In honor of National Frozen Food Month, Chef Felicia Grady of Plate It Up Catering, joined us today with a couple of simple appetizer ideas using Julian’s Recipe baguettes.

They can be found at Whole Foods, Kroger, Fresh Thyme.

Baguette Pizza

Ingredients: 

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms 
• 2 medium onions, sliced 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• A dash of pepper 
• 1-1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese 
• ¾ cup of thinly sliced basil  
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced
• Julian’s Recipe frozen Truffle Butter baguette

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms and onions until tender. Add garlic and seasonings; cook and stir for 1 minute.

Place baguette halves on a baking sheet, cut side up; sprinkle with half the cheese and 1/2 cup basil. Top with mushroom mixture, tomatoes and remaining cheese. 

Bake until the cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Cut each half into 3 portions. 

Smoked Salmon Crostini 

Ingredients:

• Smoked Salmon Crostini Ingredients: 
• Julian’s Recipe baguette, any variety 
• 5 oz smoked salmon 
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened 
• 4 sprigs fresh dill 
• 1 lemon, juiced 
• ¼ tsp salt 

Directions: 

Prepare Julian’s Recipe baguette according to package instructions. Slice along perforated lines. 

In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, dill, lemon juice and salt and stir until well combined. 

Spoon a small amount of cream cheese mixture onto each slice of baguette. 

Top with a piece of smoked salmon. 

For more information visit:

juliansrecipe.com

plateitupcatering.net

Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @JuliansRecipe

Firefighter Tim brought an extra set of hands to make his famous Firefighter’s Chili! He also prepared pan-toasted, peanut butter, Nutella, and banana sandwich as well as a honey, banana, cinnamon butter sandwich to go on the side.

His daughter Amelia was alongside him as she celebrated her 11th Birthday today.

Have you heard of cucuzza? Chef Paul Vida from Ivy Tech Culinary School and Maci Runkel, Ivy Tech Culinary School student, stopped by to make us a delicious pasta dish using this Italian summer squash. They also made Brioche French Toast With Rum Cream and Almond Crunch.

Aldy Labrador, Director of Business Development for McFarling Foods, joined us as well to discuss how McFarling has helped their restaurant partners during COVID. 

Cucuzza With Pasta (6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering
2. Add the garlic and onions, cook until the onions are soft, stir occasionally so garlic doesn’t burn
3. Add the cucuzza, or zucchini and continue to cook, stirring frequently until the squash becomes translucent
4.   Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper
5. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat for a gentle simmer
6. Cook for about 30 minutes, checking for the squash to become tender but not mushy
7. Add the pasta and fresh basil and bring back to a simmer
8. Serve hot with grated Pecorino Romano, and a grind of black pepper and a dash of hot sauce
9. Crusty bread is always welcome

Brioche French Toast With Rum Cream and Almond Crunch (8 servings)

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Make the almond crunch – combine the butter, sugar, honey, and milk in a saucepan , bring to 230F degrees, stir in the almonds and remove from the heat, lay out on a sheet pan with a silpat and bake at 350F until golden brown – the topping should crisp when cooled
2. Whip the cream with the rum and sugar until medium peaks – set aside in the refrigerator
3. Combine all of the French toast ingredients, except for the brioche well and place in a pie pan for dipping the brioche
4. Heat a skillet to medium high and brush with butter
5. Dip the brioche into the mix on both sides, do not allow the bread to soak up the liquid
6. Cook in the skillet until golden on both sides
7. Place on plates, top with whipped cream, a drizzle of syrup and the almond crunch

THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY MCFARLING FOODS.

These salads are full of fruits, vegetables, and a touch of chocolate to top them off. Jessica Halstead, head chef at SoChatti joined us today with recipes for a White Peach Caprese Salad and a Spinach, Strawberry and Feta salad. They were both topped with a Chocolate Balsamic Dressing.

She also showed us how you can make your own charcuterie board and no-churn ice cream using their fruit nectar products.

For more information visit, SoChatti.com.

Michelle Dudash, RDN, registered dietitian, chef and author of the upcoming The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health, is here with her favorite ways to use the delicious Indiana tomatoes that are now bursting off the vines at a garden or farmers market near you.

Quick Fresh Cherry Tomato Pasta

This is a popular dish in Southern Italy’s Amalfi coast, highlighting the amazing tomatoes of the region, plus, garlic, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil. Season with Michelle’s Dash Dinners Marinara Spice Kit.

Tip: Avoid refrigerating tomatoes until you have cut into them or unless they are about to go bad. Refrigerating tomatoes changes the texture and flavor.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

First blanch the tomatoes to easily remove the skins.

Then puree, season, and simmer down on low heat in a skillet to thicken the sauce. Season with Michelle’s Dash Dinners Marinara Spice Kit.

Use in your favorite recipes, like in lasagna, in meat sauce, or on pizza.

Stir into your favorite recipes that use canned tomatoes

Just keep in mind that fresh tomatoes will release a lot of water when cooking, so you may need to reduce the amount of liquid ingredients or simmer longer to thicken. Add to paprikash, tacos, chili, and curry.

Also, canned tomatoes contain added salt, so you may need to add more salt to your recipes when replacing canned tomatoes with fresh tomatoes. Season at the end of cooking.

Sheet pan chicken with bell peppers and pecans

I love the ease of sheet pan dinners, where you place the protein and vegetables on one pan with the seasonings and cook it at the same time. This recipe is a go-to in our house.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (910 g) chicken legs (about 6)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced 1⁄4-inch (6 mm)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored and diced 1⁄4-inch (6 mm)
• 1⁄2 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup [160 g])
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 cup (56 g) pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C, or gas mark 6) convection. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Place the chicken in a single layer on one side of the prepared pan and the peppers, onion, and garlic on the other side of the pan. Drizzle the oil and sprinkle the thyme, basil, salt, and pepper all over. Place the pecans in one section of the pan. Bake until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle the vinegar on the chicken, peppers, and onions. Transfer chicken to a plate and stir the vegetables and pecans. Roast the vegetables a few minutes longer if they need it to become fork tender.

Suggestions and Variations: Feel free to swap the bell pepper with diced carrots, Brussels sprouts, or other vegetables you may have on hand. Just try to keep the amount the same.

Make It for the Whole Family: My kids love eating chicken legs, but they don’t care for the sight of the mystery “green things” on it, so I skip the herbs on theirs and just season with salt. Everybody’s happy!

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 1 HOUR • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS, ABOUT 2 LEGS EACH WITH 1⁄2 CUP (115 G) VEGETABLES

PER SERVING: 391 CALORIES, 11 G CARBOHYDRATE (3 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 8 G NET CARBS), 27 G PROTEIN, 28 G FAT, 428 MG SODIUM.

By Michelle Dudash, RDN, from the book Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health

For more from Michelle, visit:

DishWithDudash.com

michelledudash.com 

Instagram: @michelledudash 

Do you have leftover watermelon you’re beginning to get tired of? Lori Taylor of the Produce Moms joined us today with a few ways you can switch it up and give it a new taste!

Using your leftover watermelon from July 4th

• Watermelon + Cucumber Cubed Salad

• Grilled Watermelon + Sausage Kabobs

• Watermelon Frozen Treats
• Popsicles
• Watermelon + Blueberry
• Blueberry Apple Pouches
• Ice Cubes + Slushies

Cooking + Entertaining with Stone Fruit 

• Summer Fruit Snacking Tray with Whipped Cherry Goat Cheese
• Peach Margarita Pizza (future blog)
• Plumsicle BBQ sauce (future blog)

For more information visit, TheProduceMoms.com.

If you can’t make it to the beach, we have the next best thing, a cocktail that makes you feel like you’re on one! Brett Butler of Alcomy Life joined us today with recipes for a “Mock Tai” and a “Mai Tai.” Here’s more from him:

“Mock Tai”

This is a refreshing, tropical mix of Island flavors with Tiki essence and no alcohol.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz.  Pineapple Juice
• 1 oz.  Orange Juice
• 1 oz.  Organic Coconut Water
• 3/4 oz.  Alcomy Old Fashioned Elixir
• 1/2 dropper of Bittermen’s Tiki Bitters
• dash of homemade grenadine

Directions:

• Shake ingredients together
• Garnish with a bruleed pineapple-cherry sword and fresh mint.

“Mai Tai”

This is the original recipe made famous by Trader Vic Bergeron.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz.  Plantation Dark Jamaican Rum
• 1 oz.  Light Rum
• 1/2 oz.  Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
• 3/4 oz.  Lime Juice
• 1/4 oz.  Orgeat
• 3/4 oz.  Demerara syrup

Directions:

• Shake ingredients together
• Garnish with a spent half-lime and fresh mint.

Alcomy LLC is a mobile mixology and cocktail elixir service, focusing on unique culinary cocktails and elixirs.  We infuse the science of liquid gastronomy with the creative passion of art to curate a magical, memorable experience in your home, office or event space.  It’s “Farm to Glass, Flaired with Class.”

Brett W. Butler is an entrepreneur, entertainer and mixologist with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industries. After 10 years in L.A., Brett is back home in Indiana, curating his Alcomy experience throughout the Indy area. 

For more information visit:

Website:  thealcomyexperience.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/alcomylife

Instagram: Instagram.com/alcomylife

Alcomy Elixirs: marketwagon.com/vendors?id=1563

ALDI can help us eat well with their summer spread essentials you love that make it faster and easier to save money on all our grocery needs. Michelle Dudash, RDN, registered dietitian, chef and author of the upcoming book, The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health, joined us today to share her delicious summertime menus and recipes, with the help of ALDI.

Whether you’re hosting a cookout with neighbors or entertaining family, ALDI has everything to serve it up right at home—for less.

One way Michelle loves to entertain is with her DIY mezze board. Everything she uses is from ALDI and won’t break the bank.

What Michelle adds to her mezze board: A variety of proteins, like hummus, cheeses, grilled chicken bites and charcuterie

• Never Any! Fresh Antibiotic Free Chicken Tenderloins, grilled on skewers with herbs
• Earth Grown Classic Meatless Meatballs: if you’re looking to switch up your diet this summer, try this meat alternative. The ALDI-exclusive Earth Grown line has a variety of vegan, vegetarian and plant-based options, including kale veggie burgers and vegan shredded cheese
• Park Street Deli Greek Feta Salad with Pitted Olives
• Emporium Selection Fresh Mozzarella in Marinade
• Park Street Deli Roasted Garlic Hummus
• Park Street Deli Chickpea Salad
• Southern Grove Hickory Smoke Flavored Almonds
• Friendly Farms Plain Whole Milk Greek Yogurt, drizzled with olive oil

Veggies and fruits: from fresh and juicy to pickled, ALDI has all the fresh and organic produce you need for your outdoor feasts.

• Mini cucumbers sliced into spears
• Snacking Tomatoes on the Vine
• Organic bell peppers – pop them on the grill to help bring out new flavors
• Great Gherkins Kosher Baby Dill Pickles
• Tuscan Garden Quarter Artichoke Hearts in Water
• Park Street Deli Kalamata Pitted Olives

Breads and crackers

• Specially Selected Mini Naan
• liveGfree Rosemary and Olive oil Gluten Free Crackers

One of Michelle’s favorite things about the mezze board is that it’s mostly prepared with simple assembly and keeps your kitchen cool and clean.

If you want to whip up a simple make-ahead recipe or two, try the following from her new book The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook, out July 6.

Deviled Eggs with Basil and Pine Nuts

Michelle’s guests always go crazy for her deviled eggs, and this her my newest rendition. To make them even easier, add Priano Pesto alla Genovese from ALDI into the yolk filling.

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen Simply Nature Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs 
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (6.7 oz) jar Priano Pesto all Genovese
• 1 tablespoon (lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Specially Selected Premium Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil over high heat. Reduce the heat as needed to maintain a low boil for 12 minutes. Remove the eggs from the heat and carefully drain the pot. Fill the pot with cold water and a handful of ice to cool the eggs quickly. Peel the eggs and slice them in half length- wise. Gently remove the yolks. Arrange the egg whites on a baking sheet lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle the whites with salt.

Whip the cooked egg yolks, pesto, lemon juice, and pepper in a food processor until smooth. While running the food processor, slowly drizzle in the oil.

Spoon the mix into a small resealable plastic bag and cut 1⁄4 inch (6 mm) from a bottom corner or use a piping bag with a tip. Twist the bag to push all of the filling toward the tip and squeeze to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.

Cover lightly and chill until ready to serve, up to 4 days.

Note: Use older eggs for deviled eggs when possible, because they are easier to peel than fresher eggs. Older eggs have lost some moisture content, creating air gaps between the egg sac and the shell, helping release the shell more easily.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 1 HOUR • YIELD: 24 SERVINGS, 1⁄2 EGG EACH

PER SERVING: 64 CALORIES, 0 G CARBOHYDRATE (0 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 0 G NET CARBS), 4 G PROTEIN, 5 G FAT, 96 MG SODIUM.

By: Michelle Dudash, RDN, from the book Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health

Shirazi Salad

This salad originates from Iran and is used like a condiment since it complements meat dishes nicely, with crisp, fresh vegetables and a big hit of lemon. You can also use limes instead. Toss this salad right before mealtime if you prefer things extra crunchy. Or mix it a few hours in advance if you like a more marinated salad.

This salad originates from Iran and is used like a condiment since it complements meat dishes nicely, with crisp, fresh vegetables and a big hit of lemon. You can also use limes instead. Toss this salad right before mealtime if you prefer things extra crunchy, which is how my Iranian neighbor Sarah prefers it. Or mix it a few hours in advance if you like a more marinated salad.

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 large English cucumber or 2 small Persian cucumbers, diced small
• 1 medium tomato or 2 Roma tomatoes, diced small
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄8 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice  
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced (this is a hot pepper, adjust as needed)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Enjoy right away or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Suggestions and Variations:

Jalapeno chile pepper or bell pepper may be a more suitable option if you prefer foods with less heat.

Summer Berry Tarts and Drinks

You’ll love the simple ingredients in this fresh dessert that is made with almond flour and high-quality berries. It contains very little added sugar, yet is totally satisfying. 

Michelle loves the simple ingredients in this fresh dessert that is made with almond flour and high-quality berries. It contains very little added sugar, yet is totally satisfying. If you’re not familiar with mascarpone cheese, you’ve probably enjoyed it and didn’t realize it since it’s the creamy filling found in the Italian dessert tiramisu. It has the texture of cream cheese but with a comforting mellow taste, rather than tangy.

Berry tart with mascarpone cream and almond flour crust

FOR THE CRUST:

Ingredients:

• Carlini Canola Cooking Spray
• 11⁄4 cups Baker’s Corner almond flour or meal
• 3 tablespoons Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter Quarters, melted
• 1 tablespoon Berryhill Honey Bear honey 
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup Baker’s Corner Dark Chocolate Morsels 

FOR THE FILLING:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Emporium Selection Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
• 11⁄2 cups fresh fruit, like raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries 
• To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat three 4 1⁄2 x 4 1⁄2-inch tartlet pans* with cooking oil spray.
• Combine the almond flour, melted butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and lower half of the sides of the prepared pans. Bake until golden and the edges pull away slightly from the sides, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool in the pans.
• Remove the cooled crusts from the pans. Microwave the chocolate in a bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between, for a total of about 11⁄2 minutes.
• Stir until smooth. Drizzle the chocolate in the crusts and spread to completely cover the bottom and lower half of the sides.
• To make the filling: In a food processor, whir the ricotta and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. 
• Spread the cream over the set chocolate crusts. Arrange the fruit on top.

Suggestions and Variations:

If you have mini tartlet pans or one large tart pan, by all means, feel free to use them. You will need to adjust the baking time, since smaller pans will take less time and larger pans will take more time.

Make It for the Whole Family:

You may prefer to use 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract plus a drizzle of honey in place of the amaretto liqueur.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING TIME • YIELD: 6 SERVINGS, 1⁄2 TART EACH

PER SERVING: 405 CALORIES, 19 G CARBOHYDRATE (4 G FIBER, 3 G ADDED SUGARS, 15 G NET CARBS), 8 G PROTEIN, 34 G FAT, 70 MG SODIUM.

Celebrate the kickoff to summer with refreshing adult beverages from ALDI

ALDI has their own award-winning wines and world-class beers and seltzers, many of which are under $10.  

These three drinks are some of Michelle’s favorites that check all of the boxes:

• Espritza Rosé 4pk Cans: Michelle love these on-the-go cans
• Zarita Lime or Strawberry Margarita 
• Moiselle White Sangria

Hurry to your local ALDI or try delivery

Here in Indianapolis, ALDI is reopening a remodeled store on Michigan Road and opening a new store in Speedway this week. Use the store locator tool on ALDI.us to find the store nearest you.

Whether shopping in-store or enjoying the convenience of curbside grocery pickup or delivery, customers can safely shop at ALDI for all their essentials.

For more fun information and tips, visit ALDI.us, “Like” ALDI USA on Facebook and follow @ALDIUSA on Instagram and @ALDIUSA on Twitter. Join in the fun and tag ALDI using the hashtag #ALDILove.

Fun fact: ALDI operates more than 2,000 stores in 37 states, and it’s still growing. As one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, ALDI is on track to be the third-largest U.S. grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022.

THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY ALDI.

If you have picky eaters at your house, these tips are perfect for the entire family! Our friend, Annessa Chumbley, Registered Dietitian, joined us today with her must haves as a mom. Here’s more from her:

good2grow Organic MILK has these new, ready to go organic milks and they’re perfect for kids on the “moove.” That’s because both strawberry and chocolate flavors are great sources of vitamins A and D. They also have 8 grams of protein per serving. Bonus, I know my kiddos love these tops and they have over 200 collectible characters!

You can find good2grow’s Organic MILK at a Casey’s near you.  Tip: Stash them in your cooler. These are perfect for a summer road trip and you can feel good knowing that these have nothing artificial and they’re Non-GMO.

When it comes to family meal night, how can we elevate flavor without taking a shortcut on nutrition?

It’s tough to balance family and the pressures of a full-time job. Everyone is always trying to add more variety to our meals at home but that takes planning, and shopping. Pure farmland makes it easy. A delicious breakfast shortcut is using breakfast patties in this savory hash.

These grilled peach and meatball skewers just taste like summer! These are the best balance of “in season sweet” with Pure Farmland savory!

These delicious, plant based products are Non-GMO, made with complete soy protein and they’re all gluten and dairy free.

Pure farmland has kicked off year two of its Pure Growth Project. This is a grant program in support of neighborhood farms and gardens to increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables to communities everywhere. Eligible organizations can submit an application now until June 15th when you go to puregrowthproject.com.

For more information visit, good2grow.com, PureFarmLand.com and AnnessaRD.com.

SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY RDTV

Lori Taylor of The Produce Moms joined us today with a number of recipes from Mushroom Kaprese Kebabs to Portabella Steak! She says her portabella steak is the perfect vegan substitute for steak or just a tasty recipe for portabella mushrooms. So juicy and delicious; the shape and size of meaty portabellas make them just right for the grill. You can serve it as a main course or a satisfying side to any meal.

Portabella Steak

Ingredients:

• 4 Monterey® Grill-A-Bella® Caps, whole or 1” slices
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat grill (or oven) to 375º F.
2. Mix together all ingredients and marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Grill (or bake) for 15 minutes or until cap is tender.

Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup brown sugar

From small family gatherings to big summer cookouts, make as many or as few skewers as you prefer by doubling or tripling the recipe.

Directions:

1. If you are marinating your own mushrooms and not purchasing them pre-made, follow our Marinated Mushrooms Home Canning recipe or substitute fresh whole mushrooms with our Monte’s Mushroom Marinade.

2. Make your balsamic glaze.* Bring a saucepan to medium heat and add your balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce your heat to low and simmer until glaze is reduced by half, usually about 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it starts sticking to a wooden spoon. Let cool.
*Save time by purchasing a pre-made balsamic glaze should you wish!

3. While balsamic glaze cools, wash rosemary sprigs and tomatoes. Pat dry with paper towels.

4. Preheat the grill to medium.

5. Remove about three-quarters of the rosemary needles from the bottom of each sprig to create your skewer.

6. Thread each ingredient onto your rosemary skewer, starting from the bottom. Leave about one-fourth of the rosemary needles visible at the top.  Alternate ingredients to add variety. For example, you may choose to start with a mushroom, then add a tomato, followed by mozzarella cheese, and repeat. Try to mix/match the colors and create a balance of texture.

7. Baste with olive oil and add a dash of salt.

8. Grill your kebabs for a few minutes on each side over indirect heat, pulling off the grill before the cheese is so soft that it falls off the skewer, usually four minutes on each side. Be sure to check out these grilling tips to understand the best cooking temperature and positioning on the grill when grilling with mushrooms.

9. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve warm with your picnic favorites.

10. This portabella steak is the perfect vegan substitute for steak or just a tasty recipe for portabella mushrooms. So juicy and delicious; the shape and size of meaty portabellas make them just right for the grill. Serve as a main course or a satisfying side to any meal.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @montereymushrooms on Instagram and hashtag it #montereymushrooms and #indystyle

One of the easiest ways to make a meal more exciting is by turning it into a kabob. This classic Texan dish is perfect for skewering. Avocado Ranch turns this steak and salad combo into a sensory experience. You won’t even have to ring the dinner bell — when your cowpokes smell this meal, they’ll come galloping to the table! 

Mushroom Caprese Kebabs (6 Kebabs)

If you’re a fan of Caprese salad, you know how your mouth waters at the very sound of freshly sliced mozzarella and tomatoes with sweet basil. Lather them up with a little balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and it’s heaven on a plate. Mmm, mmm, mmm. 

But while we all love Caprese, the team at Monterey wanted to put a spin on Italy’s famous trio. First off, we had to add mushrooms— it’s what we do! We chose our Marinated Mushrooms for their rich Italian flavor. We also swapped the basil for fresh rosemary to use the sprigs as creative “skewers.” Not only are these herb sticks decorative, but the bold rosemary flavor really pops. Lastly, we decided to take this typical cold salad and grill it. Nothing like a little heat to bring out the savory flavor of that balsamic glaze. 

Arguably the easiest kebab recipe in our recipe library, this one’s a quick project— perfect for busy cookouts. If you think you may have impatient guests, start here with a grilled Caprese kebab appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz Monterey ® Marinated Mushrooms*
• 10 oz pack of cherry or grape tomatoes 
• 10 oz package of marinated mozzarella balls
• 1 bunch of fresh basil 
• 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary 
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt

*Purchase jars of our Marinated Mushrooms at participating Sam’s Clubs near you. Don’t live near one of those grocers? Make your own by following our Marinated Mushrooms Home Canning recipe or substitute fresh whole mushrooms with our Monte’s Mushroom Marinade.

For more information visit, theproducemoms.com.