From THE MESSAGE TREE Kitchens Recipes for Summer Fun TAFFY APPLE SALAD INGREDIENTS: 1 container (8-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 package dry instant butterscotch pudding 1 can (8-oz) crushed pineapple with juice 3 cups diced apples 1 cup dry roasted nuts 1 cup marshmallows DIRECTIONS: Mix cool whip, butterscotch pudding and crushed pineapple with juice. Add apples, roasted nuts and marshmallows. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. SALAD OF SUMMER   2 medium zucchini squash, diced 2 medium yellow squash, diced 6 green onions, sliced 2 carrots, peeled and cubed 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 1 cup any Italian dressing Just toss vegetables with the dressing and and chill for 1 hour before serving. Optional: salt and black pepper to taste. Yield: 4-6 Servings Pizza On The Grill What a better way to enjoy Summer than to cook outside over a barbecue grill, after all who wants to fire up that oven and heat up the kitchen? But what about our favorite foods that require baking? How about Pizza on the grill? And why order in when you can make your own dough and cook the fun way, out in the backyard.   Ingredients   1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 1 cup warm water 1 pinch white sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1/2 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup tomato sauce 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1/4 cup sliced black olives 1/4 cup roasted red peppers 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Directions 1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, and mix in sugar. Proof for ten minutes, or until frothy. Mix in the salt, olive oil, and flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, and knead in garlic and basil. Set aside to rise for 1 more hour, or until doubled again. 2. Preheat grill for high heat. Heat olive oil with garlic for 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside. Punch down dough, and divide in half. Form each half into an oblong shape 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick. 3. Brush grill grate with garlic flavored olive oil. Carefully place one piece of dough on hot grill. The dough will begin to puff almost immediately. When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn the dough over using two spatulas. Working quickly, brush oil over crust, and then brush with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Arrange 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/8 cup sliced black olives, and 1/8 cup roasted red peppers over crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons basil. Close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from grill, and set aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the second pizza.   Makes two medium size pizzas.   Easy Grilled Chicken Hey here at The Message Tree, we just love Italian food, so while we're in the mood to cook outside why not some grilled chicken that has been marinated in Italian seasonings!!! Ingredients   4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 cup fat free Italian-style dressing 1 green bell pepper 1 red bell pepper 1 zucchini Directions 1. Place washed chicken breasts in large sealable bag. Add 1 cup fat-free Italian dressing and close. Let marinate for 5 to 10 minutes. 2. Cut up peppers into big chunks, and zucchini into big slices. Put into another sealable bag. Coat with leftover dressing. 3. Grill chicken and veggies over medium heat. The Staff at THE MESSAGE TREE hopes that you have a safe and enjoyable summer, always remember food and cooking safety, and when there are young'uns around, keep an eye on them so that your backyard cooking experience remains fun and creates pleasurable memories that you will treasure for lifetime. Handy Tips From The Message Tree Here's a great little secret whenever you feel sluggish during your day -- instead of reaching for a candy bar or that second (or third or fourth!) cup of coffee, just grab a handful of Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are rich in thiamine, boron, vitamin E, folate, niacin, B vitamins, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, fiber, and monounsaturated olive-oil type fats known to counteract heart disease. And they are also chock-full of various antioxidants. That's a whole lot of good packed into one little nut! Research suggests that Brazil nuts make good brain food because they contain thiamine, known as the "nerve vitamin," and boron, a trace mineral that appears to affect the electrical activity in the brain. So, put them on your grocery list! ZUCCHINI TIPS: (The green & yellow varieties taste similar.) Select a firm, undamaged zucchini with glossy skin. Dull-skinned zucchini lacks freshness, and those with spots have been damaged by exposure to cold temperatures. Choose a zucchini that is roughly 6-8 inches in length. If overly large the zucchini will be tough and if too small it tends to lack flavor. Store zucchini in a perforated plastic bag, in the refrigerator for no more than 5 to 7 days. Handle with care as their skin can become bruised and damaged very easily. Or one of my all-time tips for winter stock up for that favorite zucchini bread recipe....   To freeze fresh zucchini to use later in zucchini bread, simply cut the top and bottom ends off and then shread the zucchini (skin and seeds included) using the larger shread pattern. You can do this manually or with a food processor/ shredder. Once the zucchini is shredded, check your zucchini recipe, and see how much zucchini you need per recipe. Measure >and freeze that amount in each bag. Label the bag with the date your froze the zucchini and the amount (2 cups) included in the bag. When you are ready to make the zucchini bread, take the bag out of the freezer and place it on a plate to thaw. Once it has thawed, follow the standard instructions for your zucchini bread. There will be some liquid in the bag, this is the natural juice that was in the zucchini when you originally placed it in the bag. Use this in the recipe as well.