Watermelon margaritas - pass the glass
A 4th of July Feast!!!
Here in Far Nor Cal the 4th of July holiday is a time for friends and family to gather! The long days, hot and sunny, the smell of the grill firing up, the table set with festive décor and of course the food! So gather your friends and family around the picnic table … set up the pool … get those fireworks ready and celebrate with these delicious cana-recipies!
Just Juicy BBQ Chicken
Be sure to follow the brining and cooking directions just as listed. This is what makes the chicken so juicy.
Preparation
Brine
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife (I just use minced garlic in a jar)
4 sprigs fresh thyme (I use about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves)
1 teaspoon cannabis keef
6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each
The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin canna-olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
Freshly ground black pepper
For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, thyme and keef. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag (I put mine in a very large plastic bowl with a lid). Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you’ve only got 15 minutes, that’s fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of canna- in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving alongside the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of canna-oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.
Lemon and Herb Marinated Tomatoes and Onions
Ingredients
3 tomatoes cut into 6 wedges (about 1 pound)
1 yellow onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon extra virgin canna-olive
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried savory
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
Preparation
Place the tomato wedges and onions in a medium bowl.
Combine lemon juice and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Pour dressing over tomatoes and onions; toss gently to coat. Let stand 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.
Canna-Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
3 cups shredded cabbage
3 cups diced Granny Smith apple
6 tablespoons raisins
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon tincture
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine yogurt and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over cabbage mixture; toss well. Cover and chill 2 hours.
Shoestring Sweet Potatoes
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons vegetable canna-oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch strips (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat; let cool.
Combine juice mixture and potatoes in a large bowl; toss well. Remove potatoes from bowl; discard juice mixture. Arrange potato strips in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until edges are crisp.
Watermelon Margaritas (that just can’t be beat!)
2 cups diced seeded watermelon, frozen
3/4 cup tequila
1/3 cup triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
1 tablespoon tincture
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups crushed ice
Granulated sugar (optional)
Lime slices (optional)
Orange slices (optional)
Preparation
Place frozen watermelon, tequila, triple sec, tincture, sugar, and lime juice in a blender; process until smooth. Add ice; process until smooth. Serve in glasses rimmed with sugar, and garnish with lime and orange slices, if desired.
Pot-ato Salad
Ingredients
2 pounds small all-purpose white or red potatoes
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon canna-oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained
3 hard-cooked large eggs, chopped
3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Cool and peel. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with vinegar and canna-oil. Add celery, onion, pickle relish, and eggs; toss gently.
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over potato mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours.
Grilled Banana Splits
Preparation
4 bananas (unpeeled)
2 tablespoons melted canna-butter
4 tablespoons sugar
4 ounces chocolate semisweet chocolate
Ice cream
Whipped cream (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)
Cherry (optional)
Cut a small piece off the curved side of 4 unpeeled bananas so they’ll sit level, then make a deep slit down the center of each through the peel; place on separate sheets of foil. Open the slits and brush the inside of each banana with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar and 1 ounce chopped semisweet chocolate; fold up the foil. Grill the packets over high heat until the chocolate melts, 6 to 8 minutes (don’t worry if the peel turns brown). Open the peels and top the bananas with ice cream, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry.
Originally published in Weed World Magazine Issue 99
