Cool Recipes for the Heat

Whether you are planting in your garden or relaxing at a friend’s barbeque this weekend, here are some easy recipes to prepare on the fly. Both include a refreshing fruit that everyone loves and associates with summertime fun – watermelon.

The first recipe is an Egyptian favorite. We had this at a friend’s barbeque last weekend. The refreshing taste is perfect for warm weather. You will need:

Watermelon – 4 cups of seedless watermelon cut in small chunks
Mild Feta Cheese –1 cup of feta cheese cut in cubes (French Feta is ideal – creamy and mild. Best Central Mass. source – Ed Hyders’ Mediterranean Market (not open on Sundays) http://www.edhyders.com/
Pitted Calamata Olives – ½ cup of olives chopped fine (Ed’s is also a great source for olives)
Fresh Spearmint – ¼ cup of fresh spearmint chopped fine
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Toss together, chill and serve.

We whipped together this next recipe for that very barbeque. This salad also blends refreshing and sweet flavors, complimenting other summertime foods. Don’t forget to use the salad dressing recipe from the May 18th blog. http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2010/05/greens-will-be-coming.html

Here’s what you will need:

1 head of Boston lettuce
½ cup of wild arugula
2 cups of washed hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
1 Asian pear
1 cup of seedless watermelon cubed
1 cup of shaved asiago cheese
4 Tablespoons of sugar
Hot crushed pepper

Wash and slice the strawberries and add sugar, place in fridge for ½ hour. This draws out the juices.
Thinly slice the Asian pear and cube the watermelon. Toss into the strawberries.
Wash and drain the lettuce and arugula and place in large bowl.
Spread the fruit mix around the outside of the bowl.
Shave the asiago cheese and place in the center of the bowl.
Sprinkle hot crushed pepper. Serve the salad dressing on the side. It should not be tossed into the salad prior – toss when serving and go lightly so as to experience all the flavors.

It is hard to believe it is already Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy the garden, stay safe and remember to take time to honor our fallen soldiers. Thank you for our many freedoms. Annie

To keep with the freedom theme, Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin provides our final Memorial Day inspirational quote of the day. Rather verbose but a very French way of describing barbeques. “Seating themselves on the greensward, they eat while the corks fly and there is talk, laughter and merriment, and perfect freedom, for the universe is their drawing room and the sun their lamp. Besides, they have appetite, Nature's special gift, which lends to such a meal a vivacity unknown indoors, however beautiful the surroundings.”

P.S. As promised on yesterday’s fan page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bilowz-Associates-Inc-Our-Blog-Annies-Gardening-Corner/325316334444 there will be a fun Memorial Day Contest. Two free passes for Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston, MA to the 125th Facebook Fan. You have to join our Facebook page and become a Fan!

Image of Watermelon Salad from the Internet.
This recipe looks like it used parsley but a very cool way to serve it!