Grazing with Gary: Cool recipes as summer heats up

Hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend and are now ready for summer. This week, we kick off summer recipes as we move to cooler ways to cook and not heat the house. We start with easy air fryer French fries. No need to fill a pot with oil and burn yourself or heat up the oven for a few frozen potatoes. Fresh fries are a great way to start your summer meals. Second, nothing says summer like kabobs. Our simple recipe makes kabob-making fun, and the entire family will love the finished product. Last, how can you not love a cast-iron pizza? Stay at home and make this easy semi-homemade dish. Many supermarkets sell pizza dough or stop by our local pizza places and buy a ball of dough. Hope you all have a great week and keep it cool this summer. Happy Cooking!!! Air Fryer French fries Ingredients 1 lb. potatoes, about 3-4 medium, sliced into ¼ slices and then into sticks. 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil ½ tsp. (2 mL) salt or seasoning salt, divided Directions 1. Toss the potatoes with oil and ¼ tsp of the salt in a medium bowl. Add to the air fryer basket. 2. Cook in the air fryer on CUSTOM for 10 minutes at 325°F. 3. When the time is up, cook on AIR FRY for 18 minutes. Cook until the fries are brown and crisp, adding more time, if needed. 4. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. Steak & Potato Kabobs Ingredients Vegetable oil, for the grill 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 1 1/2- inch cubes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1- to-2-inch pieces 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons steak sauce Pinch of red pepper flakes Directions Preheat a grill to medium high and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Put the potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave until just tender, about 5 minutes. Toss the beef with the olive oil in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Thread the beef, potatoes and asparagus onto eight 10-inch skewers. Combine the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, the Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Grill the kabobs, turning occasionally, until marked, about 6 minutes for medium rare. Serve with the sauce. Cast-iron Grilled Pizza Ingredients 1 rotisserie chicken EVOO or vegetable oil 1 red onion 3 to 4 cloves garlic Salt and pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, Lea and Perrins preferred brand 1 tablespoon (scant palm full) smoked sweet paprika 1 tablespoon ground mustard 1 pound ball dough from market or your favorite pizza parlor AP flour, for dusting About 1 tablespoon cornmeal Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes 1 cup each shredded mozzarella cheese AND shredded yellow cheddar cheese About 2 tablespoons acacia honey 2 tablespoon hot sauce Cilantro leaves Scallions, sliced Sliced fresh jalapeno peppers Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 525 to 550 degrees F, as high as it goes, with rack at center. Preheat a cast-iron skillet, 12 inches, over medium to medium-high heat (to aid in a crispy bottom crust while pizza is in oven). 2. Remove skin from chicken, remove meat from bones and pull meat into bite-size pieces. Dice onion, grate or mince garlic. 3. Preheat a second cast-iron or other skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, 2 turns of the pan, then add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and soften a few minutes. Add stock and let it finish cooking the onions by absorbing into them. Add ketchup, sugar, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire, paprika and mustard. Add chicken to sauce, turn in sauce and remove from heat. 4. Roll and stretch dough on lightly floured surface into 12- to 14-inch even round that will cover pan. Turn off heat under skillet, sprinkle a little cornmeal in skillet and press dough into hot skillet and up sides as much as possible. Reminder: The pan is hot. Brush the dough with EVOO and season with a little salt and pepper or red pepper flakes. Top the dough with chicken and sauce and top with the cheeses. Place in oven. Bake the pizza 10 to 12 minutes to deep golden brown and bubbly. 5. Combine honey, splash of water and hot sauce in small pot or skillet and heat over low heat. 6. Drizzle or brush the pizza with the honey mixture and top with scallions, cilantro and jalapeno.