Here at Grandparentslink, we love to share some of our personal recipes that are favorites in our homes; you could say they’ve received the family five-star rating! The recipes are especially great if you are looking to host a beach BBQ picnic. Pre-make at home and throw in a cooler or basket and head down to the beach and enjoy! 

These are great summer pleasers for sure. Let us know which ones are your favorites!

 
Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh
Ingredients
1 ½ cups Israeli couscous
1 small shallot, finely chopped
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 seedless cucumber, unpeeled, finely chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
pinch of kosher salt, pinch of ground black pepper
Directions
Cook couscous according to package directions, rinse with cold water and drain well. Whisk shallot, oil and 2 tbsp. lemon juice in a large bowl. Add couscous, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and mint – season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss and combine.
(Here’s a time saving tip: you can make the Couscous Tabbouleh 1 day ahead – omit the herbs and refrigerate. Fold in the herbs just before serving.) 

 
Grilled Green Beans
If you’re cooking over an actual grill, place a heavy-duty piece of foil over the grates before adding the green beans. This will prevent all the veggies from falling through the cracks. No grill or grill pan? A cast iron skillet works well too! 
Ingredients
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed 
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. chili garlic paste
2 tsp. honey
Pinch red pepper flakes 
Kosher salt 
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish 
Roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, soy sauce, chili garlic paste, honey, and red pepper flakes, then add green beans and toss to coat. Season with salt.
2. Place green beans on grill pan and cook until charred all over, about 7 minutes total.
3. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and peanuts.

 
Garlic-Ginger Shrimp
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated or minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup rice wine or dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1-pound large shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
Cooked brown rice
1 package of Bamboo Skewers for the grill
Directions
Rinse the shrimp off, and pat dry. Meanwhile, whisk and combine all of the first 5 ingredients together – place in a Ziploc bag or sealed container and put the shrimp in there as well. Marinate overnight.
Skewer several of the shrimp and slowly grill until pink.
Serve the shrimp over warm cooked brown rice and enjoy!

 
BEST BLONDIES EVER!
From Grandma Charlotte – (This recipe sits in our family library and is cherished because of all the love our Grandma Charlotte put into it. Watch these bars disappear!)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8inch baking pan.
Combine the flour and soda in a medium bowl, and mix well with a wire whisk.
(Set aside).
2. In a large bowl use an electric mixer to blend the sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla and beat at medium speed until light and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture, pecans, and chocolate chips. Use a wooden spoon to combine the last two ingredients rather than beating.
3. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, and level the top with a rubber spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 – 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack to room temp, and cut into bars.
(You can add variations to this recipe using a ¼ cup sweetened coconut and/or butterscotch chips).