Grilled Plum and Nectarine Salad

When I was growing up, my grandmother had a wooden bowl of plums and nectarines on the kitchen table every day in the summer.  The breeze would blow through the screen door in late afternoon and carry with it the smell of fresh ripe fruit that would permeate the house with its sweetness, heavenly!  

This salad is the perfect way to usher in Fall and use the last of the seasonal fruit.  It's a good light lunch on its own, or as a first course with grilled chicken or roasted pork.  And do I even need to tell you it's a natural pairing with a chilled glass of bubbly prosecco?  It is, just in case you’re wondering  :)

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Serves 4

(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

3 nectarines, halved and pitted (you can also use peaches or apricots)

4 plums, halved and pitted

1 ball fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces with your hands

1 container baby arugula

prosciutto di parma, torn into pieces 

balsamic glaze

olive oil

fresh lemon juice (maybe 1/2 of a lemon)

salt/pepper

pinch of brown sugar 

grill or grill pan

Brush cut sides of fruit with a very little bit of olive oil.  Grill on both sides until nice char marks form. Remove and sprinkle cut sides of fruit with a pinch of brown sugar.  If the halves are too big, cut into quarters.  Set aside and let cool for approx. 10 minutes.

Place arugula in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, mix together.  Season with fresh salt and pepper.  Lay out on platter.

On top of arugula, place fruit, mozzarella, and pieces of prosciutto.

Drizzle all with balsamic glaze and serve immediately.

BBQ Sundae

                         

All your favorite barbecue foods in one place...on one fork...in every bite.  Heaven!  Creamy macaroni and cheese, tangy baked beans, spice-rubbed pulled pork, and vinegary coleslaw, piled on top of each other, and topped off with a dill pickle! 

The pork cooks itself in the crockpot, and you can buy the rest.  I serve mine in small mason jars, but if you're having a few friends over for Labor Day Weekend, you can assemble them in clear plastic cups and your guests can just throw them away when they're done--EASY!

Barbecue, cold beer, your closest friends, and no dishes to wash...it really doesn't get any better than this :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

your favorite macaroni and cheese

your favorite baked beans

your favorite coleslaw
your favorite barbecue sauce

small dill pickles

corn muffins or Texas Toast

For pulled pork:
crock pot
1 5-6 pound pork butt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard 
2 small onions, peeled and quartered

Put onions in bottom of crockpot.

Mix brown sugar, both paprikas, salt and pepper, and rub all over pork roast with your hands.  Place roast in crock pot on top of onions.

This is a Western Carolina sauce so it's a vinegar base, not a tomatoey one.
In large measuring cup, mix: vinegar, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Stir well and pour approx. 1/3 - 1/2 of the mixture over the roast.  Save remaining sauce for later.  Cover and cook on low approx.  8-10 hours.

When pork is fork tender, remove to large pan and shred with 2 forks.  Add some more sauce to it and mix.

Cook macaroni and cheese and baked beans.  Get coleslaw ready and put out with the pulled pork.  Layer your sundae like this:  macaroni and cheese on the bottom, baked beans, pulled pork, some barbecue sauce if you think it needs it, top with coleslaw and a pickle.

Serve with corn muffins or Texas Toast.

barbecue heaven