The homemade rosemary-flecked chips are a great complement to the garlicky dip, but store-bought pitas or bagel chips are a fine stand-in.
Photo by: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare chips, combine first 4 ingredients. Arrange pita wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly coat pita wedges with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with rosemary mixture. Lightly recoat pita wedges with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden.
To prepare dip, cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add garlic to drippings in pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add broth and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Combine bean mixture, onions, and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon mixture into a bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon reserved bacon. Sprinkle dip with remaining bacon just before serving. Serve with pita chips.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
Be sure to use pickling cucumbers, which are shorter and thinner-skinned than regular cucumbers. Though 4 days is the maximum, the longer the cucumbers marinate, the spicier and more garlicky they'll become.
Photo by: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Arrange half of cucumber in a 9-inch pie plate. Top with half of onion. Repeat procedure with remaining cucumber and onion.
Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through chiles) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 4 days.
Arrange tomato slices on a platter; sprinkle evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Remove cucumber mixture from marinade with a slotted spoon; arrange over tomato slices.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
The chicken is seared over direct heat then moved to the cooler side of the grill. If using a charcoal grill, stack the coals on the right side of the grill.
Photo by: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Preheat grill to medium-hot using both burners.
To prepare chicken, loosen skin from breasts by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Combine salt and next 4 ingredients (salt through chile powder); rub under loosened skin.
Turn left burner off (leave right burner on). Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over right burner; grill 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Move chicken to grill rack over left burner. Cover and cook 35 minutes or until done, turning once. Remove chicken from grill; discard skin.
To prepare sauce, combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Serve with chicken.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
Canned peach nectar, near the bottled fruit juices in the grocery, is the base for a slightly sweet sauce that pairs well with highly seasoned beef. You can make and refrigerate the sauce up to a day ahead; bring it to room temperature just before serving.
Photo by: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
To prepare sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add nectar, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 15 minutes). Add bourbon, ketchup, Worcestershire, and red pepper; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in the lime juice. Cool slightly. Pour the sauce into a blender, and process until smooth.
Prepare grill.
To prepare steak, combine 1 tablespoon sugar and next 7 ingredients (1 tablespoon sugar through black pepper); rub over both sides of steak. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with sauce.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
The salad holds well, so you can make it up to a day ahead.
Photo by: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
To prepare salad, cook beans in boiling water for 12 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain. Combine beans, corn, and next 5 ingredients (corn through oregano).
To prepare dressing, combine lemon juice and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad, and toss to coat.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
Photo by: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Place potatoes in a large Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinegar; toss gently to coat. Let cool to room temperature.
Combine crème fraîche and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Add to potatoes, tossing gently to coat.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
Dress up scoops of tangy buttermilk ice cream with in-season berries, sliced stone fruit, or lemon rind strips. Waffle bowls make a fun way to serve dessert, too.
Photo by: Oxmoor House
Combine sugar and juice in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add half-and-half, whole milk, and buttermilk. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.
Cooking Light MAY 2003
Memorial Day Menu
White Bean and Bacon Dip with Rosemary Pita Chips
Sweet-Spicy Cucumbers over Tomatoes
Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce
or
Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Spicy Peach-Bourbon Sauce
Succotash Salad
Two-Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche
Lemon-Buttermilk Ice Cream
Cooking Light
Enjoy these recipes as suggested, or mix and match them with your favorite entrees and sides. You don't even have to choose between the chicken and the beef -- if you can't decide, fix them both. (Serves 8)
White Bean and Bacon Dip with Rosemary Pita Chips
Sweet-Spicy Cucumbers over Tomatoes
Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce
or
Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Spicy Peach-Bourbon Sauce
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Memorial Day Menu