; follow instructions on the box)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. each ginger, allspice, and ground cloves


Mix together well and make pancakes! Dust with powdered sugar or serve with dark maple syrup.