Grilled, Marinated Chicken with Vegetables

Sometimes my husband gets burnt out with chicken.  He wants nothing to do with it.  I like it because it's cheap, versatile, and easy to prepare.  Well, I had nothing else to do one night, so I found this recipe in a new cookbook that I bought from Sam's Club.  I can never have too many grilling cookbooks!  This marinade was actually for a whole chicken to be smoked.  I just had chicken breasts, so I used those.  I let it marinade for about four hours.  The recipe in the book didn't include the vegetables, but don't they look fabulous?  They were delicious, too.  When my husband took his first bite, he looked at the chicken, looked at me, and back at the chicken.  He asked, "Where did you get this recipe?"  I told him, and he said, "Don't you ever lose this recipe."  There you have it my friends!  This is the marinade to make for the man that never wants chicken again.  It was fabulous!  It was flavorful!  It was everything that grilled chicken should be.  

Grilled, Marinated Chicken with Vegetables
source: Grill Nation by David Guas

Chicken Marinade:
3 T olive oil
2 T peanut oil
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T chopped fresh basil
1 T chopped fresh oregano
1 T lemon juice
1 T Dijon mustard
2 t dark brown sugar
2 t Worcestershire
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2-1 t table salt
1/4 t black pepper

Chicken breasts, trimmed of all nastiness

For the vegetables:
asparagus, ends snapped off
zucchini, sliced
yellow, orange, or red bell pepper, sliced
red onion, cut into thin slices and quartered
grape tomatoes

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a Ziplock bag.  Add the chicken and marinade for 4-8 hours.  The longer, the better, my friends!

Preheat the grill medium heat between 350-400 degrees.

Place all the vegetables on a grill platter or basket.  If you don't have that, you can broil the vegetables for ten minutes about five inches from the heat source.

Place the vegetables on one side of the grill, and put the chicken on the other side.  Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side or until a thermometer reaches 165 degrees.

Rotate the vegetables half way through and toss them.  Grill them for about ten minutes total or until desired doneness is reached.

Serve the vegetables and chicken on a platter.

Grilled Molasses Flank Steak with Watermelon Salsa

Being that I'm a mom of three, I don't really get much time for naps.  When the kids were preoccupied earlier this week, I tried to lie down on the couch for a quick shut-eye.  The kids' mom-is-trying-to-nap-so-let's-be-crazy internal alarm went off in full mode.  They started arguing.  They started building and destroying Lincoln Log buildings.  They started watching random Youtube videos.  Sigh.  I opened my eyes and pleaded with every shred of desperation I could muster that they could try to be quiet for just 15 minutes.  They were.  I slowly started to drift off into the blissful land of afternoon power nap.  Before lying down, I tucked my phone under my arm since my youngest has a bad habit of snagging my phone when I'm not looking to go onto Kids' Youtube.  I had been asleep for only a few minutes when I felt a tiny little hand slowly reach over my arm and ever-so-slowly start to pull my phone out.  Stinker!  I opened my eyes, and she smiled at me.  I asked what she was doing.  She said, "Hi Mom.  I'm just getting your phone so I could watch some videos real quick."  I gave her the phone in the hopes that I could doze off again, only to have my husband yell a question to me from the other room.  *Sigh*  Why do I even bother?

Now for this recipe.  I was really nervous making a fruit salsa to go over meat.  My husband can be a bit picky when fruit comes into play.  Fruit in muffins?  Nope.  Fruit in pies?  Nope.  Fruit in salsa?  Nope.  Not usually.  He tried this stuff and said that it was great.  He ate it over the perfectly tender steak and loved every bite.  I don't usually buy flank steak because it can be really tough.  Not this stuff!  It melted in my mouth even though it was a tad bit overdone for my taste.   When it's 110 outside, the grill tends to get a little hotter than other places.  Even if this recipe is not something that sounds good to you, give it a shot!  If nothing else, use the marinade on the flank steak and leave off the salsa.  It won't disappoint!

Grilled Molasses Flank Steak with Watermelon Salsa

photo source: Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Amy Wilson 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-molasses-flank-steak#

source: Grill Nation, by David Guas, pg. 176

Ingredients:

3/4 c molasses

1/3 c soy sauce

1/4 c canola oil

1/4 c lemon juice

2 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T fresh grated ginger (or 2 t dried)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 t dried crushed red pepper

1 2-lb flank steak

Watermelon Salsa:

1 c diced, unpeeled nectarine

2 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I cut this way down since no one in my family likes heat)

1 T sugar

3 T fresh lime juice

2 t orange zest

2 t fresh ginger (or 1/2 t dried)

2 c seeded and diced watermelon

1/2 c chopped cilantro

1/3 c diced red onion

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a baking dish.  Stir to combine.  Add the flank steak.  Cover it, and chill in the fridge for 4-12 hours.  

Prepare the watermelon salsa just before grilling the steak.  Combine the first six ingredients.  Stir to mix well.  Add the watermelon, cilantro, and red onion.  Gently toss.  Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Remove steak from the marinade.  Discard the marinade.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400-450 degrees).  Grill the steak for 9 minutes on each side.  Remove and let it rest of 10 minutes.  Slice thinly across the grain.  Serve with the watermelon salsa.

I'm telling you!  This steak turns out fabulous!

Amazing BBQ chicken

So, I have this two year old daughter.  She is the cutest thing, but man have the terrible twos started!  She used to go to bed with no problem.  Apparently, she has jumped on the "I hate bedtime" bandwagon all of the sudden.  The other night, I was getting her a drink.  She spotted her cup being filled, and she instantly started screaming and ran under the table.  I moved a chair to be able to reach her, and she continued to scream as she scurried to the other side of the table.  Sigh.  I'm getting way too old for this!  Finally, I got down, grabbed her by one leg, and dragged her out.  Her screams pierced the ears of everyone within a mile radius, I'm sure.  As I was walking her upstairs, calmly talking to her to see what she wanted, she continuously screamed, "NOO!" at everything I suggested.  I get into her room,  She's flailing about, boneless and squirmy.  I ask her if she wants me to read some books.  

"NOOO! WAA!" 

 "Uh... How about I put you in your crib and you can just scream?"  

"NOOOO!"  

"Do you want a story about your baby hippo?" 

 "Noo!"  She's really laying it on thick and trying to escape my clutches.  

"Okay, do you want another story about a crocodile like last night?"

"NOO!!"  I'm ready to call a priest over to exercise the demons at this point.

Out of desperation I ask, "Do you want a story about cheese?"

"Okay." 

Then silence.  She rested her head on my shoulder as if she wasn't throwing a massive tantrum the size of Mt. Rushmore and patiently listened, awaiting a story about cheese.  Well, folks, I told her a wonderful cheesy story about cheese, and she was good to go. 

I couldn't help but laugh after the fact that it was cheese that calmed her down.  I, for one, love cheese, and it makes me happy.  :)  

Surprisingly, this chicken recipe is cheese free!  Ahh!  It's a miracle!  I CAN cook things without cheese and heavy cream. This BBQ sauce just may be my new favorite.  It is so flavorful, and the consistency was perfect.  I can't wait to try it on ribs!  I know that buying a bottle of BBQ sauce is loads easier, but this sauce's deliciousness is well worth the effort and will blow any other bottled sauce out of the water.  Now that it's fall and just in time for BBQ weather... er...  Hey!  if you live in Las Vegas, it's always BBQ weather!  :)  

Enjoy!

Amazing Grilled Chicken
Source: BBQ sauce recipe "Still House Barbecue Sauce" from Barbecue Bible Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades by Steven Raichlen

1 c whiskey
1 c ketchup
1 c cider vinegar
1 c packed dark brown sugar
1/2 c onion, finely minced
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 T Tabasco (or less if you want less heat)
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t liquid smoke

2 Chicken breasts
Your favorite rub or seasoning (I used Magic Dust from Memphis BBQ)

Combine all the ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.  Bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 20-30 minutes.  Stir every once in awhile.

The sauce will reduce quite a bit from the simmering, but it makes it thick and flavorful.

While the sauce is simmering, preheat the grill to medium.

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, so they are thin.  Sprinkle both sides with the rub or seasoning of your choice.

Grill the chicken over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side.  After the second side has cooked, baste it with some of the BBQ sauce.  Flip it and baste the other side.  Let it cook for one minute longer.

Serve with your favorite sides like potato salad, corn bread muffins, baked beans, corn on the cob, or whatever else you like.

Grilled Pork Chops with Basil-Garlic Rub

My poor students....  As an online teacher, I tend to have a little too much fun with my lessons.  I always throw in cheesy jokes, pictures of superheroes talking about sedimentary rocks, and ridiculous memes.  For example, I was teaching about limestone, and I found a picture of a lime with the head, arms, and legs of Optimus Prime, and it said, "I am Optimus Lime."  See what I mean?!  It's the kind of humor that makes you shake your head in shame and say a little prayer for me in the hopes that I'll grow up at some point in my 30's.  Well, some of my students appreciate the humor.  One of my students stayed after class to tell me a joke that made me laugh out loud.  Here it goes... Brace yourself...

Q: How many South Americans does it take to change a light bulb?
A: A Brazilian!

Ha!  Get it?  Instead of a bazillion... Sigh.

That story has absolutely nothing to do the recipe.  It just made me laugh, and when life is so busy all the time, I've got to find humor in anything to keep my sanity!  :)

As for this recipe, when I told my husband that I was making pork chops for dinner, he had the look on his face like a dejected fan whose team just lost the Super Bowl.  "But Mother Mary appeared to me in my bowl of Corn Flakes and swore that the Broncos would win!"   He's never really liked pork chops, so he hesitantly took a bite of these and his jaw dropped.  He said that they were the best pork chops he'd ever eaten!  Woot, woot!  The marinade is delicious, and they cook up so quickly.  He actually polished off the kids' portions that weren't eaten.  Between eating pork chops and zucchini in one sitting and asking for seconds of both- my mind was blown.  This recipe is a keeper.  It's easy, fast, and delicious.

Grilled Pork Chops with Basil-Garlic Rub
source: http://worldsbestrecipes4utoday.blogspot.com/2013/12/grilled-pork-chops-with-basil-garlic-rub.html#.UqOaW86mX4s

4 pork chops, 3/4 in thick
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 c fresh basil leaves, packed
2 T lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper

Alright, folks.  This gets a little difficult.  Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until it makes a thin, wet rub.  Put it in a Ziplock bag and add the pork chops.  Let it marinate in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.  Grill the pork chops for 5-6 minutes per side or until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees for the internal temperature of the pork.  Let the pork rest for three minutes.

Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan

My husband, who has been deemed as "his worshipfulness" in the past for his particularly picky palate, who also can't stand the thought of zucchini, went back for seconds of this zucchini!  Thump!!  That was me falling out of my chair.  I couldn't believe it.  This is a really quick and really easy way to prepare zucchini.  It's great because with only a couple minutes per side, the zucchini doesn't get overcooked and mushy.  The lemon and Parmesan give it a great flavor.  Besides, everyone knows that sprinkling Parmesan on anything makes it a billion times better.  

Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan

source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/08/grilled-zucchini-with-yummy-lemon-salt/

2 zucchini, medium sized

2 T olive oil

1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 t pepper

1 whole lemon, zested

Parmesan cheese

Slice the ends of the zucchini off.  Cut them into quarters, lengthwise.  Place them in a Ziplock bag.  Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and the juice of 1 lemon.  Seal the bag and swish it all around to evenly coat the zucchini.

Let it marinate for 15-20 minutes in the fridge.

Preheat the grill to medium to medium-low heat.  

Place the zucchini on the grates and grill each side for 2-3 minutes- being careful not to burn them.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Margarita-Marinated Chicken with Mango Salsa

I love to people watch.  It's one of my favorite things to do because this world is filled with so many interesting people.  The gym is always a fun place to people watch, and I'm sure I've been on the other end of this as I huff and puff while jogging 4.3 mph and sweating like I just ran a marathon through Death Valley in the dead of summer.  This morning at the gym, I was in the back of the room on a stair machine, and I saw something that you don't see every day.  I saw a grown, slightly heavy, bearded hipster man in his 30's skipping on the treadmill.  Skipping!  For about ten minutes!  I'm sure I had one eyebrow raised for the duration of his ten minute skipping session on the treadmill.  When he got off, I think my heart was hoping that he would continue to skip over to the free weights to pump some iron while whistling "I'm off to see the wizard." No such luck, my friends.   Not five minutes later, I saw a guy on stair machine in his socks and then a girl that 1. must not own a padded sports bra and 2. must have been really, really cold.  Good times at the gym in the morning.

That intro has nothing to do with this recipe, but this chicken was tasty!  The margarita marinade left the chicken with great lime flavor.  The mango salsa was delicious, and I may have eaten the rest of the mango salsa single-handedly.  At least it wasn't the rest of chocolate cream pie, although I would have opted for that- given the choice.

Margarita-Marinated Chicken with Mango Salsa
source: Southern Living Big Book of BBQ, page 145

Serves: 3
1 lg lime
1 c liquid margarita mix
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 t salt
1/2 t ground red pepper
1 1/2 T tequila (optional)
3 chicken breasts
1 c uncooked long-grain rice

Mango Salsa:
1 mango, peeled
1 avocado, peeled
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 red onion
1/2 T fresh cilantro
1/2 T vegetable oil
1/2 T lime juice

Cut lime in half and squeeze the juice into a Ziplock bag.  Add the lime halves into the bag.  Add the margarita mix, vegetable oil, cilantro, salt, and Tequila (if using).  Add the chicken and shake to mix the marinade well.  Marinate in the fridge for 2-6 hours.

Prepare the mango salsa:
Dice the mango, avocado, red bell pepper, and onion.  Mix in a bowl.  Add the cilantro, oil, and lime juice.  Stir to evenly coat and mix everything.  Cover and chill until ready to use.

Prepare the rice according to package instructions.

Preheat the grill to 300-350 degrees (medium heat).

Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.  Grill the chicken for 6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.

Serve over the rice.  Top with the mango salsa.

Hawaiian Grilled Huli Huli Chicken with Brown Sugar Pineapple Spears

Hell has frozen over.  I have now asked my oldest brother for a recipe on two different occasions.  Let me explain something- Growing up, he barely cooked anything.  It was a miracle if he busted out some macaroni and cheese or Ramen.  My mom and other brother also love to cook, so we just figured that my oldest brother was the black sheep.  Well, he found himself a wonderful girlfriend and something happened.  His inner chef busted out like a 13 year old girl being let into a One Direction concert.  He's whipping up scallops, and pork tenderloin sliders with coleslaw and homemade biscuits.  I'm just waiting for the turducken.  One day when we were over the recently, he marinated some pineapple, and it was so dang delicious.  Marinated grilled pineapple is out of this world.  And to have it alongside this chicken is the perfect pairing.  I have noted the source for the chicken, but the pineapple was from my brother.  My husband couldn't get over how good the chicken was.  He was eyeballing the kids' plates to polish off theirs, and he did.  The marinade for the chicken is so quick and easy, and it really makes for delicious grilled chicken.  

Hawaiian Grilled Huli Huli Chicken with Pineapple Spears
source: http://what2cook.net/2013/02/09/hawaiian-grilled-huli-huli-chicken/

Chicken:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c. + 2 T ketchup
1/4 c + 3 T low sodium soy sauce
3 T chicken broth
1 t ginger
1 t minced garlic
2 chicken breasts

Pineapple:
I pineapple
1/2 c brown sugar
1 t cinnamon

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Prepare the chicken breasts by trimming them of all the nasty stuff.  Cut off the tender from each breast.  Slice each breast horizontally so they are thin.

Put the trimmed and cut chicken in a Ziplock bag.  Add half of the marinade.  Reserve the rest for basting.

Marinade the chicken in the fridge for up to 8 hours. I only did two hours, and it was amazing.

After the chicken is place in the fridge, trim the outside of the pineapple.  Cut off the top and bottom. Slice it in half from top to bottom.  Slice a half in half again.  Cut diagonally to get the core off the pineapple.  Slice the remaining part into spears.

Place the spears in a Ziplock bag and add 1/2 c brown sugar and 1 t cinnamon.  Place this in the fridge with the chicken.

Once the marinating is over, prepare the grill.  Preheat it to medium-high heat.  Oil the grate.  Place the chicken on and lower the heat to medium.  Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Since it is so thin, it doesn't need much time to cook.

After you've flipped the chicken once, baste it with the extra marinade.

Put the pineapple spears on the grill as well.  Cook it for 1-2 minutes per side while the chicken is cooking.

Serve the chicken over brown rice with the grilled pineapple spears on the side.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Glaze

I have recently discovered geocaching, and I love it!  Over Spring Break, my brother, his son, my three kids, and I all went on a geocaching hunt.  We were walking along a walking trail off the side off a state highway by my house.  Most of the geocaches were right on the trail, but one was about 350 meters away.  I started pushing the stroller across the desert, but the ground got too rocky.  I took my baby out, left the strolled about 20 yards off the path, and we continued walking.  It wasn't long before there was a car parked off the side of the road, most likely assuming that someone had abandoned their baby out in the Las Vegas desert.  We trekked on, found the geocache, and headed back.  My brother went back to get the stroller, and I went with all the kids to find another one straight ahead.  As we got closer to the trail, I noticed that the car that was pulled off on the side of the road was slowly following my brother as he pushed the stroller towards us.  After a couple minutes, the car must have seen me carrying the baby because it zoomed off like a bat out of you know where.  Not one minute later, a cop car pulls up.  He sees that I have the baby, and she is perfectly fine.  Luckily, he was a really cool cop.  He said, "Sorry, folks.  Some people are so nosy!  This crazy old lady called in six times giving us an update every time a movement was made."  He showed us the screen in his car, and she had given them a full description of my brother and how he took the stroller and where he was pushing it.  The cop was rolling his eyes the whole time.  He said, "Besides, you guys are the only ones that use this trail anyway!  12 million dollars down the drain."  Every time I hang out with my brother, something crazy like this happens.  Never a dull moment with that one!

Anyway, this pork... It is wonderful.  It came out perfectly cooked.  The spice rub and glaze gave it a delicious flavor.  Even my five year old, who barely eats anything other than cereal, baby corn dogs, and grilled cheese sandwiches said, "This meat is delicious!"  I about fell out of my chair.  It really is good, quick, and a real family-pleaser.  I could have mopped that glaze up with every last slice of the pork.  It is so tasty! Serve this with some rice pilaf, corn on the cob, and fresh fruit, and you've got a delicious meal that will make everyone happy.  And who doesn't want everyone to be happy?

 Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Glaze
source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/grilled-pork-tenderloin-with-corn-on-the-cob-recipe/index.html

Pork:
1 T paprika
2 t Kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t packed brown sugar
1 t cumin
1 t ground mustard
1/2 onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
2 t olive oil
2 small pork tenderloins

Glaze:
3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c water
3 T packed brown sugar
2 T ketchup
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 t kosher salt

For the pork:
Combine the all the dry ingredients for the rub (paprika through garlic powder).  use your fingers to mix it together.  Rub the olive oil all over the pork.  Coat with the spice rub.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-6 hours.

For the sauce:
Combine the vinegar, water, brown sugar, ketchup, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat.  Set aside.  I actually kept simmering mine while the pork cooked, so it was thicker.  I thought it turned out wonderful like that.

Take out the pork 30 minutes before you're going to grill it.  Preheat the grill to medium-high.  Cook the pork for about 20 minutes (ten minutes on each side) or until the interior registers 140-145.  Transfer it to a cutting board and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Slice the pork and drizzle with the glaze.

Bacon and Chicken Bites in Sweet-Dijon Mustard Glaze

Here in good ol' Las Vegas, the weather turns ridiculously beautiful in March.  It's usually around 65-75 for the high all month, and that is prime grilling season!  I use to be afraid of the grill like it was some sort of savage beast that could never be tamed.  Oh, I've tamed it all right.  I can make that savage beast do cartwheels while whistling the tune of the theme song for the Golden Girls.  

These little chicken bites are wonderful.  I always worry that the Dijon glaze will be too overpowering, but it was great.  I really enjoyed the sweetness from the orange marmalade and the zip from the ginger.  These would be perfect for any upcoming summer BBQ.  Next time, I'll sprinkle a little brown sugar on top for the last 4-5 minutes.  drool...

Bacon and Chicken Bites in Sweet-Dijon Mustard Glaze
source: Big Book of Barbecue

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 bacon slices, cut into thirds
1/2 c orange marmalade
1/4 c lite soy sauce
2 T dijon mustard
3/4 t ginger
1/4 t garlic powder

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.  Wrap one piece of bacon (1/3 of the original piece) around each chicken chunk and secure with a toothpick.

In a large bowl, combine the orange marmalade, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, ginger, and garlic powder.  Whisk to combine.  Reserve 1/4 c of this and set aside. Add the bacon-wrapped chicken pieces into the large bowl with the glaze.  Toss to combine.  Cover and chill for two hours, turning occasionally.

After the two hours (I only did 30 minutes, and it was delicious), remove the chicken.  Toss the leftover glaze from the marinating chicken.

Preheat the grill to 350-400 degrees (medium-high).  Grill the chicken, covered, for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through.

Drizzle the remaining glaze onto the chicken pieces just before serving.

Grilled Shrimp Packets

 Grilled Shrimp Packets
source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/50-things-to-grill-in-foil/index.html

1/2 stick butter
1 c chopped parsley (I used cilantro)
1 t minced garlic
salt and pepper
juice from 1 lemon
1 pound shrimp
red pepper flakes

Melt the butter.  Add the parsley (or cilantro), garlic, and pepper.

 In another bowl, combine the lemon juice, shrimp, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

 Add the butter mixture to the shrimp and toss to combine.

 Tear off two pieces of foil and build it up around the edges.  Dump the shrimp/butter mixture into the foil, with equal amounts in each packet.

 Crunch the edges all together to seal.

 Grill for 8 minutes over high heat.

There you have it!  So easy and delicious.  And it is even somewhat healthy.  :)

Honey Ginger Grilled Chicken with Asian Rice Pilaf

We were grocery shopping at Winco recently, and I took the kids for a bathroom break while my husband was shopping off the list.  He had to hunt for the brand of rice for this recipe, but he found it!  As far as I know, it is carried in all stores.  Anywho- while I was coming back from the bathroom break with my kids I see this old, gray-haired grandma walking quite disgruntled toward the cashier.  As I walk past her, I hear her say, "This is one crazy a** store!"  I about died laughing.  She was right, but to hear that coming from a member of the AARP really tickled my funny bone.  

I was pretty impressed with this recipe.  I found it in a cookbook I checked out from the library, but we all really liked it.  It doesn't even hold a match to the Cajun Chicken Alfredo, but it would be a good one to throw into the mix every couple of months.  It's healthy, too!  Look at me!  I can even make some recipes that don't require a pound of butter or a deep-fat fryer!

 

 Honey Ginger Grilled Chicken with Asian Rice Pilaf
source: All Recipes All-Time Favorite Best Brand Recipes cookbook

Chicken:
1 t ground ginger
1 t garlic powder
1/3 c soy sauce (I prefer low sodium)
1/3 c orange juice
1/4 c honey
1 green onion, chopped
3 chicken breasts

Rice Pilaf:
1 pkg Near East Rice Pilaf Mix
1 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
1 cove garlic, minced
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 c diced carrots (I used frozen ones)
1/4 c chopped peanuts
1/4 c chopped green onions
2 T diced red bell pepper

In a large Ziplock bag, combine the first six ingredients for the chicken.  Shake to mix well.  Add the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.  Flip the bag occasionally to evenly distribute the flavor.

While it is marinating, prepare the rice according to package directions, omitting the butter or olive oil.

Prepare the remaining ingredients for the rice and set aside until the rice is finished.

Lightly grease the cold oven rack.  Preheat the grill to medium heat.  Grill the chicken for about 7-10 minutes per side.

When the rice is done, add the remaining ingredients to the rice.  Keep warm on low heat.

Once the chicken is done, serve it atop the rice.  Top it all off with some diced green onion.

Mojo Pork Tenderloin Fajitas with Avocado Salsa

In a very recent post, I mentioned that I didn't want to join Pinterest.  However, I have given in.  I am slightly (cough, cough) addicted.  I could spend hours browsing recipes, DIY projects, and other ideas for my kids.  They have these little sayings alongside vintage pictures.  I saw this one of a mom talking to her son.  It said something like, "I have told you not to use that language!  However, in the right context, it is completely understandable, and you're right... That food did taste like s***."  I was cracking up.  I don't know who comes up with this stuff, but it makes my hours of being up with a baby at night much mroe enjoyable. 

These fajitas will not taste like the above-mentioned adjective.  They were tasty indeed.  The flavor of the grilled pork was wonderful thanks to a citrusy marinade.  The grilled vegetables were a nice touch, and the avocado salsa was the cherry on top.  This is a healthy meal and a unique way to use up pork tenderloin in a different way.

Mojo Pork Tenderloin Fajitas with Avocado Salsa
source: Better Homes and Gardens Grill It! Cookbook

1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c chopped onion
1/3 c lime juice
1/3 c orange juice
1 t cumin
1 t oregano
6 cloves garlic
1 1-pound pork tenderloin

2 lg sweet red peppers, halved and seeded
2 medium onions, cut into thick slices
8 8-inch flour tortillas

1 avocado, diced
1/4 c diced red onion
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 T lime juice
1/2 to 1 t hot pepper sauce
1/4 t salt

Combine the first seven ingredients in a quart size Ziplock bag and add the pork tenderloin.  Marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator

 Remove pork and reserve marinade.  Brush the red peppers and onion with the reserved marinade.  Discard the rest.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. 

 Grill the meat for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. Tent the meat with foil and let it rest for ten minutes.

 While the meat is resting, grill the peppers and onions for ten minutes total- five minutes on each side.

 Warm the tortillas on the grill for only about 20 seconds per side.

 Slice the meat, pepper, and onions.  Place on a plate with the tortillas.

 Combine the Avocado Salsa ingredients.  This can be done up to four hours in advance. 

Serve the fajitas with the salsa, sour cream, cheese, and whatever other toppings you may like. 

These were wonderful!  The flavor of the pork was fantastic. 

The only marinade you'll ever need

I was administering a writing proficiency test this past week, and there was one student left that we were waiting on for an hour.  His guardian was a heavily-tatooed man wearing a Punisher t-shirt. He was patiently waiting for that kid to finish.  Once he was finally done, they came over to sign out.  The guardian said something about watching The Big Bang Theory on his phone.  I said that I thought it was cool that the lead character on that show played the human version of Walter on the new Muppet movie.  Have you ever regretted making a comment?  Well, I did after this.  This big, burly man went into nothing short of a history of the muppets.  He was talking for a good ten minutes about the '68-'71 variety show, spin-offs, and other movies they have done.  I don't know if I was more surprised that there were so many spin-offs or the fact that this man in particular knew so much about the Muppets.  It was pretty crazy. 

Now, to the marinade... This is such an unbelievable, go-to, delicious marinade.  I still use some other marinades; however, this is one that we fall back on quite a bit.  The flavor of the meat is unreal.  You can use it on pork, chicken, or beef.  Heck, even fish would be delicious in this stuff.  We marinated sirloin steaks in this stuff for a couple hours, and they turned out so flavorful and tender.  Next time you're doing some meat and you want to do more than brush on some bottled BBQ sauce, give this a try.  And, one more important note: dried herbs cannot be substituted!  It will not come out the same.  Come get some parsley from me.  I've got it growing out my ears over here. 

The Only Marinade You'll Ever Need

source: Barbecue Bible Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades by Steven Raichlen (a great book if you like to grill delicious food)

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/2 t cracked black peppercorns

1/2 t coarse salt

4 strips of lemon zest

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c coarsely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 c coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, or a mixture (We used cilantro)

1/2 c olive oil

Combine the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, pepper, and salt in a bowl.  Whisk until the salt is dissolved.  Add the lemon zest, garlic, and fresh herbs.  Whisk in the olive oil.  Use the marinade within 1-2 hours of making it.  It doesn't keep well, but it will taste amazing.  Mark my words, my friends.

The larger the piece of meat, the longer you should marinade it.  We let our steaks sit in there for two hours. 



Grilled Pork Loin Stuffed with Craisins and Feta

As I was sitting on the couch with the kids this morning, I heard, "Hey... Callie... It's me.  You know, that pork roast in the fridge that needs to be cooked.  Don't leave me hanging here.  You know how bad old pork smells."  So, I got up off the coach and gathered a few cookbooks to look through to find a good recipe.  After looking at pulled pork, pork carnitas or other tacos, and a myriad of the other recipes, I found this one.  The weather was lovely today, so I decided to go the grilling route.  It turned out wonderful!  The original recipe called for dried pears, walnuts, and gargonzola, but I didn't have any on hand.  I did, however, have craisins, pecans, and feta.  Score!  It was a good substitution.  Either way, it's a nice twist on a pork roast that doesn't take that much effort.

Pork Loin Stuffed with Craisins and Feta

source: Grill It!  A Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

serves: 5

1/2 onion, diced

1 T butter

3/4 c dried Craisins (or dried pear or apple)

1/4 c chopped pecans (or walnuts)

2 T feta (or Gargonzola)

1/2 T balsamic vinegar

1.5-2 lb pork roast

2 t rosemary

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t pepper

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the onion and cook for about five minutes, or until they are softened.  Remove from the heat and add the craisins, pecans, and feta.  I totally missed the vinegar when I did it, so you could include it or not. Set the stuffing aside.

Trim the pork loin of any giant fat pockets.  Cut it in half lengthwise.

 Using some kitchen string or other cotton string, cut five strips and place them underneath the pork loin.  This will make it easier to tie the top part on once the stuffing is on there.

 Spoon the stuffing on top.  It may fall all over the place, but there will be plenty to go around.

 Put the other half of the pork loin on top of the stuffing and tie the string around to keep it all in place.  I trimmed my string so it looked a little better.

 Combine the garlic, rosemary, and pepper and rub onto the top of the meat. 

Preheat the grill to medium (about 350 degrees) and place the roast in a roasting pan over indirect heat.  If you've never done that, just place the meat over a burner that is off. 

 Grill the meat for an hour or until the interior registers 150 degrees, flipping the meat halfway through.

 Once it is done, remove it and tent it with foil.  Let it rest for 15 minutes.  The temperature will go up a little more and the juices will redistribute so the meat isn't dry.  After the 15 minutes, remove the string and slice the meat.  Serve to hungry folks.

I really wish my camera took better close-up pictures.  It would revolutionize my blog. 

Grilled Vegetable and Mozzarella Salad

As I was making dinner tonight, I was hoping to find some sort of grilled vegetable side dish.  I stumbled upon this recipe, and by same crazy miracle, I had everything on hand.  Very rarely do I have tomato, yellow pepper, and zucchini on hand.  This is not a recipe that I would have touched during my All-I-eat-is-chicken-fingers youth stage.  Heck- I wouldn't have gone near this even a few years ago.  Luckily, my taste buds have finally matured now that I'm 30.  Now if only my sense of humor would mature a bit.  :)

 I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of flavors and textures in this salad.  It's definitely not a traditional salad by any means, but I think it's a great addition to a grilled meal.  I wouldn't try to make your little ones eat this.  They may look at you, scoff, and claim that they would sooner listen to a documentary about the Harrison presidency- while eating dates and prunes.  Talk about torture!  Grown-ups with refined tastes would be all over this tasty side dish.

Grilled Vegetable and Mozzarella Salad

source: Grill It! A Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (A good one, if you're wondering)

serves: 4

2 medium tomatoes, halved

1 zucchini, halved lengthwise

1/2 yellow pepper, seeded and quartered (a red or orange pepper would be fine to use)

romaine lettuce

2 oz mozzarella, cubed

Italian dressing (optional)

vinaigrette:

1 T cider vinegar

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/2 T brown sugar

1/4 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients.  Pour into a Ziplock bag.

Once all of your vegetables and cut according to the ingredient list, place them in the Ziplock bag with the dressing.  Seal the bag and shake to coat.  Let the vegetables marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Also, if you'd like, you can let the mozzarella cubes marinate in Italian dressing while the vegetables are resting and grilling.  This is something I added to the recipe, but I thought it added a nice little zing to the cheese.

After 30 minutes, preheat the grill to medium.  Pour off the vinaigrette and reserve it.

Grill the yellow pepper and onion for 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Cook the zucchini for 5-7 minutes or until crisp tender, flipping halfway through.  Cook the tomatoes for five minutes or until the skin starts to char.

Once the vegetables are done, cut them all into bite size pieces.  Place some torn romaine lettuce on a platter and toss it with the reserved vinaigrette dressing.  Place the diced vegetables on top.

 Sprinkle the cheese cubes on top of everything and serve the salad. 

There you have it!  If you think the idea of having grilled vegetables atop lettuce is bizarre, feel free to omit the lettuce and just make it a grilled vegetable side dish.  Either way, the result will be tasty.

And please, don't force your kids to eat this or watch presidential documentaries.

Kansas City Ribs

On the SNL Will Ferrell greatest hits DVD, it shows him doing this hilarious impersonation of Harry Caray.  Out of the middle of nowhere, he says, "Hey!  We all know that the moon is not made of green cheese, but what if it were made of barbecued spareribs?  Would you eat it then?  I know I would.  Heck!  I'd have seconds, then polish it off with a tall , cool glass of Budweiser.  Well, would you?  It's a simple question, doctor.   Would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs."  If Harry Caray were asking me this same question, and he let me know that it was this recipe- Yes.  I would.  I would eat every last rib up there.  That is if my husband wouldn't eat them all first.  One of my favorite Labor Day weekend memories was watching my husband devour these ribs.  I tried to get a picture of the BBQ sauce plastered all over his face, but my camera was out of battery.  Shucks.  It was on his nose, his chin, his cheek, and dribbling down his shirt.  It made my whole weekend.  I hope you attempt these ribs, so you too can see your loved ones covered in BBQ sauce from hair to hands.   

 Kansas City Ribs
source: Better Homes and Gardens Grill It! (an awesome cookbook)

4 to 5 pounds pork baby back ribs

dry rub:
1 T packed brown sugar
1 T paprika
1 t garlic powder
1 t celery salt
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper

BBQ sauce:
1/2 c finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T butter
1 c ketchup
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c water
2 T brown sugar
1 T chili powder
1 T mustard
1 T worcestershire sauce

2 c Mequite or hickory wood chips

Combine the dry rub ingredients and spread it across the front and back of the ribs.  Place the ribs on a shallow roasting pan.  I put mine on foil for easy cleaning.  Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours in a 350 degree oven. 

While they are cooking, soak about 2 c wood chips in water.  The wood chips are optional, but boy do they make the ribs taste good.  After saoking for 30 minutes, remove them and place them on foil.  Fold the ends up.  Then bring the sides up.  Leave the top open a bit for the smoke to escape.  You can also poke the closed packet with a fork a few times.  A picture of the wood chip packet is a few pictures down.

 When you take them out, the ends of the bones will be a bit charred from the rub being baked onto the bones, but don't you worry.  It'll still taste wonderful.  Remove the ribs and place them on a grill-safe tray.  You don't have to do this, but we were worries that they would fall apart since they were so tender.

 One way to tell that the ribs are done is if the bones are sticking out about an inch.  Just so you know, 'cause I'm sure you're dying to know, I would not eat ribs until I was about 19.  I refused to eat meat directly off of bones as a kid/teenager.  I love them now!

 Place the wood chip packet directly on top of one of the burner.  Preheat the grill to medium.  Wait to put the ribs on until you see smoke. 

 While you're waiting for the chips to smoke, prepare the BBQ sauce.  In a saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in butter over medium heat for a couple of minutes.  Once the mixture is fragrant, add the remaining ingredients.  Stir to mix well.  Bring the sauce to a boil then reduec to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes. 

Once the chips are smoking, turn the burner(s) off that will be directly under the ribs.  Cook the ribs for about 10-15 minutes.  Baste both sides and turn half-way through. 

 After 15 minutes of grilling, you'll be ready to eat. 

Just as a note, the recipe said to leave the heat on under the ribs, so ours got a little toasty on top, but they were still probably the best ribs I've ever tasted.  The BBQ sauce alone is reason enough to eat these ribs.  Amazing!  Make sure you save the extra sauce to serve with the ribs.

I served these ribs with cornbread muffins, loaded mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob.  If you're going to use this cornbread recipe, bake the muffins in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

Forget Tony Roma's or Chili's!  These ribs blow those out of the water!