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June 1, 2012
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Vol. IV, No. 11
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One of the foundations of the Mediterranean Diet is enjoying meals with family and friends. What better way to create a focus on your food than cooking it outdoors while your guests sit nearby and enjoy appetizers and conversation?
There are dozens of ways to borrow from the traditions of the Mediterranean, where grilling meats, chicken, seafood, and vegetables have long been part of traditional get togethers. Here are a few ideas for your next cookout.
Put on a Pizza
Pizza takes on fabulous flavor when cooked on the grill. Watch it carefully to prevent burning.
- Brush both the grill grate and the pizza with a little olive oil to prevent sticking and promote even browning.
- Cook the pizza crust for just a minute or two, flip with tongs, add the toppings of your choice, cover, and cook for another few minutes.
- Slide the cooked pizza onto a cutting board to slice it.
- See Tips For Grilling Pizza.
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Look Back to Mediterranean Month
May has come and gone, but you can find lots of great recipes and ideas from our
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| Make Kebabs
Easy and versatile, kebabs are an ideal way to accommodate different dietary styles. They're also a great vehicle for serving everyone plenty of vegetables.
- Keep round bamboo skewers, about 10 inches long, on hand. Soak them for about 30 minutes before threading on the food, so they'll be less likely to burn. Or, invest in stainless steel skewers with nice sharp points, which make threading a snap and can be reused for years.
- Thread small cubes of lean beef or shrimp and a mixture of vegetables - bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes on some, make some kebabs all vegetables.
- To make sure all the foods cook evenly, dedicate several skewers to zucchini, for example, several to the cherry tomatoes, and several to shrimp. When each food is done, use a fork to push them off each skewer onto a serving platter.
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Grilled Hummus, Ricotta 
and Herb Pizza
The combination of hummus, ricotta, olives, and fresh rosemary give this quick and easy pizza a decidedly Mediterranean flavor. Many different kinds of olives can be used to change up the flavor. Experiment with other fresh herbs or greens such as baby spinach or baby kale instead of or in addition to the basil.
Photo: Linsay Olives
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Roasted Vegetable Kebabs 
Grilled vegetables are easy to cook, delicious, and economical. A sprinkling of herbs or spices helps bring out their sweetness. Experiment with various seasoning blends to mix up the flavor. And remember to soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes before you use them so they won't burn.
Photo: iStockphoto
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Fruit Kebabs for Dessert 
Here's a quick and easy way to serve up a healthy dessert for a large gang of any age. No recipe needed! Thread green and red grapes, sliced strawberries, kiwi quarters, orange segments, and cantaloupe or mango and pineapple chunks onto skewers. Mound the skewers on a platter. Serve any flavor of Greek yogurt on the side, for dunking.
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Fresh Fridays is a bi-weekly celebration of Mediterranean eating and living. We hope our Friday recipes will remind you just how easy and delicious eating the Mediterranean way can be.
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International Horseradish Festival
Woodland Park
Collinsville, Illinois
June 1-3
Native to the Mediterranean, this pungent mustard family root is grated and mixed with vinegar and other ingredients to make a wonderfully tangy condiment. The festival celebrates the many ways to use it, including recipe contests for pros and for amateurs.
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 My Pizza
by Jim Lahey The accomplished baker who put New York's Sullivan Street Bakery on the map offers easy-to-follow instructions for making delicious pizza, crowned with glorious toppings. And yes, you can make pizza in your kitchen, too. |
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