It’s Backyard Cookout Time

Photos by BRANDY CRUZ and courtesy photos

Backyard cookouts are a wonderful way to spend summer days or evenings with friends and family. There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly grilled meat and vegetables, having the opportunity to try out various recipes and just enjoy a summer day. In our last issue, we asked our readers to submit recipes they like to bring to backyard cookouts. We hope you enjoy making these recipes.

For the next issue, share your child’s favorite recipe. We all know many picky eaters, so we’d like to know what works for yours. Send recipes and photos to editor@texappealmag.com.

Philly Cheesesteak Queso Blanco

Submitted by Sharon Caldwell

Ingredients
Philly cheesesteak meat
Cheesesteak seasonings (I use seasoning salt and pepper)
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
Half an onion, diced
1 pound of white American cheese or 1 package of Velveeta’s queso blanco

Directions
Sauté diced onions in a skillet until almost translucent.
Add the Philly cheeseteak meat and season with seasoning salt and black pepper. Cook meat, flipping and adding more seasoning on the other side. As the meat cooks, begin shredding it up.
To a crockpot or stovetop, your choice, add the meat and onion with all the other ingredients. Melt until completely melted. Add more cumin, if necessary.
Cumin is what gives queso blanco its unique taste in restaurants.
Serve with your favorite corn chips.

Barbecue Chicken

Submitted by Parker Robertson

I love chicken! It’s delicious, easy to make and easy on your wallet. When I’m making food for a crowd, chicken is normally my go-to because everyone loves barbecue wings.

Ingredients
3-4 pounds of chicken, wings, thighs or breast meat
Salt and pepper or spice rub

Ingredients for sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
2 cups ketchup
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions
Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Grill, skin side down, uncovered, on a greased rack over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, for barbecue sauce, in a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender.
Stir in remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. If you like your sauce more spicy, add more hot pepper sauce to the pot. Reduce heat, then simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Turn chicken and brush with sauce. Grill 20-25 minutes longer, brushing frequently with sauce, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted in the breast and 170-175 in the thigh.

Strawberry Shortcake

Submitted by Michelle Baker

Strawberry shortcake is probably the single best summer dessert on planet Earth! The cake is light, the strawberries are sweet and the whipped cream adds the perfect balance to the perfect dessert.

Ingredients for cake
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1¾ cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
2½ teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup sour cream
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
2 egg whites

Ingredients for sauce
1½ pounds fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
Ingredients for whipped cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Slice strawberries and combine with sugar in a bowl and then place in the fridge. In a few hours, they will create a sauce.

For the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Set aside. Beat sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites and vanilla until combined. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. Add half of the flour mixture and beat until combined. While beating, slowly add milk, then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Be careful not to overmix.

Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the pans. Evenly divide the batter between the three pans. Tap/gently drop the pans on the countertop to remove any air bubbles.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If necessary, rotate the pans once during baking to ensure even browning. Place the pans on a rack to cool.

When the cake is completely cooled and the strawberries have made a sauce, make the whipped cream. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and blend until stiff peaks form. You should scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl throughout the process so everything incorporates.

If serving immediately, find a pretty platter and layer the cake, strawberries with sauce and whipped cream. If serving later, keep the sauce and whipped cream cold until serving. You can take everything to a cookout and let people serve themselves, if desired.