(ARA) - Summer is meant to be spent outside and what’s better than fast and delicious dishes for the backyard grill? Whether you’re planning a graduation party, family get together or a weekend with friends, there’s nothing like the ease of an outdoor barbecue to celebrate the arrival of summer. From wings and coleslaw to fresh salsas and grilled chicken breasts, these recipes offer delicious solutions to the question, “what are we eating?”

“Wings are a perfect summer barbecue food,” says Chef Joseph Shilling, director of culinary arts for The Art Institute of New York City, part of The Art Institutes system of schools. “They’re easy to transport and small enough to hold in your hand and eat without a fork and knife,” he adds.

Another summer favorite at picnics is coleslaw. Don’t be afraid of making your own slaw, advises Shilling. “It’s so easy to make and better than anything you’ll buy.”

If you want to try something different on your grilled chicken breast, try grape salsa as a fun alternative. “Grape salsa goes wonderfully with any grilled meat. It adds an amazing texture and flavor to chicken and fish that you don’t have with a tomato-based salsa,” said Chef John Harrison, The Art Institute of Washington.

The chef instructors of The Art Institutes have put together a sampling of delicious summer meal ideas that are surprising, flavorful and easy, and best of all, will help kick-start your summer fun. So fire up the grill, grab a bag of chips and a tasty dip, some ice-cold beer and don’t forget the napkins!

Grape Salsa
Chef John Harrison, The Art Institute of Washington

1 1/2 pounds green or red or mix seedless grapes
1 1/2 ounces lime juice
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash and remove stems from the grapes. Cut each grape in half or thirds. Combine with remaining ingredients and allow flavors to blend for several hours or overnight. This salsa goes well with grilled turkey or chicken breasts, grilled fish such as salmon or grouper and roasted or grilled pork.

Hot Wings
Chef Joseph Shilling, The Art Institute of New York City

4 pounds chicken wings
1 cup hot sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 pound butter, cut in pieces

Toss the chicken wings in hot sauce and honey. Bake the chicken wings in a 375-degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes or grill over medium heat. Toss cooked wings in a bowl with the butter. Eat immediately.

This recipe can be made ahead. The wings can be re-heated when needed. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Barbecued Wings
Chef Joseph Shilling, The Art Institute of New York City

4 pounds chicken wings
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix the ingredients for the barbecue sauce in a bowl. Marinate the chicken wings for two hours in the barbecue sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or grill over medium heat.

This barbecue sauce is also great on steak, shrimp and burgers.

Fresh Tomato Salsa
Chef Joseph Shilling, The Art Institute of New York City

8 red plum tomatoes, chopped small
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 onion, chopped fine
Juice of 2 limes
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine the above ingredients for a lively salsa that is great with tortilla chips. It can be served hot or at room temperature.

Creamy Southern Coleslaw
Chef Joseph Shilling, The Art Institute of New York City

8 ounces mayonnaise
16 ounces green cabbage, shredded
4 ounces carrots, shredded
4 ounces raisins
3 1/2 fluid ounces lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 ounce sugar
Salt to taste
Black pepper, ground, to taste

Combine all the ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Smoked Pork Tenderloin
By Chef Joseph F. Costa, CEC, The Art Institute of Atlanta

2 to 3 pounds pork tenderloin
8 ounces water
1 ounce rice wine vinegar
4 ounces soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 3/4 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup juniper berries (optional)
Whole white peppercorns to taste
1 dash crushed red pepper

Clean tenderloins and set in bowl in refrigerator.

To make brine, combine remaining ingredients in a small pan and bring to a simmer, turn down heat and let steep for 8 minutes. Allow brine to cool to room temperature (this process may be aided by refrigerating), cover tenderloins and let marinate for 4 hours.

Cook in smoker until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Tenderloins may be grilled in the absence of a smoker.

Slice 1/4-inch thick and serve with ginger orange BBQ sauce,

Ginger Orange BBQ Sauce
By Chef Joseph F. Costa, CEC, The Art Institute of Atlanta

6 ounces rice wine vinegar
12 ounces orange marmalade
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 ounces mirin
1 tablespoon cracked or whole black pepper
3 ounces Dijon mustard

Combine marmalade, ginger, mirin, garlic and cracked black pepper in a pan and bring to a simmer. Strain into a stainless steel bowl and whisk in Dijon mustard.

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NOTE: The Art Institutes system of 24 educational institutions is located nationwide, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. The Art Institutes system of schools has provided career-oriented education programs for 40 years with more than 125,000 graduates. For more information visit The Art Institutes website at www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

The grill is on, the stars are out and entertaining is about to move outdoors. This summer, make your outdoor space an extension of your living room by creating an inviting setting to entertain family and friends.

David Sherman, an interior design instructor with The Art Institute of California — San Francisco, suggests that for a successful party, guests should be comfortable, “inside and outdoors.” Sherman says by using various types of lighting, you can create moods, as well as keep your guests moving freely — and safely — around the party. When Sherman entertains, he likes to suspend paper and metal accordion lanterns from trees or porch eaves, use old lanterns from flea markets or antique stores to hold candles, and light large citronella torches that can be stuck in the ground for light and also repel bugs

He also recommends putting a votive tree in the ground, in a pot, or in the hole of an umbrella table to create an outdoor chandelier of lights. Glass or mosaic hurricane lamps add a soft glow, says Sherman, and also protect candles from the wind.

In cold weather states like Minnesota, “Outdoor lighting is all about fire,” says Dan Noyes, Interior Design Department chair at The Art Institutes International Minnesota. “With the advent of the many tiki torch designs out there, one can readily and inexpensively create the outdoor room with a perimeter of fire. The upside is not only a definition of space but a controlled bug-less zone if one uses citronella in the torches. Fire pits are another great way to add ambient light while creating a focal point to gather around.” he says.

Now that the lighting is set, what about the food? First, start with a very clean grill says William Niemer, chef director, also from The Art Institutes International Minnesota. “Make sure you remove all of the cooked on meat and carbon. The importance of this is two-fold; a clean grill will help to make sure none of your food sticks to the grill and you can make those great grill marks. Second, you don’t want any off flavors from the carbon build-up on the grill rack,” says Chef Niemer.

When you cook a large piece of meat, says the chef, use an indirect cooking method in which you place the coals on either side of the grill. Place the meat in the center of the grill, not directly over the coals. This will provide even cooking and no burning meat

For city entertaining, whether it’s on a rooftop, or in a small backyard garden, Chef Mark Hellermann of The Art Institute of New York City likes to make grilled focaccia. “I like to make the dough a day ahead and have it in the fridge overnight because it’s easier to handle when it’s cold,” says Chef Hellermann. He makes up a few irregular pieces to rise slowly for a few hours in the afternoon. When his friends arrive, Hellermann has a slow fire going on the grill — often with some bits of grapevine to add some smoke. “I toss on the focaccia, cover the grill, and flip it with tongs when it gets dark, golden brown. Finally, I turn out the pieces onto a small cutting board, and serve everybody, usually with a delicious southern Italian white or a Gavi di Gavi,” he says.

Entertaining experts recommend setting up food and drink stations in two distinct areas. That way, guests will move around more and not congregate next to one or the other in a big group. Tin washtubs, available at most home centers, make great containers for beer and soft drinks. Offer a selection of white or red wine, or consider serving a white or red sangria to make use of delicious summer fruits. If you decide to serve mix drinks, keep it simple by selecting one or two “specialty” drinks, like martinis or margaritas.

Remember when you entertain guests, don’t try out fancy new recipes that keep you in the kitchen — or at the grill — for hours. Keep it easy and casual, and serve your friends and family what you like to eat, because chances are, they’ll enjoy it as well.

Griller Salmon on a Bed of Roasted Peppers with Balsamic Vinegar Sauce
Recipe from Chef Bill Niemer, The Art Institutes International Minnesota

10 Portions

3 2/3 pound salmon filet
Salt and pepper as needed
Vegetable oil as needed
1. Cut the salmon into 10 equal portions steaks, 5 to 6 ounces. Season them with salt and pepper. Brush with the oil. Allow any excess to drain away before placing on grill.

2. Place the salmon presentation side down on the grill. Grill undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Turn the salmon a quarter turn during grilling to achieve grill marks. Turn the salmon over and complete cooking, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

3. Serve the salmon with the balsamic vinegar and pepper sauce.

Roasted Peppers and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

8 fluid ounces balsamic vinegar
8 fluid ounces fish stock
2 ounces chopped tomatoes
1 ounce chopped herbs such as thyme or tarragon
1 tablespoon arrowroot mixed with a small amount of water
2 ounces mushrooms
3 ounces roasted green pepper julienne
3 ounces roasted red pepper julienne
3 ounces roasted yellow pepper julienne

Combine the vinegar, stock, tomatoes and herbs. Bring the mixture to a simmer and thicken it lightly with arrowroot mixture. Add the mushrooms to the sauce. Add the peppers and simmer the sauce to 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust with salt and pepper.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Carmelized Garlic Sauce

20 double rib lamb chops, 3 ounces each
Salt and pepper as needed
Olive oil, garlic

1. Season the chops with salt and pepper and brush with the oil.

2. Place the lamb presentation side down first on the grill. Grill for 3 minutes then give each chop a 90-degree turn to make the presentation marks.

3. Turn the lamb chops over and complete cooking until desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

4. Serve the chops with the caramelized garlic sauce.

Carmelized Garlic Sauce

4 ounces whole garlic gloves peeled
2 ounces butter or oil
1 pint beef broth
1 ounce basil cut into long, thin strips
8 ounces chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper as needed
2 ounces whole butter diced
1. Blanch the garlic cloves in salted water, shock and peel them.
2. Sauté the blanched garlic cloves in the butter until they are lightly browned.
3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until it thickens.
4. Add the broth and any juice from the sautéed garlic. Reduce the mixture a little bit more.
5. Add the basil and tomato. Adjust the seasoning. At service time add the diced butter.

Focaccia
by Mark Hellermann CCE, CHE

Sponge Method

8 ounces water
1/2 ounce fresh yeast (1/4 ounce dry yeast)
8 ounces bread flour

Mix the above and allow to ferment for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature.

Add to this sponge:

6 ounces (3/4 cup) water
1 pound bread flour (more or less, keep the dough rather moist)
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes and then allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
Knead in 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) salt and 1/2 tablespoon coarsely chopped rosemary

Retard the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Four hours before you want to grill the focaccia form it into 6 or 8 small rounds, flatten and stretch the dough with oiled hands. Oil the dough well with extra virgin olive oil. Allow the dough to rise for 3 to 4 hours, covered, on a well-oiled sheet pan. When the fire is low but moderately intense, place the pieces of dough on the well oiled grill; cover and then turn when dark brown.

Barbecued Salmon Fillet with Cucumber Salad
From Chef Joseph Shilling, Dean of Education, The Art Institute of New York City

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 7-ounce salmon fillets
1 cup barbecue sauce (recipe below)*
1 seedless cucumber, cut into 1/2 moons
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

For Barbecue Sauce:

1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Blend ingredients together. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Cool. Use as needed.

Coat the salmon in the barbecue sauce. Allow to marinate for 2 hours. Toss the cucumber, red onion, dill, sugar, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated.

On a medium hot grill, cook the salmon on one side for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn salmon and finish for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. If desired, baste with additional sauce.

Chefs note: Great with a cold, crisp Chardonnay.

Recipe appears in Philadelphia Flavor 2, Small Potatoes Press, 2004

The Art Institutes www.artinstitutes.edu with 30 education institutions located throughout North America, provide an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. The Art Institutes have provided career-oriented education programs for 40 years, with more than 140,000 graduates.

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This is another one of my favorite bbq sauces because it’s a sauce that is great for bbq competitions. You see, most people prefer a sweet barbecue sauce and competition judges are people too! When we first started cooking ribs for competition, this was one of the recipes we developed. You can substitute your favorite bourbon for the Wild Turkey. This sauce gives the ribs a real nice color… and the taste ain’t bad neither! This sauce is excellent to use with the professional rib cooking techniques found in our book, “Competition BBQ Secrets”…

Chatham Artillery BBQ Team’s Bourbon Barbecue Sauce:

1/4 cup Wild Turkey Bourbon
2 cups ketchup
1 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Pineapple juice
3 teaspoon Molasses
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1 teaspoon Salt

Mix all ingredients and simmer on stove until sauce thickens.

Imagine that you are a bbq competition judge… tasting the same old bbq sauces over and over again. The first thing the judges do is look at your ribs and give it a presentation score. Then they pick up a rib and tug on it to see how tender it is. Your rib meat should pull clean from the bone, but not fall off the bone. After that, they take a small bite and taste your ribs. Now what do you think will score higher… the same old sauce that they already tasted 100 times that morning, or something new that dances on their tongue and surprises them with a unique flavor that they have never tasted before?

Well… I think you know which of the bbq sauces the judge will score higher - the unique one. The Wild Turkey sauce with apple cider and pineapple flavors. Your family and friends will love a unique sauce recipe too. KC Masterpiece is a great sauce, but don’t you think they have all tasted that before? Give them what they want… a sauce with a bold, unique flavor.

Is there such a thing as low carb bbq sauce recipes? The answer is yes! You can enjoy all that barbequing has to offer with several different low carb barbecue recipes.

The main item in BBQ sauce that causes the high carb levels is of course sugar, so you should look for recipes that do not have any sugar or substitute the sugar with a substitute like Splenda. You can make your sauces sweet if you like, but not all barbeque sauces have to sweet to be delectable.

Try this one on. You will need:

1 minced onion,
1 small can of tomato sauce,
2 cups of water,
¼ cup of apple cider vinegar (one with no sugar),
¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, paprika,
chili powder,
cinnamon,
cloves,
salt and pepper all to taste.

Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes. All done and you have a low carb barbeque sauce that everyone at your dinner party is sure to love.Of course you can adjust if you are serving seafood, beef, pork, chicken or plain hamburgers.

For any barbacue sauce you will need some type of tomato product such as tomato sauce, ketchup, or a combination of tomato puree and tomatoes. Then all the other ingredients are pretty much taste.

You can add onions, green pepper, red pepper, jalapeno peppers, orange juice, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or anything else to enhance the flavor and aroma of your barbeque sauce. But, to keep it low in carbs stay away from sugar or any items that have sugar added. Some ketchup’s have sugar added, so be sure to read the label before you purchase the items to prepare your BBQ sauce.

Enjoy your low carb cookout!

If you are seeking a very unique flavored bbq sauce for your next barbeque then you must try bourbon bbq sauce. This is a very unique sauce that only you will know the secret ingredient.

The most popular bourbon bbq sauce needs the following items to prepare, ½ to ¾ cup of your favorite bourbon, ½ cup of chopped onions, 4 minced garlic gloves, 2 cups of ketchup, 1/3 cup of white vinegar, 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup of brown sugar, ¾ cup of molasses, ¼ cup of tomato paste, a small amount of liquid smoke, salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a tad of Tabasco sauce if you prefer a hotter sauce. You place the onion, garlic and bourbon in large saucepan and sauté until the onions are transparent. This will usually take about 10 minutes. Then you just add all the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened about 20 minutes.

The recipe above can be changed by adding or substituting spices that you prefer to use. You can add a small can of tomatoes, green peppers, or other peppers, soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce, and you can delete the liquid smoke.

Try some of your other favorite bbq sauce recipes and replace the called for liquid with bourbon. This will give even the dullest recipe a new and tangy flavor. Or just to create your own recipe. You already know the basics and what spices you like to use. Just sauté the onions in bourbon and then add the tomato sauce and the rest of your favorite items and flavorings to create a brand new bourbon bbq sauce.

You can even find a few bourbon barbeque sauce recipes online on a variety of websites that offer recipes from famous chefs and others that are willing to share their secrets.

What makes great homemade BBQ sauce recipes? Well, it could be the time and love that you put into making this delectable barbeque sauce for your family to enjoy, or it could be the fresh ingredients that you use.

The barbecue that you create is what make your meals so tasty and wonderful. The main ingredients in all barbeque sauces are either tomato sauce or a combination of tomato puree and tomatoes. Knowing this you should be able to create some of your own recipes that will be enjoyed and passed down through your family.

The easiest BBQ sauce can be prepared very quickly. You will need 2 cups of your favorite ketchup, 2 chopped onions, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup of brown sugar, and chili powder to taste. Sautee the onions and then add the remainder of the ingredients. Cook on low heat for around 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. Then brush on your favorite meat.

You can also add or substitute the above ingredients to create some very unique barbeque sauces on your own. You may prefer to add items such as peppers for a nice flavor or even Tabasco sauce for a hotter style.

Now, you can choose your flavorings and spices to add to the tomato sauce. You can use tomato sauce or tomato puree with a whole tomatoes. Try pineapple juice or orange juice for a tropical flavor or add liquid smoke flavoring for that outdoors flavor. You can even use molasses or your favorite pancake syrup to enhance the style of your bbq sauce. Don’t just think simple, try the various flavors such as maple or butter pecan to add a new and unique flavor. Either way you are sure to find a delectable recipe that you cook-out party will love.

Hans is author of http://www.steaks-guide.com/ and the barbeque and grill section of http://www.patio-furniture-ideas.com/