Dear Customers,
Spring in Northwestern Pennsylvania is a gift from God! Every year it reminds us that we’ve survived another Winter and Summer is mere weeks away. Sure, we can still get nasty weather even late in April, as we have the past couple of years, but we can also have balmy, sunshiny days that warm the soul -along with our mood.
There are fresh leeks everywhere appearing in foods, dips, sausage and even scrambled eggs – the way my mother liked them! More and more people are firing up the gas, charcoal or pellet grills and moving the kitchen to the back porch. As a kid, our family often packed up a picnic when dad got home from the little grocery store on Main Street, and headed up to Prospect Hill for a cookout. In those days, there wasn’t a “POSTED” sign on every tree and fencepost, so we often just pulled off the dirt road into a meadow and spread our blanket!
Invariably, when the hamburgers and hotdogs were done and the old camp coffeepot was perking on the edge of the portable grill, Dad would offer to no one in particular the age-old question, “why does everything taste better cooked outdoors?”
That goes for vegetables as well. Ever eat an ear of corn on the cob patiently caramelized over a campfire? It’s exquisite! Side dishes can be cooked on the grill with equal success. We have a recipe at our house that is very popular. GRILLED SWEET PEPPERS
| 2lbs sweet mini peppers in bag | 3 cloves garlic, minced |
| ¼ cup X-Virgin olive oil | 2 tbs balsamic vinegar |
| 1 teaspoon coarse ground salt | ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper |
| ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese |
Those little bags of assorted color peppers work great for this recipe! First core and seed the peppers, then slice in half. (in quarters if using regular size peppers). Place into a large resealable bag. In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, vinegar, salt & pepper – mix well.
Pour this mixture into the bag over the pepper chunks then reseal and shake to distribute sauce. Pre-heat the grill and place the peppers smooth side down on the grill. (NOTE: we’ve been using one of those metal pans with holes in it and covering the bottom and sides with aluminum foil rather than directly on the grill). Turn the peppers occasionally until lightly charred on both sides.
Sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese and cook until cheese softens and begins to melt. Serve hot!