Fresh Recipes for Your Next Family BBQ
With more time spent at home, now is the perfect time to seize the everyday by trying fun spins on made-at-home meals and kicking back with those closest to you in your own space. From tasty family-ready meals to the best way to clean and care for your grill, Canadian Tire and Yahoo Canada are proud to help Canadians get there by bringing you everything you need for the season.
When it comes to creating easy and healthy meals that the whole family will love, summer is the perfect time of year to experiment with some of the freshest ingredients. Whether you’re attempting a new recipe on the grill or would rather keep things cool with frozen treats, we can all use a little extra inspiration for tasty new recipes this season.
And with more time spent at home, it’s a great time to rediscover old favourites or trial fun and interesting recipes with your family.
As the host of her own TV show “Mary’s Kitchen Crush,” author of best-selling cookbook Kitchen Party: Effortless Recipes for Every Occasion and the Season 3 winner of CTV’s MasterChef Canada, chef Mary Berg knows a thing or two about creating delicious and family-friendly recipes.
Her signature style reimagined culinary classics while maintaining the original heart of the dish, which makes her a natural choice for sharing some of her top recipe picks of the summer.
“Who doesn’t love summer? It’s the season for fresh fruits and vegetables, backyard BBQs, bright and bold flavours, and fun family meals that are somehow both more casual and more celebratory all at the same time,” Berg said.
“For me, summer meals are best enjoyed outside at a picnic, on your deck, or in your own backyard,” she added. “Even in these uncertain times, getting outside is one of the most perfect ways to enjoy our beautiful, often-too-short Canadian summers.”
Here are her expert tips on how to freshen up your backyard BBQ this season.
Update The Classics
When it comes to seasonal cooking, feel free to experiment with bold flavours and unexpected pairings to elevate your tried and true summertime favourites.
“Anything and everything that can be cooked on the grill is, like my citrus-marinated chicken -- and dinner hour tends to always fall just around sunset,” Berg said.
“Whether we are able to spend our warm summer days with our immediate family or if small casual gatherings start to become the norm again, celebrating everything Canadian summers have to offer with simple and delicious recipes will always be on the menu.”
Roasted or grilled on your favourite outdoor barbecue, Mary’s Citrus Marinated Chicken recipe (courtesy of Mary's Kitchen Crush) is also an unexpectedly tasty way to bring the flavours of the season home. With a blend of onions, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice, it’s a flavourful dish that will leave the whole family wanting more.
Pair it with a summery side like Berg’s Apple Cabbage Slaw - a quick and delicious recipe that’s the perfect combination of sweet and savoury. Enjoy dining outdoors and bring an extra festive touch to your decor by plating on colourful dishware, like this cheery For Living set.
Refresh Your Drink
Classic lemonade gets a zesty upgrade with the addition of gin and Thai chillies in Mary’s Chilli Cucumber Lemonade, which can be found in her cookbook “Kitchen Party”. It’s as refreshing as it is beautiful when displayed in a generous pitcher like this one from Libbey. If you’re looking to keep things kid-friendly, simply omit the gin and tone down the amount of chilies for an equally satisfying summer drink.
Save Room For Dessert
When it comes to summertime meals, dessert is another fantastic opportunity to embrace fresh and seasonal ingredients.
“In my kitchen, the sweet aroma of fruits just seem to reach out to me, begging to be baked into a beautiful and easy free-form galette,” Berg shared.
Fruity flavours of the season come together in Mary’s Strawberry Rhubarb Galette recipe (courtesy of Mary's Kitchen Crush), which can be topped with whipped cream or ice cream for extra indulgence. A food processor like this KitchenAid version takes the work out of kneading dough for the crust, and helps create a flaky texture that pairs beautifully with the strawberry and rhubarb filling.
Canadian Tire and Yahoo Canada are helping Canadians seize the everyday this summer, with tips, tricks and everything you need for the season. Click here for more!
Excerpted from Kitchen Party by Mary Berg. Copyright © 2019 Mary Berg. Photography by Lauren Vandenbrook. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
