(Family Features) Summertime celebrations with friends, family and neighbors are a perfect way to enjoy the sunshine, warm weather and camaraderie. To satisfy a hungry crowd, though, you’ll need recipes fit for the occasion.

Turn to a versatile signature ingredient like Grapes from California, which can be used in dishes of all kinds from refreshing salads and entrees to flavorful condiments and sweet desserts. Grapes are crisp, juicy and sweet, making them a fantastic addition of flavor and texture for a wide range of recipes. Whether fresh, sauteed, roasted, grilled or even pickled, grapes make it easy to take meals to the next level.

For example, you can start the festivities with grapes as an easy, portable and healthy snack perfect for summer days or use them as a juicy addition to this all-in-one Honey-Lime Quinoa and Grape Salad that’s ideal as a light appetizer or a meal all on its own. Follow it up (or pair it) with a summertime staple – hot dogs – given a sweet-tart twist from pickled grape relish that takes these Sweet and Tangy Pickled Grape Hot Dogs to new heights.

Dessert can’t be much easier than Creamy Vegan Grape Ice Cream as a dairy-free alternative to traditional summer sweets. Oat coffee creamer and pureed grapes are all you need to create this delicious frozen treat. Simply freezing whole grapes also makes for an easy and healthy frozen dessert.

Visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com to discover more summer entertaining inspiration.

Honey-Lime Quinoa and Grape Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus at least 1 hour chill time
Cook time: 22 minutes
Servings: 6 (1 1/3 cups per serving)

Lime Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salad:

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups halved Grapes from California
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
• 1 large firm, ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

1. To make lime vinaigrette: In medium bowl, whisk olive oil, lime juice, honey, sea salt and pepper, to taste.
2. To make salad: In fine mesh strainer, rinse quinoa; drain well. In medium saucepan, bring broth and quinoa to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes then fluff with fork and let cool. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Pour vinaigrette over quinoa; stir well to coat. Add grapes, onion, cilantro and jalapeno pepper; cover and chill at least 1 hour.
4. Lightly stir in avocado and transfer to decorative bowl. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

Notes: Salad may be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead without avocado and peanuts. Add avocado and peanuts just before serving.

Nutritional information per serving: 520 calories; 10 g protein; 52 g carbohydrates; 32 g fat (55% calories from fat); 4 1/2 g saturated fat (8% calories from saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 490 mg sodium; 7 g fiber.

Sweet and Tangy Pickled Grape Dogs

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8 (1/4 cup relish per serving)

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 1/4 cups quartered or coarsely chopped Grapes from California (red, green, black or combination)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 8 turkey or chicken hot dogs
• 8 hot dog buns, lightly toasted

1. Place mustard seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns in small resealable bag. Using meat mallet or rolling pin, crush seeds and peppercorns.
2. In small saucepan, stir vinegar, sugar, seeds and peppercorns; bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir to dissolve sugar; let cool. Stir in grapes and onion; set aside to cool and marinate 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Heat grill to medium heat.
4. Grill hot dogs 5 minutes, turning occasionally, or until charred and heated through.
5. Place hot dogs in buns. Using slotted spoon, top with pickled grapes.

Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 10 g protein; 39 g carbohydrates; 10 g fat (32% calories from fat); 2 g saturated fat (6% calories from saturated fat); 35 mg cholesterol; 630 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.

Creamy Vegan Grape Ice Cream

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Servings: 8 (1/2 cup per serving)

• 1 pound stemmed black Grapes from California
• 12 ounces vanilla oat coffee creamer, well chilled
• 12 ounces unsweetened oat coffee creamer, well chilled

1. In high-speed blender, puree grapes until smooth. Transfer to medium saucepan and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 10-15 minutes, or until reduced to 1 cup. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
2. Stir creamer into pureed grapes and pour into bowl of ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to freezer-safe container; cover and freeze until firm.

Substitution: For lighter color, use 3/4 pound black grapes and 1/4 pound red.

Note: Make sure ice cream maker bowl is well chilled or frozen before making ice cream.

Nutritional information per serving: 140 calories; 0 g protein; 22 g carbohydrates; 6 g fat (39% calories from fat); 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.

Source: California Table Grape Commission

(Family Features) Sunshine and summer evenings often elicit a certain craving for warm-weather favorites, but many families don’t always have time to light a grill or wait for the charcoal to heat up. On those busy days when summer fare calls your name but time is of the essence, opt for a family-friendly recipe that offers seasonal taste from the cool comforts of the kitchen.

Hot dogs provide a versatile option that bring the kids running and can be used in a wide variety of dishes. These Corn Muffin Hot Dog Sliders, ready in just 30 minutes, offer a tasty twist on tradition by combining a summertime favorite with a comfort food classic.

In addition to the feel-good flavors, they’re made with all-beef Coleman Natural uncured hot dogs, sourced from American family farms that never use antibiotics or added hormones, meaning you can feel confident about the ingredients you’re feeding your family.

For more recipe ideas, visit ColemanNatural.com/Recipes.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

Corn Muffin Hot Dog Sliders

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 (2 sliders per serving)

•             Nonstick cooking spray
• 1          cup all-purpose flour
• 1          cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2       teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4       teaspoon salt
• 1          cup buttermilk
• 1/2       cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3       cup sugar
• 2          large eggs
• 6          Coleman Natural Beef Hot Dogs, cut into coins or sliced on bias, 1/2-inch thick
• 1          cup baby arugula
• mustard, for garnish (optional)
• ketchup, for garnish (optional)
• relish, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly coat 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, butter, sugar and eggs. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir until moist.
3. Scoop batter into each muffin tin cup until halfway full. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Remove pan from oven and cool on wire rack 10-15 minutes before removing muffins from pan.
5. In large skillet over medium heat, cook hotdog slices, turning occasionally with fork until slightly browned.
6. Slice each muffin in half horizontally, add arugula and hot dog slices then garnish with mustard, ketchup and relish, if desired.

Substitution: Use store-bought corn muffin mix rather than making corn muffins from scratch, if desired.

Source: Coleman Natural Foods

(Family Features) Casual and diehard sports fans alike can all agree one of the best parts of game day is the tailgate. Whether you’re heading to the game to take part in the action or tuning in on the big screen, you can light up the scoreboard this season with these tips for a fun, easy and downright tasty tailgate (or home-gate).

Start early. There’s likely no easier way to send a tailgate spiraling out of control than to get a late start, which puts the party in a rush ahead of game time. Prepare early, and if you’re heading to the stadium, leave yourself plenty of time to find the ultimate parking spot, light the grill and enjoy the atmosphere.

Keep it simple. A true tailgate experience starts with flavorful foods fit for a crowd, which calls for ready-to-go ingredients like Eckrich Smoked Sausage, crafted with just the right blend of spices for a rich, savory and smoky taste. Because it’s pre-cooked, just heat it up and pair with other simple ingredients, such as a hoagie bun and some peppers for an easy Grilled Smoked Sausage and Pepper Hoagies.

Share the responsibility. Preparing shouldn’t fall on one person’s shoulders. Instead, ask each attendee to bring something useful for the entire group, such as plasticware, trash bags, napkins, cups, drinks and games.

Make it customizable. Especially if you’re bringing a large group, creating a spread that allows for personalization can help ensure everyone leaves happy. These Deluxe Nacho Dogs call for an abundance of topping options, giving guests full freedom to concoct their own creations, and they pair perfectly with Nathan’s Famous Beef Franks – made with 100% premium beef, no artificial flavors or colors and no fillers or by-products. 

Ensure an easy cleanup. When the tailgate is winding down and the game is about to start, it’s almost inevitable there’ll be a rush to pack up and head to the stadium (or the couch). Make things simpler and quicker by using disposable plasticware, plates and cups, and strategically placing trash bags in easily visible areas for everyone to clean up as the party continues, rather than scrambling to pick everything up at once.

For more recipe ideas and tailgating inspiration, visit nathansfamous.com and eckrich.com.

Grilled Smoked Sausage and Pepper Hoagies

Cook time: 22 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1          package Eckrich Smoked Sausage
• 1          red or green bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 4          slices (1/2-inch thick) large red onion
• 1/4       cup bottled hickory or spicy barbecue sauce
• 4          hoagie rolls or 8-inch French bread rolls, split

1. Heat grill to medium-high heat and oil cooking grates. Cut each sausage link in half crosswise.
2. Grill sausage, peppers and onions, covered, 5 minutes. Turn; continue grilling, covered, 5 minutes, or until sausage is heated through and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Brush barbecue sauce over both sides of sausage and vegetables. Arrange rolls, cut-sides down, around edges of grill. Continue grilling, covered, 2 minutes, or until rolls are lightly toasted. Cut bell peppers into strips; separate onion slices into rings.
4. Serve sausage and vegetables in rolls.

Deluxe Nacho Dogs

Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1          head lettuce
• 1          tomato
• 1          red onion
• 2          jalapeno peppers
• chives
• 1          package (8 hot dogs) Nathan’s Famous Skinless Beef Franks
• cheese sauce
• 1          package hot dog buns
• sour cream

1. Heat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Wash and dry lettuce, tomato, red onion, jalapeno peppers and chives. Chop lettuce. Dice tomato and red onion. Remove jalapeno stems then slice. Chop chives.
3. Grill hot dogs 4 minutes, turning once halfway to warm through.
4. Heat cheese sauce according to package directions.
5. Personalize hot dogs with desired toppings. Spoon cheese sauce over entire dog then layer lettuce, tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. Add sour cream and garnish with chives.

Tip: To add heat, slice jalapenos and fry in skillet over medium heat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook until slices begin to blacken.

Source: Nathan’s Famous Eckrich

(Family Features) Rally the family together to make and eat these bite-sized versions of corn dogs for an enjoyable, kid-friendly activity and snack.  Parents will enjoy them, too, because they’re easy to make, easy to eat and clean up is a snap.

Find more family-friendly recipes at culinary.net.

Watch video to see how to make this delicious recipe!

Mini Corn Dog Bites

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1              package all-beef bun-length hot dogs
• 1              cup flour
• 1              cup yellow cornmeal
• 2              tablespoons sugar
• 1              teaspoon salt
• 1/2         teaspoon baking powder
• 1              stick butter, melted
• 1              cup milk
• 1/4         cup sour cream
• 2              eggs

Dipping Sauce:

• 2/3         cup sour cream
• 3              tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 2              tablespoons honey

1. Heat oven 375°F.
2. Prepare muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Cut each hot dog into six pieces.
4. In large bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.
5. In medium bowl, whisk melted butter, milk, sour cream and eggs. Combine butter mixture with flour mixture.
6. Fill each muffin cavity halfway with batter. Place one hot dog piece in center of each cavity.
7. Bake 14-16 minutes. Cool completely.
8. To make dipping sauce: In small bowl, stir sour cream, mustard and honey. Serve with corn dogs.

Recipe adapted from Wilton.

Source: Culinary.net

(Family Features) Celebrating the holidays with family meals and activities is what the season is all about, and when those moments and at-home projects are kid-friendly, you can get the whole gang involved.

A simple weeknight at home during the holiday season can turn into family fun time starting with a recipe like these Reindeer Hot Dogs, a dish that requires little prep time and allows for help from little ones. Made with Gwaltney Hot Dogs, a tasty, kid-friendly dinner solution requires just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients.

Once everyone is finished eating and all have pitched in to help with cleanup, turn your attention to a family activity that transforms everyday supplies into this Wooden Snowman Ornament for seasonal decor to hang on a tree or elsewhere in the house.

Find more kid-friendly recipes to involve the whole family at gwaltneyfoods.com.

Reindeer Hot Dogs

Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10

• 1          can refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1          package Gwaltney Hot Dogs
• 1          slice white cheese
• black olives
• ketchup

1. Heat oven according to crescent roll package directions.
2. Cut hot dogs into three equal sections.
3. Lay out crescent rolls and wrap around middle sections of hot dog pieces.
4. Cut triangles out of end sections to look like antlers.
5. Cut two slits at top of dough; press end hot dog pieces into slits.
6. Bake according to crescent roll package directions. Cut out small circles from sliced cheese for reindeer eyes. Cover cheese pieces with small slices of black olives for pupils. Add ketchup to hot dogs for red noses.

Wooden Snowman Ornament

Craft courtesy of Gwaltney

• 7ice pop sticks
• Hot glue gun
• Foam paintbrush
• Black paint
• Glitter
• White paint
• Googly eyes
• Colored craft foam
• Sequins
• Buttons
• String

1. Line up six ice pop sticks next to each other vertically.
2. Place line of hot glue horizontally across sticks, about one-third of the way down, and adhere seventh stick to create brim of snowman’s hat.
3. Using black paint, brush top third (brim to top of hat) and let dry.
4. Mix glitter into white paint and brush lower two-thirds of sticks, creating snowman’s face.
5. Use googly eyes, colored craft foam, sequins and buttons to create details of face and hat, such as mouth, nose and hat decor.
6. Glue piece of string to backside to hang ornament.

Source: Gwaltney