Grilled Onions

12 8 in. wooden skewers
1 medium-size red onion
1 medium-size sweet onion
1 1/2 C. dry white wine
1/4 C. butter
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. pepper

Insert 4 wooden skewers, one at a time, through each onion about 1/2 in. apart to create horizontal segments. Cut onion into slices between skewers, leaving skewers in place.
Place onion slices in a shallow container; add wine. Cover and chill 8 hrs., turning occasionally. Drain.
Melt butter in a small saucepan; stir in thyme and pepper. Brush onion slices with butter mixture, reserving some for basting.
Grill onions, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) 10 min., turning and basting often with reserved butter mixture.

Shish Kabobs

1 C. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint or parsley
1/2 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. pepper
4 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
3 lb. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2 in. cubes
3 small red onions, cut into fourths
2 green or red bell peppers, cut into fourths
8 cherry tomatoes
8 whole fresh mushrooms
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Combine first 7 ingredients; stir well. Place lamb in a large zip-top freezer bag or shallow baking dish. Pour marinade over lamb; seal or cover. Marinate in refrigerator 8 hours, turning occasionally.
Remove lamb from marinade, discarding marinade.
Alternate lamb cubes, onion, and next 3 ingredients onto 8 12 in. skewers.
Combine 3 Tbsp. lemon juice and 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Brush on kebobs.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) 20 min. or to desired degree of doneness, turning once.

Tzatziki Sauce

16 oz. container plain yogurt
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced

Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Pavlova

4 egg white

1 1/4 cups extra fine white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 ¼ C. heavy cream

½ C. confectioners sugar

6 kiwi, peeled and sliced

pt. strawberries, capped and sliced

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. 

Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice and cornstarch.

Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the center.

Bake for 1 hour. Leave in unopened oven 30 min. Finish cooling on a wire rack.

In a small bowl beat heavy cream and confectioners sugar until stiff peaks form, ; set aside. Remove the paper, and place meringue on a flat serving plate. Fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream. Top with fruit slices. 

Tex-Mex Turkey Meatloaf

1/4 C. finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 C. uncooked long grain rice
1 Tbsp. pressed or finely minced garlic
14.5 oz. can beef broth
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 lb. uncooked ground turkey
1 C. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1/2 C. bottled picante sauce
1/2 C. crushed tortilla or corn chips
2 tsp. taco seasoning
shredded cheese, chopped tomato, cilantro, sliced jalapeno, and/or lime wedges, if desired

In a saucepan, cook onion in hot oil over medium heat 5 min. or until tender. Stir in rice and garlic. Cook and stir 5 min., until rice is browned. Add broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered 10-15 min.  or until rice is tender. Stir in beans; cool slightly, about 20 min.
Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine turkey, corn, picante, chips, and seasoning. Stir in rice mixture. In prepared pan, lightly form turkey mixture into a 10" X 5" loaf. Bake 1 hr. 15 min.- 1 hr. 30 min., until an instant read thermometer inserted in center reads 165 degrees. Let stand 10min. Sprinkle with garnish and serve with lime, if desired.

Spicy White Cheese Dip

• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced 
• 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 3/4 C. milk 
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 lb. white American deli cheese slices, torn
• Assorted tortilla and corn chips 
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• Place first 7 ingredients in a 6-quart oval slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 3 hours, stirring gently every hour. Stir before serving. Serve with assorted tortilla and corn chips.
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• Helpful Tip: To Make Ahead and Freeze: Spoon into quart-size freezer containers, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Microwave on HIGH, stirring every 60 seconds until thoroughly heated.

Marinated Mozzarella

• 3 (8-oz.) blocks mozzarella cheese 
• 1 (8.5-oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and halved
• 1/2 C. olive oil 
• 3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• Garnish: resh rosemary stems
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• Cut blocks of cheese into 1-inch cubes. Arrange cheese cubes and tomato halves in an 8-inch square baking dish.
• Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, chopped parsley, and next 6 ingredients; pour evenly over cheese cubes. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Transfer mixture to a serving plate. Garnish by spearing tomato halves and cheese cubes with short rosemary stems, if desired. Drizzle with marinade, if desired.