Recipe(tried): BBQ Menu Ideas.. Melon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing, Yvonne's Macaroni Salad, Pecan Squares, Lemon Bars

MELON, CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

1 honeydew melon
1 lb. fresh tomatoes
1 cucumber

MINT DRESSING:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons salad oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped chives
2 teaspoons chopped mint
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut melon into 1-inch cubes or make melon balls with a melon baller. Place melon in a large bowl. To peel tomatoes, bring a pan of water to a boil. Dip each tomato into the boiling water, count to 8 and remove. This allows you to slip the skin off the tomato almost effortlessly. Repeat with remaining tomatoes. Quarter the tomatoes and remove and discard seed and juice. Cut wedges in half again. Add to melon. Peel cucumber. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Combine with the melon and tomatoes. Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process or blend until combined. Pour over salad and toss gently to distribute dressing evenly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving. Mixture should be icy cold. Serves 8.

Yvonne's Macaroni Salad

1 lb macaroni (spiral) cooked
2 cups Hellman's Mayo ( it has to be Hellman's)
!/2 cup sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup celery
4 carrots, grated
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all together. Keeps for 2 weeks in refrigerator.

PECAN SQUARES

CRUST:
1 1/4 lbs. unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3 extra-lg. eggs
3/4 t. vanilla extract
4 1/2 cps. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

TOPPING
1 lb. unsalted butter
1 c. honey
3 cps. light brown sugar, packed
1 t. grated lemon zest
1 t. grated orange zest
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 lbs. pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350*. For crust, beat butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer until light, about 3 mins. Add the eggs, vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry ingreds. into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18X12X1" baking sheet. Make an edge around the outside. Will be very sticky so sprinkle the dough and your hands with flour. Bake for 15 mins. Crust should be set but not brown. Cool.

For the topping, combine butter, honey, brown sugar and zests in lg., heavy bottom saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter melts, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise heat and boil for 3 mins. Remove from heat. Stir in cream and pecans. Pour over crust. Try not to get filling between crust and pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 mins, until filling set. Remove from oven and cool. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars. Makes about 20 bars. Enjoy!!

Lemon Bars
From: Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Parties

My good friend and neighbor alerted me to these saying, "these are a little different from the other dozens of lemon bar recipes, I've tried" They are fabulous!

Lemon Bars

For the crust
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temp.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

For the filling
6 extra-large eggs at room temp.
3 cups granulated sugar
2 TBSP. grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish, building up a 1/2 inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 min., until very lightly browned. Let cool on wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the filling is set. Let cool to room temp.