Summer Dinner Recipes: Barbecue Venison-Beef Bacon Cheeseburgers, Succotash, Banana Pudding

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding

• 1  1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4  1/2 cups milk
• 8 large egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (11-ounce) box vanilla wafer cookies
• 8 bananas, half sliced during prep; half sliced before serving
• 1 (16-ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
• Garnish: crumbled vanilla wafers

1. Whisk together sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a medium bowl; add to sugar mixture, whisking until smooth.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.
3. Layer half of cookies, half of custard, and half of bananas in a 9” X 13” baking dish; top with remaining cookies and custard. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
4. Top with remaining bananas and whipped topping before serving. Garnish with crumbled vanilla wafers, if desired.

PREP: 25 min. COOK: 10 min. CHILL: 4 hrs. minimum YIELD: 6 to 8 servings

Barbecue Venison-Beef Bacon Cheeseburgers

Barbecue Venison-Beef Bacon Cheeseburgers

• 12 slices bacon
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen onion rings
• 1 pound ground venison
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced colby jack cheese
• 6 hamburger buns, halved
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

1. Preheat charcoal grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (350°F to 400°F). Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels.
2. Prepare onion rings according to package directions; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix venison, beef, Worcestershire sauce, steak seasoning and garlic salt (do not overwork meat mixture); shape mixture into 6 patties.
4. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes per side or until no longer pink. Top each burger with 1 slice cheese; let stand 1 minute or until melted.
5. Grill buns, if desired, cut side down, 1 minute or until toasted.
6. Spread barbecue sauce over bottom buns. Top with burgers, bacon and onion rings; cover with bun tops.

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 25 min. Yield: 6 servings

Summertime Succotash

• 10 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 cups lima beans
• 2 cups field peas
• 2 cups green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups corn kernels (about 6 ears)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 pints multicolored grape tomatoes, halved

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels.
2. Combine lima beans, field peas and green beans in a medium saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 4 minutes. Stir in cooked bean mixture, corn, cream and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with bacon.
4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Prep: 15 min. Cook: 40 min. Yield: 6 servings