Orange-Teriyaki Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

My husband is the marinade guy. I think he has come up with 90% of the marinades we have tried over the past 10+ years. He is really creative, tries anything, and has made us some amazing meals. I keep telling him he needs to write a marinade cookbook! Last night I took over and tried something new (but yes, I did ask his advice as I was mixing and creating!).

I planned on grilled chicken kabobs, and after creating and smelling the marinade, it was an easy decision that I'd be including pineapple and red onions on those skewers. There are so many flavors in this - bright citrus from the orange juice, sweet and salty flavors from the teriyaki, and so many other layers from the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.

My favorite thing about this marinade, besides the flavor it gave to the chicken, is how it caramelized when grilled. Look how beautiful these are with all of those colors and caramelization -

You can use any veggies you want, but I highly recommend including pineapple and red onion. Everything else is up to you, but in my opinion, the more colors the better! I just love pretty food.

This is easily a weeknight meal. The chicken marinates all day or overnight, you can chop all your veggies ahead of time, and then it's the 5 minute task of assembling the skewers while your grill heats followed by 15 minutes of grilling. I think brown rice would go nicely with this, but we had plenty just with the chicken and all of the veggies.

Before we get to the recipe, I have to share these 2 pics. I took advantage of the filtered sunlight in my backyard to snap some pics before bringing the food in the house. First, my wiry little puppy got in a shot, so of course my daughter had to get in one as well!

My 2 sweet girls :)

Orange-Teriyaki Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients (for 4 large skewers)

• 1/4 c teriyaki sauce
• 1/4 c orange juice
• 1/8 c olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp ginger (I buy the jarred ginger, but fresh would be great as well!)
• Optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, for heat
• Dash of black pepper
• 2 chicken breasts cut into cubes
• Veggies, chopped into cubes of similar sizes; I used several pieces of pineapple, 1/2 of a red onion, 1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 1/3 each green and red pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 4 long skewers (I use metal skewers; if you use wood, soak them in water for 30 minutes first to avoid burning/scorching)

Directions

• In a bowl, mix the teriyaki, orange juice, oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and salt. 
• Pour over the chicken in a ziploc bag. Marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours (overnight ok). 
• Heat your grill to high.
• Assemble the skewers using 4-5 pieces of chicken per skewer and alternating veggies. You want to pack them tightly so they don't spin when you turn them on the grill. Season lightly with salt and pepper. 
• Grill until cooked, approximately 15 minutes, turning every few minutes.
• Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Tequila Lime Grilled Flank Steak

This summer we have been all about grilled meat, chicken or fish with simple salads and grilled veggies. One of my husband's favorites is grilled flank steak. We have had it several times over the past few months, but the one he made last week was by FAR the best! You HAVE to try this marinade!

He created one of his amazing marinades using mostly tequila and lime. He let it marinate overnight for a total of 20 hours and man did that steak take on some amazing bright and zesty flavors!

He takes great pride in his grill marks. Halfway through cooking on one side, he will turn the meat 90 degrees to get those beautifully crossed grill marks. And since we both like our steak cooked differently - I prefer medium well (I know, I know - I'm working on that!) whereas he prefers medium - this flank steak was perfect because the edges cooked a touch more for me, so we were both happy.

This was a huge piece of steak - look at the shape on this thing!

This marinade is so simple - you have to try it. I will file this recipe under to many categories - summer cookout, entertaining/dinner party, easy weeknight meal, summer meal and makes great leftovers. On day 2, put some of the sliced steak over a salad for lunch, or make tacos, quesadillas, or fajitas.

Enjoy!

Tequila Lime Grilled Flank Steak
Original Recipe by Jon of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 2-lb flank steak
• 1/4 c Olive oil
• 1.5 oz Tequila
• 3 Cloves of garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lime
• A few pinches each salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Mix all of the marinade ingredients. Place flank steak in a gallon Ziploc bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over the steak and marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours. 
• Heat grill to high
• Remove steak from the marinade and place on a hot grill. Be careful - the tequila in the marinade will make your grill flare up a bit!
• Grill 8 minutes per side turning 90 degrees halfway through for good grill marks
• Let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain

Yakitori Chicken with Cold Veggie and Soba Noodle Bowls

Grilled chicken with a cold salad has become a staple in our house during the hot weather.  We have made a lot of variations of this meal, and our most recent may just be one of my favorites - Yakitori chicken over a cold veggie and soba noodle salad with a hoisin-soy dressing.

Yakitori chicken is a grilled and skewered chicken and is so simple, with only three ingredients in the marinade. Since the chicken is in chunks and skewered, it cooks faster than a large breast. You also get a lot of great caramelized bits from the sugar in the marinade. 

Once the chicken is cooked, everyone can put together their own bowl. While my husband skipped the noodles (he has been so good about avoiding carbs most nights! I don't have his will power..), I filled my bowl with all of the veggies and some noodles. And of course my daughter could not turn down pasta. 

The dressing was sweet and savory and tied everything together without masking the amazing flavor from the Yakitori marinade. Again, a great weeknight meal that comes together quickly, especially if you do some prep ahead of time. 

Yakitori Chicken with Cold Veggie and Soba Noodle Bowls Marinade recipe: Oishii Bowl recipe an original creation by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes
• Marinade: 
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 c mirin
• 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 5 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces each
• 6 bamboo skewers
• Chopped romaine lettuce or Napa cabbage (or both!)
• Chopped carrots
• Bean sprouts
• Cucumbers, chopped
• Cilantro
• Broccoli florets
• Red bell pepper, chopped
• Mushrooms, sliced
• Radishes, sliced
• Sugar snap peas
• Cooked and chilled soba noodles
• Dressing; mix together: 
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce

Directions

• Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour them over the chicken in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 
• Soak your skewers in water for 20 minutes before you are ready to cook.
• Put your chicken on skewers with green onions between every 2 cubes of chicken. Grill until done (internal temp of 165). 
• Put noodles in one side of a bowl and create your salad on the other. Top with the dressing and grilled chicken. 

Grilled Chicken BLT Salad with a Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette and Blue Cheese

We're back to grilling season here in the Northeast! Jon will grill year-round, but once the warm weather hits it makes grilling so much more enjoyable. He can actually stay outside and enjoy a beer while grilling instead of having to run back in the house.

The grilling bug has officially hit so last week when I asked Jon what he wanted for dinner I should have known to expect "something on the grill" as his answer. Fine with me - keep the mess outside! Then he asked for grilled chicken and salads and I immediately thought about the gourmet medley of tomatoes I just bought that morning. And what goes better with greens and tomatoes than bacon? I decided to make a BLT salad with a warm bacon dressing.

I kept the chicken simple with just some garlic, onion, salt and pepper and a quick zest of lemon rind before going on the grill. I also kept the salad simple - I chose spinach as my greens (romaine for Jon), some grilled red onion, fresh multi-colored tomatoes, cucumbers and green onions. There was a reason for keeping everything simple - this dressing. It is seriously over the top good - I mean, it's a dressing pretty much made from bacon and its grease, how couldn't it be? Then you get the tang of balsamic and the bite of the blue cheese all poured over the crisp, cold salad. Heaven!

Grilled Chicken BLT Salad with a Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette and Blue Cheese
Original recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Makes 3 salads

The Chicken

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest from 1/2 of a lemon
• Squirt of lemon juice

Mix all of the ingredients and pour over the chicken for 2 hours. Grill until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

The Salads

• 1/2 of a red onion cut into rings
• Greens of your choice; we used Romaine lettuce and spinach. 
• Tomatoes, chopped; I used a medley of yellow, campari, grape and kumatos (brown tomatoes)
• Green onions, chopped
• Cucumber, chopped
• Crumbled blue cheese

Divide ingredients among bowls. Top with the sliced chicken and dressing and blue cheese. 

The Dressing

Source: Guy Fieri

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. 
• Add the onions and bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy, about 6 minutes. 
• To the same pan add the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Grilled Lemon-Oregano Chicken and Chopped Vegetable Salad

Lemons inspired part of this meal. I had a bunch to use, so I came up with a lemon, oregano and garlic marinade for chicken. And on a 90 degree day, grilled chicken over a crisp and cold salad is the perfect dinner for me.

My other inspiration came from 2 ciabatta rolls sitting on my counter. My favorite thing in a summer salad - grilled ciabatta bread. Cut a ciabatta loaf (or a roll for a smaller salad/less people), spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred to your liking and then slice into bite sized pieces.

Grilled Lemon Oregano Chicken and Chopped Vegetable Salad

The Marinade

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 c light olive oil
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano

Combine all ingredients and pour over the chicken. Marinate, covered, in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours.  Heat grill to high and grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving over the salad.

The Salad

You can use whatever you'd like. My salad consisted of:

• Mixed greens
• Sliced red, green, orange and yellow peppers
• Chickpeas
• Marinated artichokes
• Cucumbers
• Fresh mozzarella
• Fresh basil
• Grilled ciabatta bread.
• Salt and pepper

I didn't need to add dressing - the marinated artichokes, basil, salt and pepper added enough flavor.

Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken

When I'm browsing through recipes pinned to Pinterest, I always stop when I see bacon in the title. That's where I found this one, and it led me to the blog Host the Toast.

I didn't fully read the recipe at first... I just drooled over the pictures and couldn't wait to taste this chicken. I finally put them on the menu a few weeks ago and that's when I read the recipe to make my shopping list.

I've used bacon in cooking a lot and sometimes it's used more as a garnish, sometimes I render the fat to give that smoky-bacon flavor, or sometimes it's a big part of the dish. This recipe uses bacon in a way I haven't before. You actually grind the raw bacon into a paste and use it as a rub on your chicken. Interesting, right??

I have to admit that while I was making this raw rub I was really not sure. I mean, it doesn't look that appetizing, but I kept on going. The rubbed chicken looked even less appetizing but trust me - just keep going. The bacon kind of melts in to the chicken on the grill and gives it the best flavor. Top that with the bourbon BBQ sauce and the chicken is perfectly sweet, salty and smoky.

 

Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken

Source: Host the Toast

Ingredients

16 oz barbecue sauce

¼ cup bourbon

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces (I used thighs and breasts)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons paprika

3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

6 slices raw bacon, cut into small pieces

Added: 1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

(slightly modified)

• In a food processor, combine the kosher salt, white pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, and bacon. Pulse until completely smooth. I had to add some oil slowly to get more of a paste consistency.
• Put the chicken pieces on skewers (pre-soaked skewers if they are wooden) and then rub generously with the bacon mixture. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the fridge.
• In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce and bourbon. Mix well.
• Light the grill and heat to medium-high
• Place the kebabs on the preheated grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until nearly cooked through.
• Brush the kebabs with the bourbon barbecue sauce and cook for an additional minute on each side.
• Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce.

   

Grilled Orange-Soy Chicken

Last week we had our first peek at spring and it was glorious! 70s, sunny and low humidity - I could take a few more months of this before the heat and humidity settle in.

Grilling last week was a must so I put together a quick marinade for chicken. It was sweet and spicy with hints of citrus - just perfectly light and fresh for a warm day.

Grilled Orange-Soy Chicken
Original recipe

For 2 large boneless chicken breasts:

• 1/4 c light olive oil
• 1/4 c orange juice
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cover and place in fridge for 8 hours until ready to grill.

Jon grilled the chicken over medium high heat until the internal temperature reached 165. The marinade caramelized on the chicken a bit, creating a crispy glaze, and the chicken stayed moist on the inside. We let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before eating it.

Enjoy!

Spicy Ginger Garlic Grilled Shrimp over a Crunchy Romaine Salad

I think last week may have been our final week of warm, summer-like temperatures. We have had an amazing fall, and have been enjoying spending evenings outdoors cooking and playing without needing jackets - I love it!

Even though it's getting cooler we will still grill. Heck, Jon will even shovel a path to the grill if we have snow on the ground. But luckily last week he didn't have to do that, and was able to stand outside in the warm sunshine while grilling up some shrimp.

I picked up some shrimp for Jon not knowing what I'd do with it until I realized I was craving this Grilled Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing that I first made last year. I used it as my inspiration for this Spicy Garlic Ginger Grilled Shrimp over a Crunchy Salad. I created a spicy marinade, used the dressing recipe from the original salad, added some rice noodles, and changed up the salad ingredients a bit.

Jon liked this one - great flavor, a bit of heat, quick and easy, and healthy. I'd say that's a successful meal. I made the same dinner for myself but used a chicken breast instead of shrimp.

Spicy Ginger Garlic Grilled Shrimp over a Crunchy Romaine Salad
Inspired by: Grilled Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

The Shrimp

• 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled (I used 21-25 count shrimp)
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp ginger, minced
• 2 quick dashes rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce, depending on how much heat you want
• Before cooking: juice from 1/2 of a lime
• Skewers

Directions:

• Mix the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce. Pour over the shrimp and marinate in the fridge for 4+ hours.
• When you are ready to cook, skewer the shrimp and squeeze lime juice over them. (note - I used metal skewers. If you are using wooden skewers make sure you soak them in water for 20-30 minutes so they do not burn.)
• Heat a grill to 400 degrees. Place skewers on the grill and cook approximately 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
• Remove shrimp from the skewers and place atop the salad.

The Salad

• 4 c chopped Romaine lettuce (makes 2 salads)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced into rounds
• A few slices of red onion
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• Cooked rice noodles
• Other items you could add: fresh bean sprouts, cooked pasta noodles, baby corn, cilantro, cucumbers, radishes.

Mix all of the veggies and toss with the dressing. Plate the rice noodles and put the salad on top. Top with the shrimp (or chicken)/


The Dressing
Mix these ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp light olive oil
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Pinch or 2 of sugar
• 2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Sriracha sauce
• Few dashes each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

     

Soy-Sesame Grilled Chicken over Vegetable Lo Mein

Last week I picked up a bag of broccoli slaw in the market as well as some Napa cabbage. Originally I planned on tossing it with the Sweet and Spicy Lime Vinaigrette from this Napa Cabbage and Cucumber Slaw. But then I decided that I felt like having some carbs with dinner so I picked up a package of Chinese style noodles.

I threw together a quick stir fry using the broccoli slaw and some peppers, and topped it with grilled marinated chicken. The sauce I used for the stir fry is one that has become my go-to sauce. I originally used it in this Veggie Lo Mein, a recipe I made as part of a blog swap from the blog Oishii Food. I think the ratio of rice vinegar to soy sauce, as well as the addition of Sriracha, is what makes this sauce so good. The first time I had it I felt like I was eating my favorite dishes from the awesome restaurants in Philadelphia's Chinatown.

The little one loved this dinner and we didn't have any leftovers! I usually cook way too much food so it's rare that we don't have leftovers.

The Marinade

For 2 chicken breasts; amounts are approximate

• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 hour before cooking add juice from 1/2 of a lime

Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken breasts. Let marinate at least 8 hours.

The Stir-Fry

Source: original recipe using the sauce from Oishii Food's Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 sm onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/2 bag broccoli slaw
• 1/2 sm head of Napa cabbage, chopped into long pieces (explain how to chop)
• Handful chopped cilantro
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 8 oz noodles

     Sauce:

• 3 to 4 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha
• 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp mirin
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste (omitted this time)

Directions

• Grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees
• Cook the noodles according to the package directions (I try to time this so the noodles are done as soon as the veggies are done cooking, so I drop my noodles when I turn on my wok/pan)
• Heat veg oil in a large wok or sauté pan
• Add onions and garlic, sauté 2 min
• Add jalapeno and red pepper, sauté 2 min
• Add broccoli slaw and Napa cabbage and stir to combine
• Add sauce and bring to a simmer. Tilt your pan to the side, moving all of the veggies out of the way, and allow the sauce to simmer on it's own so it thickens a bit.
• Add your cooked noodles, green onions and cilantro.
• Top with grilled chicken and more green onions and cilantro

Grilled Chicken with a Sweet and Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Reduction

I love grilling meats, but the one thing I miss is being able to create a great pan sauce from the drippings you get with stove top cooking. Often when we grill chicken I'll make some sort of dipping sauce, reduction, chimichurri or glaze to go with it.

Most recently I was inspired by a big red pepper I spotted when I got my chicken out of the fridge. I decided to roast the pepper and make some sort of sauce out of it. I didn't want a cream sauce, but something lighter that would really let the taste of the roasted red pepper shine. And I had already marinated my chicken, so I wanted something to complement the flavors in my marinade.

I made this one up as I went along, and for my first try, I think I did pretty well! Next time I might chop the peppers smaller and use just a bit more red pepper flakes for heat. I loved the consistency of the sauce - thick and almost syrupy from letting it reduce for a while. The balsamic vinegar I used added a nice tang against the sweetness of the peppers.

 

The Marinade

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp. white wine
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix all of the ingredients except the lemon and pour over the chicken (in a shallow dish or Ziploc bag). Let marinate in the fridge at least 8 hours. 1 hour before cooking, add the lemon juice.

Grill the chicken over medium high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165. Top with the sauce.

The Sauce

To roast your pepper, place it on a hot grill until charred on all sides. Place into a paper bag and roll the top to close it, or put in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let the pepper sit for 15 minutes to allow the skin to sweat. After 15 minutes remove it from the bag/bowl. Peel the skin off and then slice the pepper into strips, discarding the seeds and stem.

• Just a touch of olive oil
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a small sauce pan. Add the garlic, sauté 2 minutes. Add the peppers, broth, vinegar, s&p and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and then lower heat. Let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.

           

Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Crema - Bahama Breeze Copycat

My friend Jen has a favorite dish from Bahama Breeze - Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Crema - and I have been promising her that I'd try to recreate it. I had never had the dish, so I had to figure it out from her description and from reading the menu online.

I tried to find a copycat recipe, but could only find one for the cilantro crema, the part of the dish I already had some ideas on based on some things I had made in the past. So I experimented with the chicken, served it over mashed potatoes just like at the restaurant, and she said it was really good! I liked it as well - light and bright, fresh, and easy!

I made creamy mashed potatoes with some cheddar cheese mixed in, but come to think of it, these Roasted Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes would have been perfect with this chicken! Next time.

Here is what I did -

The Chicken

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• Juice from 1/2 of a lime
• 1/4 c tequila

Mix the oil, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice and tequila. Pour over chicken in a shallow dish or Ziploc bag. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Note, if you do choose to marinate it longer, add your lime juice 4 or less hours from cooking.

Grill the chicken - cook each side for 3 minutes over high heat. Lower heat to medium and cook one more time per side until cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165). Transfer to a plate to rest for a few minutes.

The Cilantro Cream
Adapted from: Eating Well

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced scallion greens

1 teaspoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper chile

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Blend everything in a bowl using a handheld immersion blender, or a food processor, until smooth. Push through a sieve to remove any chunks. Chill until ready to serve.

The Potatoes
I grew up watching and helping my dad make mashed potatoes, so never really followed a recipe. Potatoes just need to be mixed and tasted again and again, adjusting as you go, until you reach the desired creaminess, saltiness, and overall flavor. For this dish, this is what I did:

• 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• Approximately 3/4 c of whole milk (have some extra on hand)
• Approximately 4 tbsp butter, softened
• Salt to taste (I probably use 2 tbsp - just keep adding slowly and tasting)
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes until tender; drain and return to the pot. Slowly add the milk and butter, mixing with a hand mixer. Add the cheese and continue to mix. Start to season with salt as you mix, continuously tasting and adjusting. Add more milk if needed, and adjust salt.

Hello Spring! Let's get grilling - Grilled Chicken and Romaine

Spring has sprung! Well, according to the calendar it has, but it's not feeling much like spring here in the Northeast right now. We did have a little taste of it about a week ago though - what a tease!

Before I knew we were going to have such nice weather I had planned on roasting chicken, but then I saw that it was going to be 65 and sunny and I immediately told Jon he was grilling. Now, we grill year round, but there is something special about the first time you can grill on a nice, spring like day. You can  actually stand outside and tend to your grill instead of running in as soon as you get things going. Even better, our little one was beyond excited to run around outside while her daddy was grilling. This summer is going to be so much fun with her!

The warmer weather makes me want to eat lighter, so I chose chicken and romaine lettuce to go on the grill - if you haven't tried grilled romaine lettuce, you must! It's my favorite way to eat it. I thought about making this Grilled Romaine with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette and Blue Cheese but then found this recipe for Chicken Skewers with Grilled Romaine on the Food Network web site. It looked easy, light, and I liked that you made a dressing that was used as both the marinade for the chicken and the dressing for the romaine. Besides the time Jon spent on the grill, I think I only spent 10 minutes between trimming the chicken, mixing the dressing, and prepping the romaine.

Instead of making chicken skewers we just grilled chicken breasts. Jon grilled them perfectly, and they really held a lot of flavor from the marinade. The grilled romaine was wilted and charred just enough - smoky and charred but still with some crunch. I'll be putting this one back on the menu again when we're looking for something light, quick, and easy. I think it would even be great to make some extra and chop it up for salads to enjoy for lunch the next day.

Grilled Chicken and Romaine

Source: Adapted from The Food Network

Ingredients

1/3 c olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 small shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 heads of Romaine lettuce, cut in half lengthwise

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, shallot, garlic, red pepper flake, and a pinch of Kosher salt
• Place chicken in a Ziploc bag or shallow dish. Pour half of the dressing over the chicken, making sure it is all covered, and let it sit, covered, in the fridge for several hours (the longer the better).
• Drizzle the romaine lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining dressing (note - NOT the dressing that was mixed in with the chicken, but the other half of the dressing you did not use) over the romaine.
• Heat your grill, add the chicken and grill until the internal temperature reaches 170. When you are grilling the chicken, don't flip it around too much. Start it on one side, flip once, then flip to each side just one more time. When the chicken is done, remove it from the grill and tent with foil.
• Add the romaine to the grill and cook 3-4 minutes until wilted and charred.
• Before serving, sprinkle the romaine with the Parmesan cheese.

 

 

Chipotle and Citrus Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Jon is always creating fabulous marinades for pork, chicken, and beef. I usually don't even search for marinade recipes - I just tell him what flavors I'm going for, or what I'd like to serve as sides, and he creates something that pairs perfectly.

However, when I saw this recipe in my Google Reader for Chipotle and Citrus Pork Tenderloin on Elly Says Opa, I knew we had to try it. Jon's dad was in town for the weekend, and my parents were also coming over, so it was the perfect time to try something new (I love that my parents enjoy trying all of the recipes I test!). Elly seared her pork on the stove and then finished it in the oven, but we decided to grill the pork.

 I marinated the pork for about 6 hours and it really took on great flavors. Smoky, sweet, and a bit tangy all at the same time. I served it with a Cilantro Rice dish that I'll blog about soon!

The Marinade (I doubled this)
Whisk together:

• 1/4 cup orange juice (about 1 orange)
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice (1-2 limes)
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 chipotle in adobo, minced*
• 2 tsp. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles)*
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom (I didn't have this so I used cinnamon instead)

 *Elly recommends using more chipotle peppers or adobo sauce for a spicier version

I used two 1 lb pork tenderloins. I placed them in a Ziploc bag and poured the marinade over them. I marinated the pork for about 6 hours, turning them around two or three times.

Grilling the Pork
When ready to cook, heat grill to high. Sear the pork on all sides, and then place foil on the grill and put the pork on the foil and loosely close it (this is a new method Jon has played with over the past several months that he really likes - the pork stays so juicy). Cook until the pork's internal temperature reaches 150 degrees (about 20-30 minutes). Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Grilled Beef Negimaki

A few years ago Jon made Beef Negimaki, Japanese Beef and Scallion Rolls, for the first time. We have made it several times since, and last week decided to try cooking on the grill.

For the instructions on how to prep and roll the beef, as well as the marinade ingredients, click here. The key to being successful with these rolls is to pound the meat evenly. Instead of a small meat pounding tool, Jon prefers to use a small frying pan to pound the meat. Place plastic over the meat before pounding it.

Jon cooked these on the grill to medium. In the meantime, I took the marinade and brought it to a boil on the stove, then lowered it to a simmer and let it reduce for about 8 minutes. It made the perfect sauce to be poured over the rolls.

Recipe Swap: Yakitori

I love the Blogger's Choice them in the Taste of Home Cooking Recipe Swaps. It is when you are given another blog, and you can cook any recipe in that blog.

This time I was given the blog Oishii and I can't tell you how excited I was! I knew right away that I had to make an Asian dish as the authors lived in Japan for a few years.

As I started to browse, I was checking off so many recipes that I decided to make 2 specifically for this swap. This first recipe is Yakitori, and I recognized it as something I have ordered in Japanese restaurants. The second recipe I chose was for Vegetable Lo Mein (see below post).

I was surprised at the simple ingredient list for the marinade - just 3 things in the marinade. But wow, the flavor these 3 simple things gave the chicken was incredible. Jon and I ate every last piece of chicken - delicious!!! And because of the sugar in the marinade, it caramelized while on the grill, making it sticky sweet. We loved this!

Here is the recipe. The original recipe calls for chicken thighs, but we used chicken breasts.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine)
• 1-2 TBS. brown sugar
• 5 green onions (thick green onions work best)
• 6-8 bamboo skewers

Directions

• Combine the soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar. Pour over the chicken either in a shallow dish or ziploc bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight. (I marinated the chicken for 8 hours)
• Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30-60 minutes before cooking.
• Slice the thick part of the green onions into 1-inch long pieces, reserving the thinner green part for another use. Set aside.
• Heat grill to high
• Assemble the yakitori. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade and put on the skewers, along with the green onion pieces. Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until chicken is browned and cooked through.

Grilled Sriracha Chicken

Over the past several years I have been using a lot of chili-garlic paste in my cooking adventures. I had heard a lot about sriracha but hadn't seen it in my market, only in restaurants. Finally, a few weeks ago, it appeared on the shelves and I think I let out a little gasp of excitement when I saw that clear squeeze bottle with the rooster on it.

This simple, spicy, vinegary, red condiment has so many uses and really packs a punch. Over the past 2 weeks I have used it while cooking three times, and look forward to discovering many new ways to incorporate it into our meals.

We first used it in a marinade based on this recipe for Oven Baked Sriracha Chicken from the blog So Tasty So Yummy. We have used other spicy ingredients in marinades (chili garlic paste, jalapenos, etc.) but the chicken or beef never really takes on a lot of the heat. Well, that's not the case when you use sriracha in a marinade - this chicken had the best flavor and was full of heat! 

I used the original recipe as inspiration for this marinade -

Ingredients

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/4 c hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tsp sesame oil

I marinated the chicken for about 6 hours, and Jon grilled it to perfection so it was nice and juicy inside. This gets a "definitely will make it again" from both of us!

Sweet and Spicy Marinade for Chicken

I didn't get any pictures of this one, but if you need to know, it looks like a piece of grilled chicken - perfect grill lines and great color.

I actually made this marinade, not Jon, and it was based on another marinade I created for beef a few years ago. It's bold, sweet, and spicy all at the same time.

I marinated the chicken for about 8 hours, but if you can do it overnight it will be even better.

The Marinade (for 3 chicken breasts; amounts are approximate)

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp cooking sherry
• 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 2 tsp hoisin
• 1 tbsp pineapple juice
• handful fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp siracha

Note - I made the marinade without the siracha and used that for my daughter's piece of chicken. Then I added in the siracha and used that for our marinade.

Monterrey Chicken

These days I'm all about doing everything on the grill and what a gorgeous weekend it was to do just that.

I found this recipe for Monterrey Chicken on the blog All Things Simple. The recipe calls for cooking the chicken on a George Foreman grill and then finishing it in the oven, but I decided to do it all outdoors on our grill. I put foil under the chicken for the "top and melt" portion of the recipe and it worked really well.

I followed the author's recommendation to marinate the chicken. One ingredient in her marinade was Montreal Steak Seasoning, but I haven't used that blend in years due to how salty it is. I looked up the ingredients and found this Montreal Steak Seasoning Recipe on Food.com. I omitted the salt from the mixture and instead seasoned the chicken with a touch of salt just before putting it on the grill. Below is my adaptation of the recipe.

Marinade for 2 chicken breasts:

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• I added a few shakes each the spices found in Montreal Steak Seasoning - garlic powder, coriander, black pepper, paprika, dried dill week, and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp barbecue sauce
• 2 tbsp Rotel, or canned diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions
• 2 tbsp real bacon bits or crumbled bacon
• 2 tbsp shredded cheese; I used cheddar

Directions:

• Marinate the chicken for a few hours (if you use the actual Montreal Steak Seasoning, don't marinate it as long due to the high amount of salt in the seasoning)
• Heat the grill to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and grill until cooked through (internal temperature of 170)
• Put foil under the chicken on the grill
• Top chicken with 1 tbsp each of barbecue sauce, tomatoes, green onions, bacon, and cheese.
• Close lid and let the ingredients "melt" together for about 4 minutes.

This chicken had so much going on, so many different flavors (I was actually wary about it at first) but surprisingly they all worked so well together. It sounds corny but each bite was like a bunch of flavors bursting in my mouth. Sweet, spicy, and tangy. I loved it!