Southern Protocol

I am just in the mood for somethin’ sweet today, so the Taste of the Week absolutely needed to be in the dessert category. I know there are tons of decadent chocolate lovers out there, but personally I love a dessert that is fruity and tart… which is why I’m salivating just thinking about this recipe I found on delish.com. Using the grill for a sweet treat is just so perfect for summer!

Mixed Berry Hobo Packs with Grilled Pound Cake (serves 4)
1 pound (3 cups) mixed strawberries and blueberries, strawberries quartered or halved if large
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon corn starch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 12-inch squares of heavy duty aluminum foil
4 1/2 inch thick slices of pound cake
Creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream

Light a grill. In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries and blueberries with the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch. Spoon 1/4 tablespoon of butter in the center of each sheet of foil and top with fruit. Bring 2 sides of the foil up over fruit, and fold to form a seam across the top. Fold the remaining 2 sides to seal the hobo packs completely.

Grill the hobo packs over medium heat until the fruit is sizzling, about 10 minutes.

Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the pound cakes, and grill on each side until just toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer to plates. Open the hobo packs and pour the berries and juices over the pound cake. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.

Yum!

Pizza. It’s delicious year round, but not always the healthiest choice, eh? Perfect for steamy summer weather, after a bit of research we found this Cooking Light recipe at myrecipes.com for a summer pizza that uses fresh veggies and ingredients – making everyone’s favorite party food easy on the waistline – and is cooked on the grill, a fun summer twist. Try serving up a few of these at your next warm weather get-together instead of the old burger standby menu.

Summer Squash Pizza (Yields 8 slices)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarter-inch-thick slices
1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into quarter-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
1 12-inch packaged pizza crust
2 plum tomatoes, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons sliced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped fine oregano
Prepare grill.

Combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, zucchini slices and squash slices in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat. Place squash mixture on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes each side, or until tender.

Reduce grill temperature to medium.

Lightly coat each pizza crust with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side, or until lightly toasted. Arrange zucchini and squash over crust. Arrange tomatoes over squash; sprinkle with pecorino Romano cheese. Grill 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from grill, sprinkle with basil and oregano.

Read through the reviews of the recipe to get some great alterations and additions. Enjoy!