Steak and Avocado

A couple of weeks ago my college boy was home for just a few days, between apartments. I planned a few meals I knew he would love and he actually prepared this one for me! What a treat. The taste of the steak and salsa is similar to this recipe, but the ingredients I loved most were the steak and avocado. The warm steak and creamy avocado, oh...yum. It was a combo I had never had before, but plan to make up for missing. If you like beef and you like avocado, you will love this one. I think you could use almost any steak, but make sure it's a quality cut, and nice and juicy. The flat iron steak I use for the Steak and Salsa Verde would be a nice, inexpensive alternative.

I found the recipe at Eating Well, and we followed it pretty closely except we grilled the steaks.

Steak with Pebre Sauce and Avocado

Sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla

1 medium-large tomato, seeded and diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 T. minced jalapeño (or serrano, we use jalapeño)

2 T. red-wine or cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 t. kosher salt

 Steak

3/4 t. paprika

3/4 t. ground cumin

3/4 t. dried oregano

3/4 t. kosher salt, divided

1/2 t. ground pepper

2 8- to 10-ounce New York strip (top loin) steaks, trimmed

2 t. canola oil

2 avocados, pitted and peeled

To prepare Pebre Sauce: 

Combine the onion, tomato, cilantro, jalapeño (or serrano), vinegar, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

To prepare steak: 

Mix paprika, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides of steaks.

Preheat outdoor grill. When grill is hot cook steaks over medium grill until done to desired doneness.

(Alternately: Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet, such as cast iron, over medium-high. Add the steaks and cook just until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the steaks 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare, depending on thickness.)

Transfer to a clean cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash avocados with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Carve the steak into thin slices. Serve with the avocado and Pebre Sauce.

Menu suggestion: serve with Roasted Sweet potatoes and scallions, and Peppercorn

Source: Eating Well

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Grilled Chicken with Caprese Salsa

This was a fabulous, simple dish. I should make it a Summer Supper, but I hesitate to relegate it to "summer only." If you grill at all during the other three months, this dish would be wonderful to have all year long. Cherry, or grape, tomatoes are available at the grocer all year, so why not? All of my children enjoyed it and it was super simple to make. I found the recipe here, but only (roughly) used the salsa recipe. I marinated the chicken in balsamic and olive oil, with a little salt and pepper -- just for a short while.

Grilled Chicken with Caprese Salsa

serves 6

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6 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if you have large chicken breasts, slice them in half lengthwise for two better proportioned pieces)

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (regular can be used but it will color the chicken dark)

1/4 cup light tasting olive oil

salt and pepper

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (or quartered if using large grape tomatoes) 

2 cups fresh mozzarella cubes (I used one large ball and diced it in 1/2 inch cubes) 

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar (I used regular for the salsa because I think it has a richer flavor) 

1-2 garlic cloves, minced (to taste -- I like less)

1 t. kosher salt 

1/2 t. pepper

Mix together the first measures of vinegar and oil. Place chicken in a glass or ceramic dish (or disposable zipper bag) and pour mixture over chicken. Salt and pepper each side. Let sit for 30 minutes or so to marinate.

When ready to grill, preheat grill.

Meanwhile, mix together all salsa ingredients. Let sit at room temperature for a short while (if you make ahead, chill until 30 minutes before serving). 

Grill chicken until done throughout and remove from grill. Serve hot chicken with salsa on top.

Serving suggestions: Roasted corn, sliced watermelon or bing cherries

Steak Seasoning

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I can not explain my lack of posting here lately, except I feel pretty yucky and I have no energy. No particular reason except maybe the summer doldrums. I'm also worried about my kids (yeah, who isn't?) and I'm not up to coping well with life. I'm sure it's just a phase and I'm holding out hope that when the first brisk fall wind comes a blowing, I'll perk right up. In the meantime, I'm lying low, doing everything that needs to get done, with a little less oomph.

I will tell you that this steak seasoning perked me up the other night. My third son requested steak for his birthday dinner on Monday -- Filet Mignon, no less. While normally I allow Filet Mignon to stand on its own, I just wanted to jazz it up a smidge. I found this recipe online -- supposedly the seasoning Outback Steakhouse uses. I have never been to Outback, so I have no idea if it is authentic, but it tasted really, really good and jazzed up those filets just right. I altered the recipe I found for less salt and less cayenne and omitted both coriander (which I can't stand) and tumeric (which I didn't have) and doubled it for seven small filets. They were cooked to perfection -- medium -- and very, very tasty. I imagine this seasoning would be tasty even on hamburgers, however. You could mix up a nice big jar and use it on everything you grill.

Steak Seasoning

1 1/2 t. salt
2 t. paprika
1 t. freshly ground black pepper (it's important that it be freshly ground)
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
 

Mix all ingredients in a small glass jar or shaker. Sprinkle over both sides of steak before grilling and grill to desired doneness.

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Summer Supper #4

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The grill is getting quite a workout so far this summer, and with delicious results. Note to self: get a propane back-up -- nothing worse than running out of gas halfway through the cookout.

This recipe was a huge hit again with the menfolk. I enjoyed it, but I'm not really a dark meat eater, so though I ate my share, I ate in moderation (always a good thing!). I think the next time I make it I'll prepare a few boneless breasts, even though I have a feeling they won't soak up the marinade quite as well as the thighs did. The recipe for the chicken came from Christy at The Girl Who Ate Everything. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly except, knowing that the marinade gets discarded after the chicken soaks, I just couldn't "waste" 2 cups of soy sauce -- that's like more than a whole bottle. Besides, I could see my little pile of chicken thighs and I knew that I didn't need all that liquid. As it turned out, exactly half the marinade quantity was enough to completely submerge all the chicken -- any more than that would have been a waste. Thus, I have halved the recipe for posting here. In order to not waste the extra coconut milk (most cans are 14 oz.), substitute it for some of your cooking water for the rice -- it adds some creaminess that you'll enjoy.

For the grilled veggies and pineapple, just cut some veggies (I used red onion, red peppers and zucchini as well as fresh pineapple) into 1 inch pieces, or 1/2 inch slices for the zucchini and wedges for onion, skewer them and grill them right next to the chicken. It helps to spray the skewers with olive oil to keep them from sticking.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

serves 6 to 8

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3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 cup water

3/4 cup brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
2 T. finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 t. sesame oil
6 oz. ounces coconut milk

Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.

Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. (put the veggies on the same time as the meat).

Serve with grilled veggies and pineapple over a platter of coconut rice and garnish with green onions.

Source: modified from The Girl Who Ate Everything 

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Summer Supper #2

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My second summer supper of the season is Chicken Fajitas and Peppercorn. Chicken Fajitas are a favorite in our house, but they always seem to require a lot of work. Like with tacos, I always feel obliged to offer a huge array of toppings, plus a side of rice and refritos, and then, suddenly, it's a big deal. For this meal, I simplified my toppings and sides, and every one was happy with them just the way I served them. I started the meat marinating in the afternoon, but my chicken breasts were frozen, so they thawed in the marinade on the counter. The marinade is really only a few ingredients, so it was not a big deal to get them started. The Peppercorn is a quick and easy side for grilled meat, but was wonderful on top of the meat inside a warm corn (or flour) tortilla. Topped with sour cream, a little jarred salsa and paired with some fresh fruit -- it was a completely satisfying and easy summer supper.

Easy Chicken Fajitas and Peppercorn

serves 4 

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Fajitas:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic minced
1-2 t. cumin
2 T. fresh minced cilantro, if desired
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
corn or flour tortillas
sour cream
your favorite jarred salsa




Mix together olive oil, lime juice and spices. Place chicken breasts in plastic zipper bag and pour marinade over. Seal and let marinade for several hours (in the fridge unless chicken is frozen).

At dinner time, preheat grill. Drain off marinade and discard. Grill chicken until done. Let sit for 5 minutes and then slice thinly crosswise. Keep warm until ready to serve.


Serve on warm corn or flour tortillas with sour cream, peppercorn and salsa, if desired.




Peppercorn


1 T. olive or canola oil
12 oz. bag frozen corn
1 red or orange pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
6 green onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 t. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Lime (optional)

Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Heat oil in skillet. Add corn and peppers and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is hot and peppers are tender. Add green onions, garlic and cumin and stir, cooking until corn is cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze a half a lime over corn (if desired) and serve.


Serve this meal with some orange wedges, fresh berries or sliced watermelon for an easy and healthy summer supper.

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Summer Supper #1

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After my recent post about summer cooking I decided to take a look at the dishes I prepare in the summer, and find a way to make over the dishes we enjoy, making them simple to prepare on these hot summer days. I will share with you all the (successful) meals I makeover and hopefully we'll all have a cool, laborless summer of good eats.

It's just the first week of June and already the temps are in the mid 90s, so I not only don't feel like cooking, but I hardly feel like eating. I had a recipe for a Balsamic Steak I wanted to try, however, and I chose some other simple sides that made a quick and yummy meal. I altered the steak recipe to throw it on the grill and added a simple salad and Camp Potatoes for a yummy, super simple supper . Everything that is cooked goes on the grill and it took no longer than five minutes to prep any item.

Though I have listed exact ingredients and preparation methods, these are such simple recipes they can be enjoyed the way you like them. Add some other veggies to the salad if you like, or some Blue Cheese sprinkles for a little extra tang, or some croutons for crunch. And add whatever spices you like to the potatoes -- paprika is nice and mild, cayenne gives them a nice kick, or thyme is wonderful to go with some grilled chicken.

The skirt steak is a very tender cut -- I really prefer it over flank, but my grocer only had flat iron when I was there -- also a really great tender cut.

Balsamic Steak and Salad with Camp Potatoes

serves 4-6

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Steak:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 1 T. Worcestershire sauce

 2 t. dark brown sugar

 1 garlic clove, minced

 1-2 pound skirt steak (I used a 1.5 pound flat iron)

 1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

 

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak, turning to coat; seal and marinate at room temperature 25 minutes, turning once (or for several hours in the fridge). Remove steak from bag; discard marinade.

Preheat grill. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Add steak to grill and turn down to medium low; cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan and cover with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices and serve next to or on top of salad.

Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce, cut and washed

several thin slices red onion, quartered

2 Roma tomatoes washed and halved and sliced thinly

Dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t. kosher salt
3 T. white balsamic vinegar
3 T. olive oil oil
1/8 t. black pepper

Place lettuce, tomatoes and onion in a salad bowl.
Mix all dressing ingredients in a jar.
Shake for a minute to completely blend. Toss salad just before serving.

Camp Potatoes 

serves 4-6

4 to 5 large Idaho potatoes, washed and sliced thin

1/4 red or Vidalia onion, sliced thin and quartered

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

several teaspoons of melted butter (optional)

sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Preheat grill.

Spread a large sheet of aluminum foil on your work space (or smaller sheets for individual servings).

Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of oil.

Place a layer of potatoes (about half) on foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with half the onions and the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the remaining onions. Drizzle with several teaspoons of oil. Fold up top and sides of foil to make a sealed packet.

Place on grill and cook on low for 40 to 50 minutes. Check potatoes to see if they are fork tender (the ones on the bottom will get a lot of color, but that's o.k.)

Remove from packet (or serve from the packet for really easy clean up). Taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Drizzle with melted butter and/or cheese for extra yum.

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Saturday Night Vidalia Onion

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This recipe's popularity in my house never fails to make me laugh. These children, who complain about little bits of onion in so many dishes, fight over big chunks of sweet and savory onion to eat with their ground steak burgers. Go figure!

This recipe is from Paula Deen, and I always prepare them with ground steak burgers. They make what is, in essence, a burger without a bun, a special treat. Granted the meat is usually a cut higher than hamburger, like ground sirloin, but really the onion is what makes it special. A bite of burger with a bit of onion -- YUM! It's also just as easy as can be -- a few minutes of prep and about an hour cooking and you're done. You can make these on the grill, and they are delish if the grill gets them a little charred on the inside, but I don't usually want to babysit the grill for that long, so I mostly use the oven. If you don't want to make five onions, just remember one tablespoon butter and one boullion cube (or one teaspoon beef base) for each onion.

Saturday Night Vidalia Onion
serves five

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5 large Vidalia onions or comparable sweet onion
5 beef bouillon cubes (or 5 t. beef base)
5 tablespoons butter
pepper, to taste

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill (or preheat oven to 350 degrees F).

Trim a slice from the top of each onion, and peel the onion without cutting off the root end. With a potato peeler, cut a small cone-shaped section from the center of the onion. Cut the onions into quarters from the top down, stopping within a half inch of the root end.

Place a bouillon cube (or beef base) in the center, slip slivers of butter in between the sections and sprinkle with pepper. Wrap each onion in a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.

Place the foil-wrapped onions directly onto the hot coals and cook for 45 minutes, turning every so often. These can also be baked in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes. Serve in individual bowls because the onions produce a lot of broth, which tastes like French onion soup.

Source: modified from the Food Network

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Chipotle Beef Stew -- Summer Version

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A few months ago I shared with you this yummy spicy beef stew recipe which we thoroughly enjoyed pretty much the way the recipe was written. But trying to serve this dish in the middle of the summer was not as easy. Winter squash is apparently only available in the winter around here. I made a snap decision at the grocery store, bought some very large sweet potatoes and then decided to prepare them on the grill -- making this a summer-friendly meal. The stew cooked on the stovetop, keeping the kitchen fairly cool (as opposed to heating the oven), and the potatoes and corn roasted on the grill.

My family enjoyed the flavor and texture of the sweet potato much more so than the squash (which is saying something because they really raved over this dish originally), and I really enjoyed preparing much of it outdoors.

I am re-posting the recipe with my summer changes. I altered the method of cooking the stew only slightly, braising the meat first and then cooking the stew on the stovetop, as well as using sweet potato halves instead of squash halves for the boats. If you would like to serve roasted corn with this dish, you can find the recipe here.

Chipotle Beef Stew and Sweet Potato Boats

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2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. beef for stew
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 chipotle pepper minced and 1 T. adobo sauce
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
3 large sweet potatoes, halved

1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small ripe avocado, cut into cubes, optional
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat and braise beef until browned. Season with salt and pepper as beef cooks. Add water, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, chipotle pepper, cumin. Cook stew over medium low heat for 2 hours, or until beef is tender and sauce is slightly thickened. Add water if necessary to keep sauce from cooking up.

Halfway through stew's cooking time, cut sweet potatoes lengthwise in half. Brush cut sides with olive oil. Place sweet potatoes on a preheated grill over low heat and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until tender when poked with a fork.

Place each sweet potato half onto serving plate. Top with equal amounts of beef mixture. Top with tomato and avocado, and sour cream, if desired. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Source: modified from the Food Network

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Grilled Sausage Tacos and Black Beans

When the weather turns warmer, I seize every opportunity to use the grill for cooking. Not only does grilling keep the kitchen cooler, but my family seems to enjoy the flavor of food off the grill more than if I had taken the same food from the stove. The same rule applies to food stuffed in between a soft, warm, flour tortilla -- the same food tastes better on a tortilla with guacamole and grilled peppers, than without. I use this thinkology to my favor by serving simple grilled and sliced chicken sausages with sauteed onions and peppers, guacamole on warm tortillas. With a side of black beans (or you can put them inside the tortilla, if you like), and some fresh fruit, it's an easy and nutritious summer meal.

No recipe is really necessary but I have written down the recipe for some easy black beans, as well as the ingredients and method I used for the "tacos." You are certainly not limited to chicken sausages (I like them because they are tasty and fairly nutritious). You could try chorizo or andouille for a little kick.

Alternately, you could add some Fried Potatoes to the meal instead of beans.

Grilled Sausage Tacos and Black Beans
serves 8

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two packages chicken sausages -- any flavor you like (I look for something with roasted garlic and/or roasted red pepper -- I can usually find this brand)
one green pepper, sliced
one red pepper, sliced
one sweet onion, sliced
1 T. olive oil

guacamole (my recipe here)
shredded cheese
sour cream
(whatever toppings you like for tacos or fajitas)
flour tortillas -- the small or medium size, at least two per person, warmed



Preheat outdoor grill.

Heat heavy saute pan over medium high heat on the stove. When hot, add oil and peppers and onions and saute until slightly browned and softened.

When grill is ready, grill sausages until hot (if sausages are not precooked, cook until completely done). Remove from grill. Slice crosswise on a diagonal. Serve with, warm tortillas, hot peppers and onions, and other desired toppings to make "tacos."




Black Beans

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1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies, drained (I use original flavor and save a little of the liquid for cooking)
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic and heat until garlic is warm and fragrant. Add beans and Rotel tomatoes, and a little of the tomato liquid or water. Simmer for about ten minutes, adding more liquid if necessary to keep beans from drying out. Add cumin, oregano and salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until beans are rather soft.

Shish Kabob

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Shish kabob is one of our favorite cookout meals. There is just something about skewering meat and veggies and cooking it all over a hot flame that says summer. The key to cooking shish kabob is placing "like items" on the skewers -- those that need to cook for the same amount of time. For example, you can't put potatoes and chicken on the same skewer because if you cook the chicken as long as you cook the potatoes, you'll have shoe leather for meat.

When I cook shish kabob, I like to skewer fingerling potatoes (or new potatoes) and onions (we like red), mushrooms, peppers, sometimes cherry tomatoes, and meat. You can see from the photos how I grouped mine together. I used the marinade below for the chicken -- just let it marinade for 4 to 6 hours. You can also brush it over the vegetables if you like, but be sure to prepare some just for the vegetables and don't use the leftover marinade that was on the raw chicken.




I placed the potatoes and onions on a preheated medium low grill for about 15 minutes before I added the veggie-only kabobs (use whatever veggies you like -- the sky is the limit). I added the chicken last, only cooking it until it was no longer pink inside.

Lemon-Herb Chicken Marinade

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⅓ cup olive or vegetable oil
¼ cup lemon juice, fresh or bottled
1 t. minced garlic
1½ t. dried thyme
4 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces
(you can also use chunks of steak)

Combine oil, juice, garlic and thyme. Place chicken in a shallow bowl or ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Drain marinade and skewer chicken onto metal or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo, soak them for 30 minutes prior to using so they won't burn up on the grill.

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Grilled Blackened Chicken and Pepper Corn

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Both of these dishes are favorites in my house, but when I made them together recently, I realized they were a perfect pair. The sweet and crunchy you get from the corn (with a hint of spicy from the jalapeno) paired with the hot and spicy from the chicken is an unbeatable summer pair. It's also a quick dish to throw together -- I keep the spices mixed in my spice cabinet, so all I have to do is sprinkle and heat up the grill. Just serve with a loaf of bread and some fresh fruit for a healthy, quick and tasty meal. You can sub out pork chops, steak or even burgers for the chicken for a variety of flavors.

Grilled Blackened Chicken

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1 1/2 T. paprika
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
1 T. dried thyme
1 t. black pepper
1 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
6 boneless chicken breasts

Mix spices in a resealable container. Sprinkle chicken pieces with seasoning (I usually use a whole recipe for 6 chicken breasts). Grill over a preheated medium hot grill until done.


Peppercorn
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1 T. olive or canola oil
12 oz. bag frozen corn
1 red or orange pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
6 green onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 t. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Lime (optional)

Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Heat oil in skillet. Add corn and peppers and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is hot and peppers are tender. Add green onions, garlic and cumin and stir, cooking until corn is cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze a half a lime over corn (if desired) and serve.

Serve over blackened chicken, if desired.

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Two Winning Sides

Last night's dinner was a huge hit with my family. When my youngest son said, "Mom, you have to make this broccoli more often," I almost choked on my own food! My high-schooler ate seconds of both sides, and there was actually no broccoli leftover -- unheard of in my house! Of course, both dishes had a bit of heat in them (and no one needed extra Tabasco), so I shouldn't be so surprised. The fact that it was a simple-to-prepare meal made it even better.

My meat dish was barbecued pork tenderloin -- a dish so simple you don't even need a recipe. When I brought my pork home from the store (a vacuum sealed pouch with two pork tenderloins inside), I removed them from the store packaging, placed them in a ziploc freezer bag, added about a cup of our favorite bottled BBQ sauce and about a teaspoon of garlic powder, sealed it up and froze it. It marinated while it was freezing and while it was thawing, so when it was grilled, it was tender and tasty.






This recipe is one that I created -- a spicy, roasted broccoli. The Italians use the word arrabiata, meaning angry, for very spicy foods, usually sauce. With the addition of crushed red pepper to my broccoli florets, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice when it's done, I created an angry broccoli that my kids inhaled!

Broccoli Arrabiata
serves 4-6

1 head fresh broccoli, rinsed, trimmed and cut into florets
cooking spray
1 T. light olive oil or canola oil
1 t. crushed red pepper
2 T. fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place broccoli in a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss with crushed red pepper.
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
Arrange broccoli on sheet and place in center of oven.
Cook for 15 minutes, stir and rearrange. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until broccoli is fork tender.
Place broccoli in serving bowl.
Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and salt to taste.

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This recipe was a creative use of barley that I found in the American Heart Association's Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook (creative title, eh?). Personally, I love barley, and I thought the use of cumin in the recipe would entice my family. Peach said it was the best thing she ever ate (maybe a little bit of an exaggeration), but the boys and Doug really liked it, too. It could hardly have been easier. I used long-cooking barley, which needs to cook for about 45 minutes, but the recipe calls for quick-cooking, so adjust if you use long-cooking. I also adjusted the recipe for 6 servings, and since most of my readers have large families, I am posting the adjustment below. You can find the original recipe (along with all the others in the book) here. I omitted the pecans because of nut allergies, but I think they would be very tasty -- as would chopped pistachios or sliced almonds.

Carrot and Barley Pilaf
6 servings

2 c. low-fat chicken broth (I actually used half chicken, half vegetable)
1 c. uncooked quick-cooking barley
1 t. olive oil
3 carrots, cleaned and shredded
3 green onions, sliced
3 T. toasted pecans, chopped
3/4 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Heat the broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in barley. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and barley is tender. Remove from heat, let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add carrots, onions and cumin, cooking for a few minutes until carrots are tender-crisp. Add vegetables to barley and stir with a fork. Salt and pepper and top with pecans or other nuts.

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Best Backyard Barbecue Chicken

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Most real barbecue chefs are very protective of their recipe. Some enter contest after contest in hopes of winning money for their secret method. And while my family thinks my recipe could win some dough, I'm not going out on the barbecue circuit anytime soon. I'm just glad they like it well enough to eat a whole big platter of legs and thighs when I serve it up for dinner.

My very secret (until now) barbecue recipe is a two-part thing. First you rub and bake, then you grill and sauce. It's a method I use on chicken, ribs, and chops. You could probably use it on a dirty boot and make it taste good (although I've never tried).

The rub is a good combination of basic spices that you most likely have on-hand all the time. I mix it up and keep it in a Mason jar in the spice cabinet. The sauce is a personal thing, in my opinion. If you have a sauce you like, use it. Mine is just a combination of prepared BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar. Quick and dirty, but with the flavors from the rub, I'm happy with it, and so is my hungry gang. The other night my husband ate five pieces of chicken for dinner. That's almost a whole chicken!

Best Backyard Barbecue Chicken
(or Ribs or Chops)

Dry Rub

4 T. paprika
1 T. cayenne pepper
2 T. salt
1 T. marjoram
2 T. granulated sugar
1 T. cumin
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. onion powder
2 T. chili powder
½ T. dry mustard
1 T. fresh ground pepper

Sauce

1 cup prepared barbecue sauce (I use Hunt's Original -- it's cheap and available)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
a squirt of mustard (that's about a teaspoon)

10 chicken drumsticks
and 5 thighs
or any combination of chicken pieces -- about 3 to 4 pounds
the rub and sauce will also cover about two slabs rubs or 10 chops



Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix rub ingredients.
Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces and trim fat with kitchen shears.
Rub chicken pieces with spice mix and place in a large roaster or casserole so that pieces are not touching. Roast, uncovered, for one hour. (If roasting ribs, roast a little longer, maybe 90 minutes. No need to precook chops -- just rub and grill, and baste when both sides are seared. Same with boneless chicken breasts.)

Mix sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup or bowl. No need to heat, but you can if you want.

Preheat grill. Transfer chicken pieces from roaster to grill and cook over medium heat until seared all over. Brush with sauce, close grill and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and brush with sauce on other side; close grill and cook for 5 minutes, watching for smoke to make sure fire doesn't flair. Continue until sauce is gone. Remove chicken from grill and enjoy.

Roasted Corn recipe found here.
Mexican Jumping Bean Slaw recipe found here.
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Cajun Burgers

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I am always looking for something to jazz up an ordinary dinner like grilled hamburgers. This recipe was simple, but definitely not ordinary. The key ingredient here is the special sauce. The kids and I recently had lunch at Cane's Chicken Fingers, and if you've ever eaten at Cane's, you know the sauce is key to the taste of those delicious chicken fingers. It has a little bit of a Cajun flair, and after doing a little research I found the reason is they originated in Louisiana.

I found many recipes for the sauce online, but most were missing something very important. I think without the Tony Chachere's creole seasoning it wouldn't be the same. My kids said mine was even better than Cane's. That's mighty sweet of them.

You can top this burger with anything you like -- lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, but make sure you don't skip the sauce.

Cajun Burgers
serves 6

2 pounds ground beef/round
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 t. onion powder
1 to 2 t. Creole seasoning salt (depending on how spicy you like your burger)
1/2 t. ground pepper

6 slices sharp cheddar cheese
hamburger buns
sliced tomato
lettuce leaves
onion slices
hamburger pickles

"Cane's" Sauce
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. Tony Chachere seasoning
dash Tabasco
pinch black pepper

Mix sauce ingredients thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill until ready to serve.

Mix ground beef with seasonings and combine thoroughly with your hands. Form into six large patties. Grill until desired doneness. Turn off grill and top with a slice of cheese. Cover and let cheese melt. Remove from grill.
Place burger on a bun and top with special sauce, and onions, pickles, tomato and lettuce -- whatever you like. You could even throw some pickled peppers on there.



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Teriyaki Burgers

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Back in the day, when we didn't have three large, teenage males to feed, we went out to dinner. Nothing fancy, but occasionally we would find ourselves out and about at dinner time and we'd stop someplace that offered free kids meals one night a week. Occasionally that was Red Robin. I enjoyed Red Robin because the food was pretty good, the kids enjoyed it, and it was loud enough that if they misbehaved, every one wasn't watching. Especially on kids night -- someone else's kid is always acting worse.

I haven't been to a Red Robin in probably 10 years. I'm sure Peach has never been. Such fun she's missing. One thing I remember from the menu, only because my husband ordered it every single time, is the Bonzai Burger. It's a teriyaki marinated burger, topped with cheese, grilled pineapple, lettuce and tomato. He fondly remembers it and when I suggested copying it, he was most pleased. He was even more pleased when I actually did copy it. He said it was even better than Red Robin's. Successful copycat. I have to thank Meemo, because when I Googled "Bonzai Burger recipe," her blog popped up and the recipe looked pretty authentic to me.

I changed the name to protect the copyright, but I am reposting Meemo's recipe almost exactly (her portions were really jumbo-sized, so I cut them back a little). When making these, plan ahead. The marinade not only has to do its work on the meat, but it has to cool after you cook it.

Teriyaki Burger
6 burgers

2 pounds ground beef, equally divided and formed into six patties

Marinade
1-3/4 c. water
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder


6 canned pineapple slices
6 slices cheddar cheese
6 sesame seed hamburger buns
mayonnaise
6 tomato slices
6 iceberg lettuce leaves

Combine all marinade ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Place burgers in a baking dish or a large storage container. Baste with marinade; flip and baste the other side (be sure to reserve some marinade for the pineapple slices). Cover container and refrigerate 4-12 hours. Place pineapple slices in a separate container with the remaining marinade, cover and chill.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Cook hamburgers 3 to 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. When you flip the burgers, add the pineapple to grill and cook until the grill marks show, turning once. About 1 minute before the burgers are done, place a slice of cheese on top of each patty to melt.

Spread mayonnaise on the top and bottom of each bun. Place hamburger patty on bottom bun and top with a tomato slice and a grilled pineapple slice on each. Cover with a lettuce leaf and place top bun on sandwich.


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Roasted Corn on the Cob

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With the abundance of fresh corn on the cob at the market (can't beat 10 for $2), we've been enjoying fresh corn a couple times a week. The kids beg me to roast it every time and Doug said he doesn't think we'll ever boil corn again. Probably not.

This is not really a recipe as much as a method. It's simple, keeps the kitchen cool, and is really delicious. We love the flavor grilling imparts to the corn, and it's fun to eat while holding the "husk handle." The only stipulation I make at our house is the corn must be eaten outdoors. The husks get charred and little flecks fly when you are peeling the corn. So, if you're not eating outdoors, make sure you peel the corn outdoors and remove the husks before bringing it indoors.

We use plain butter, salt and pepper, but you can jazz it up with chili powder, sour cream, lime juice --- whatever sounds good.

Roasted Corn

Directions: With a kitchen shears, trim hanging silks and extra long husk ends from the ends of each corn (do not peel them back -- the inside silks come off easily after it is cooked). Fill the sink with water and immerse the corns. Soak them for 30 minutes. During the last five minutes, preheat the grill. Remove the corn from the water and drain briefly over the sink. Transfer, in a large bowl, to the grill. Place corns on the grill over medium heat. Grill for 20 to 30 minutes, turning every five minutes or so to cook them all the way around (just grab a cold beverage and park yourself outside!). When time is up remove corns from the grill. Peel and eat. Yum! (And thank that farmer when you say your Grace!)



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A Greek Repast

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I saw some Chicken Gyros at Annie's Eats a couple weeks ago and I've been patiently waiting to try them. My kids were actually very anxious to try them also (a good anxious, not nervous anxious). So I put them on the menu last week and they were a huge hit. My kids all enjoyed them, I enjoyed them, and my husband positively enjoyed them, declaring the dinner to be in the "Top Ten" ever.

This was a very easy recipe also, especially since I subbed the strained yogurt with 2 % fat Greek yogurt. I've told you how much I love Greek yogurt, and it was a beautiful thing in the tzatziki sauce -- it was rich and creamy, but melted over the hot chicken and became part of the meat and bread. Yum! I made only one change to Annie's recipe. I sliced the chicken into strips (my chicken breasts were very large and I sliced each into about 8 slices) and marinated them that way. I think more surface area for the marinade made them super tasty and they were easy to serve because I didn't have to slice the breasts at the last minute. I grilled them, which made for easy clean-up.

I also had this Greek Salad from the Mennonite Girls on my list of recipes to try, and so I made it with the gyros. It was a good match. I modified it just a tad.

Chicken Gyros

For the tzatziki sauce:
16 oz. low fat plain yogurt (or use Greek yogurt and skip the straining steps)
1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Pita bread
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin

To make the tzatziki sauce, strain the yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl. Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible.

Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. (If desired, slice chicken breasts into 1-inch strips). Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler (or on the grill). Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. If using whole breasts, cut into strips.

Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

Greek Salad

1 bunch romaine or loose leaf lettuce, chopped
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c chopped green onions
12 pitted ripe olives
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/3 English cucumber, sliced
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped basil

Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

zest of one lemon

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Shake dressing ingredients in tightly covered container. Toss salad ingredients.
Pour dressing over top and toss to coat.

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Summertime Supper Homerun No. 2 -- Buttermilk Brined Chicken Legs

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I mentioned before that I love having a summertime supper line-up which I can use to make my menu. It's especially helpful when I check my grocery store flier (do you know many stores have their fliers online?) to see what's on sale. I just choose from my lineup to match the sale meat. Last week I tried a new recipe -- another buttermilk brined meat. This meal got a six thumbs up at the dinner table, and we especially enjoyed the new chicken recipe. It would be great cooked ahead of time and cooled to room temperature, or even chilled and eaten much later (think picnic or summer potluck). The chicken had so much flavor, and though it looks like it was overcooked, the color was just on the skin. Every piece was eaten -- no leftovers that night.

I served with it my Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Scallions, and a Creamy Spicy Kohlrabi Slaw -- recipe to come.

Buttermilk Brined Chicken Drumsticks

1 quart buttermilk
1/2 c. chopped shallots
5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 1/2 T. kosher salt
2 T. sugar
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. pepper
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks

In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, and pepper.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day.

Lift chicken from brine; discard brine.

Lay chicken pieces on a barbecue grill over medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill; close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning frequently, until browned on both sides and no longer pink at the bone, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Source: modified from Sunset

Summertime Supper Home Run

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The other night we had a typically summertime supper. Grilled meat, potato salad, baked beans, buttermilk biscuits. Yum. Two out of four recipes were new to me, so I was really pleased that they were hits -- two more dishes to add to the summertime lineup.

I really could have used more color on this plate -- note to self: serve tomatoes or something green next time.

The first one I'll post is the Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops. My oldest said that sounded "sketchy." He wasn't sure about soaking pork in "sour milk" for 24 hours. He changed his tune once he tasted them. I used regular old center cut chops, not a thick cut (like these gorgeous America's cut chops) because they were on sale -- definitely could have been overcooked. But with the buttermilk brine they were tender and tasty. The rosemary, sage and lemon zest were mellow -- not overdone at all, in fact I would maybe add a little more rosemary next time because we really like rosemary (maybe we should marry her! Haha!). I cut back a smidge on the salt because I thought 2 T. was too much -- 1 1/2 T was fine. Change noted below. I also cooked 8 chops instead of 4, which the recipe called for, and there was plenty of brine. Change noted.

Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops
serves 6 to 8

2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 T. kosher salt
2 T. sugar
1 T. grated lemon rind
1 t. chopped fresh rosemary
1 t. chopped fresh sage
8 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
2 t. freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl or lidded container;
stir or shake well to dissolve salt and sugar.
Pour over pork in a large dish;
cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, turning chops once.
Remove pork from brine; discard brine.
Pat pork dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle pork with pepper.

Grill over medium-high heat until done.

Source: myrecipes.com

The next recipe is a Roasted Potato Salad. I thought I would wing this one, but at the last minute I checked the Internet and I ended up using a recipe from the Food Network as the base for this recipe. The jury is still out on this one, but only because of me. I think I just prefer a mayo-based potato salad. Doug loved it (his favorite potato salad is German and this has similar flavors) and the kids loved it, so maybe I should just shut up. It was super easy, because you roast the potatoes -- they are chopped before roasting and the peels left on . I'll definitely be trying it again.

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Roasted Rosemary Potato Salad

serves 6

1/2 c. olive oil, divided (light tasting or extra virgin)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
3 sprigs rosemary
6 russet potatoes, washed and cut into large dice
2 T. white vinegar
2 t. Dijon mustard
2 T. chopped shallots
2 T. chopped basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix 1/4 c. olive oil, garlic, and pepper.
Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.
Add sprigs of rosemary and toss.
Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes,
stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
When potatoes are golden brown,
remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle with salt to taste, and let cool.
When potatoes are cool, place them in a bowl
and scrape any pan drippings into a measuring cup.
Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Pour vinegar and mustard in a small lidded jar or container.
Add oil and shake hard to combine.
Add the shallots.
Pour the dressing over the potatoes and toss.
Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Add chopped basil.
Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

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This next recipe is just in case you don't have a buttermilk biscuit recipe. A good summer supper just requires buttermilk biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits

3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
⅔ c. shortening
1 c. buttermilk


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Cut in shortening.
Add buttermilk and stir into a soft dough.
Lightly and briefly, knead dough on floured surface.
Cut into 2-inch squares or rounds.
Place in baking sheets and bake 10-12 minutes.


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