From CBS: Make Ahead Memorial Day Dishes

*** Some easy simple dishes sure to please a crowd for your weekend gathering!




From Denny: Katie Lee, contributor to The Early Show on CBS, has some great ideas here for simple quick entertaining. Who wants to be cooped up in the kitchen when friends and family arrive for Memorial Day festivities? She has some simple and tasty solutions to that dilemma.

Her simple dump-cover-and-cook-for-two-hours chili is a life saver for busy people. Katie prefers not to brown the meat so you don't end up with lumps of meat on your hotdog. She also says leftover chili is good on spaghetti noodles for another meal or you can put it in the freezer for another hotdog weekend.

I like her broccoli salad as it has such a balance of tastes: sweet, salty, sour and crunchy. It definitely is a WOW! factor your family will enjoy as it has grapes, raisins, pecans, poppy seeds and bacon in it along with the broccoli. When I make a broccoli salad I like to slice the florets lengthwise for convenient eating. They also are easier to coat with the salad dressing.

Her dessert is simplicity itself and yummy. It's a simple grocery store chocolate swirl pound cake sliced lengthwise in thirds. She softens some vanilla ice cream and places that and some cookie crumbs on each layer and freezes the dessert in a plastic wrapped loaf pan. Slice and serve when your hungry crowd has finished feasting on chili dogs. This is a simple summer menu you can make ahead to enjoy your weekend all summer long.



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Chili Dogs with Buttermilk Coleslaw

Katie Lee: This recipe makes a lot of chili. Whatever you don't use for the dogs simple freeze and use at your next barbecue or even toss it with some pasta for a simple weeknight dinner.

Use any kind of hot dogs and buns you like. Whether they are grilled, boiled or baked this chili kicks up even the best hot dogs.

INGREDIENTS: For the chili

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, peeled and grated
1 12-ounce can tomato paste
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

METHOD:

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the beef (do not brown first), grated onion, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, sugar, chili powder, garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined. Add bay leaves. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 2 hours. Stir in white vinegar and simmer another 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

For the coleslaw:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, grated

METHOD:

Whisk together the mayonnaise, brown sugar, vinegar, buttermilk, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cabbage and carrots and toss to combine. Cover and chill until serving time.

Top hot dogs with chili and coleslaw. Serve with traditional condiments, like mustard, chopped onions, and pickle relish.







Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS:

3 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 (15-ounce) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 cup lightly-packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside. Add onion and bay leaf to the pot and cook until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add bacon and remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Stir before serving.





Broccoli Salad


Katie Lee: If I was stranded on a deserted island and could choose only one
vegetable to sustain me, it would be broccoli. The cruciferous veggie has always been my favorite and I go crazy for this broccoli salad. I love the combination of the fresh grapes with the chewy raisins, the crunch of the pecans, and the salty bacon flavor. The dressing is so good, you may want to double the recipe and keep half in the refrigerator for another salad later.

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups bite-size broccoli florets (about 2 bunches)
2 cups seedless red grapes cut in half lengthwise
1 cup golden raisins
6 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon (about 3 thick slices)

For the dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

METHOD:

In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the broccoli until it is just tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Cool in ice water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well.

In a large salad bowl combine broccoli, grapes, raisins, scallions, and pecans. In a separate bowl, mix all of the dressing ingredients. Add the dressing to the broccoli and toss to coat. Top with crumbled bacon and serve.






Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream Cake

INGREDIENTS:

1 chocolate pound cake
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup crumbled chocolate cookies
Confectioner's sugar, for serving

METHOD:

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap so that it hangs over the edges.

Use a serrated knife to slice the pound cake horizontally into thirds. Place top layer of cake in the bottom of the pan, cut side up. Sprinkle with half of the cookie crumbs and spread half of ice cream on top. Top with middle layer of cake. Repeat with remaining half of cookies and ice cream.

Wrap tightly with plastic. Freeze at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Remove cake from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Turn cake out of pan and remove plastic wrap. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.


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