Give grilling these a try...

Grilled Baby Golds, Hickory Smoked Tenderloin,

and Iceberg with Bleu Cheese Crumbles

 I was doing some blog maintenance and found this post from last spring that somehow didn't get published.  Grilling weather sill be here sooner than we think and I can't wait to start grilling again.

It is summer...well, not really, officially, but it sure feels like it...and that means grilling time.  Working under the assumption that I can make anything on the grill, I wanted to make "fries."  I took some baby Yukon Golds, and parboiled them before halving and threading on skewers.  Brushed with olive oil and sell seasoned, went on the grill to finish cooking.  Crispy on the outside while soft and creamy on the inside, these were perfect with smoked tenderloin and a crisp ice berg salad.

Grilled Baby Golds

baby Yukon Gold, or other baby potatoes, like fingerlings- however many you would like

olive oil and seasonings of choice, or

vinaigrette dressing of choice

I love cooking like this, without a "recipe," just a technique that allows you to vary the taste and quantity to suit your needs at the time.  Wash however many potatoes you want to make, place in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, and cook until just becoming tender, 10 minutes or so, depending on size and type.  Drain and allow to cool enough to easily handle the.  Halve the potatoes and thread onto skewers, remembering to allow the skewers to soak at least 1/2 hour if using wooden.  Brush with olive oil and season generously with whatever you like...a combination of coarse salt, fresh ground black pepper, and garlic powder is fail safe...or alternatively, brush the potatoes with a prepared vinaigrette.  Grill until brown and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Ben smoked a small tenderloin roast with hickory.

He thought it looked so good that he went in for a close up shot :)

Freezer treasures...

Thai Chicken with simple slaw

I have been on a bit of a mission to use up all the stuff I have tucked away in the freezers (way too much).  After doing a quick inventory of what was on hand, I noticed the May issue of Food and Wine magazine staring up at me from the coffee table.  Right there was the answer for the package of leg quarters in the basement freezer.  I had everything on hand to make this Thai chicken recipe except tamarind concentrate, so I just left that (and the sugar) out and subbed in the mango syrup that I did have.  The recipe said to marinate for 20 minutes but I did it overnight instead and am glad I did.  The flavors of this dish were great, especially with the sauce spooned over, but I generally don't like to eat chicken off the bone (too messy and not worth the effort), and this recipe did not change my mind.  I will definitely make this again, especially considering how much the boy liked it, but will use boneless, skinless breasts and thighs the next time around.  The only thing we had with this was a simple slaw, made even simpler by just being shredded cabbage marinated in a bit of seasoned rice vinegar.  Super simple and the cabbage stays crunchy, and the only way I can get the boy to eat cabbage.

Thai Chicken
adapted from Food and Wine

marinated chicken 
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce 

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

 4 whole chicken legs, skinned 

  dipping sauce 
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

1 small garlic clove, minced 

1 small Thai chile, seeded and minced 

2 tablespoons mango syrup

1 tablespoon water 

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1/2 cup chopped cilantro 

 In a mini food processor, process the cilantro, fish sauce and pepper to a coarse puree. Coat the chicken with the marinade. Let stand at room temperature for20 minutes, or refrigerate overnight  .In a bowl, combine the mango syrup with the fish sauce, lime, garlic, chile, sugar and water.    Preheat the oven to 400°. Light a grill. Rub the chicken with the oil and rub the grill with an oiled paper towel. Grill the chicken over moderately high heat, turning, until charred, 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until cooked.  Just before serving, stir the cilantro into the dipping sauce and serve with the chicken.

Spicy, creamy, crunchy goodness...

Buffalo Burger with Bleu Cheese Celery Slaw
and Easy Steak Fries

Sometime last week we were watching an episode of triple D, but the only thing I can remember about the episode is a celery bleu  cheese slaw that was served with hot wings.  I have had that stupid slaw on my mind all week, so enough was enough, I had to make the slaw.  I did not have any wings in the freezer but wanted the spicy bite against the cool slaw, so I decided on buffalo burgers.  Preparing these was as simple as basting the burgers with hot sauce while they were grilling; we used Frank's Extra Hot Red Hot to ensure that they were indeed spicy, but you could obviously use whatever suits your taste.  I used sirloin burgers here, but would have actually preferred turkey or chicken, so again, use what you have or like.  The slaw was so crisp and delicious, I don't even know how to describe it, you just have to trust me and give it a try.  To finish out the meal we had easy steak fries, which I couldn't resist dipping in Frank's spicy BBQ sauce. 

Bleu Cheese Celery Slaw

adapted from Guy Fieri and Triple D

celery

bleu cheese of choice

bleu cheese dressing of choice  

Yes, seriously, this has only three ingredients.  Use what ever amounts you want to make.  I had some celery sticks in the fridge and a wedge of gorgonzola dulce (may favorite bleu), so that is what I used.  Slice the celery very thin and then crumble/grate the bleu cheese into the same bowl.  If not eating immediately, just stash the bowl in the fridge at the point.  just before serving mix in just enough of you favorite bleu cheese dressing to moisten the slaw and serve.
Note- only make the amount of slaw that will be eaten at the meal.  We had some leftover and when we went to eat it a few days later it wasn't so good.  The celery had released water, leaving it limp and the slaw wet :(

Peonies in a Piilsner

"Mommy!  Put that camera away!"

Too easy to believe...

Grilled tuna and French potato salad on baby arugula

I was looking at Gina's blog the other day and was intrigued by the grilled tuna she had so simply prepared.  I have never grilled tuna, but since I had some frozen tuna steaks in the freezer that I had picked up at Aldi to try, I thought it was time to give it a go.  I prepared mine a bit differently by brushing the tuna with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, and grilled it to medium instead of rare.  This fish was so absolutely delicious that we will be doing this again, and soon!!  We had ours with a French style potato salad (vinaigrette instead of mayo) and it all went together perfectly for dinner on a hot summer day.

Easy Grilled Tuna

tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick

extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Let the tuna sit on the counter for a half hour or so to come to room temperature.  Brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper.  Grill over high heat, one minute each side for rare and two minutes for medium.  Let rest for five minutes and enjoy, that easy!

French Potato Salad

3 lbs. small potatoes (I used Yukon Golds)

1 small red onion, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly

2 handfuls fresh parsley leaves (I used flat leaf), chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs, Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Wash the potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces (leave that peel on there!); cook in boiling water until tender but not mushy.  While the potatoes are cooking, cut up the onion and parsley and set aside.  Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and garlic; taste and season as desired with the salt and pepper, but be pretty generous.  Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and toss immediately into a serving bowl with the vinaigrette.  Toss, adding the onion and parsley.  Let sit on the counter to come to room temperature, tossing occasionally.  Serve at room temperature.  Refrigerate any leftovers, but let come to (near) room temperature before eating.

Note:  We used no additional dressing for the arugula; there was enough vinaigrette on the potatoes for the greens as well.

For you garlic lovers out there (2)...

Baked Shrimp Scampi

I just wanted to share with you a couple of the dishes I made using the mojo de ajó.  The first is a redux of the baked shrimp scampi that I made back in April, but in keeping with the Mexican theme, I used fine egg noodles instead of the ravioletti.  If you decide to try this, just make sure you leave the pasta a bit undercooked before you layer on the shrimp and everything else.

This was delicious served with a salad of avocado topped romaine dressed with a bit of lime juice and extra virgin olive oil.  And to wash it all down?  Why a refreshing margarita of course!!

Mojo de Ajó and Balsamic Marinated Steak

with Mojo de Ajó Roasted Zucchini and Bell Peppers

This dish was both fantastically easy and fantastically delicious.  I mixed a few spoonfuls of the mojo de ajó with some balsamic vinegar in a gallon zippered bag before adding a flatiron steak to marinate for the day in the fridge. 

The steak was grilled to a nice medium rare, and while it was resting I mixed together some more mojo and balsamic on a cutting board to make a board dressing.  The steak was laid on the dressing, sliced thin, and give a nice swish in the dressing before serving, um, um, good.

For the veg I just tossed sliced zucchini, a diced onion, and yellow bell pepper with a few spoonfuls of the mojo before roasting in a large glass baking dish at 450 degrees for about a half hour, stirring a few times during the roasting.  Crusty bread to clean up the plate was perfect with this.

I love Mario (Batali, not the brothers)...

Pollo alla Diavola

Ben and I recently had two weeks sans children, leaving us able to eat what ever we wanted, how ever spicy we wanted it.  One night we had Mario Batali's Devil Chicken made with an incredible amount of crushed red pepper, flavored with sweet smoked paprika, and finished with spicy smoked paprika.  The taste was incredible (we especially liked that final dusting with the spicy paprika), deep and smokey; if you don't like things quite so hot, just cut the amount of crushed red pepper but leave the smoked paprikas, they completely make this dish.  The leftovers made delicious sandwiches, requiring only crusty rolls and a slice of provolone.


Pollo alla Diavola
adapted from Mario batali's Italian Grill

 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 oz. orange juice
6oz. lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 tbs. crushed red pepper flakes (yes, 5)
2 tbs.  pimentón dulce (sweet Spanish smoked paprika)
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper 
Pimentón picante, for serving (hot Spanish smoked paprika)

Several hours before cooking, and up to the day before, mix the juices, olive oil, pepper flakes, sweet paprika, and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a gallon zip-lock bag; add the chicken and refrigerate until needed.  Grill the chicken until just done and let rest.  Serve with a generous sprinkling of the hot smoked paprika.

Pasta alla Diavola

We had this chicken with a nice pasta that was very easy to put together and continued that flavor profiles of the chicken. 

reserved marinade from above
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
6 (or so) cups chopped veggies (I used yellow zucchini, onion, and green bell pepper)
olive oil, as needed
1 lb. cooked pasta of choice (I used whole grain penne)

Drizzle the veggies with a bit of olive oil and roast or grill to your desired doneness, remembering that the longer you cook them, the sweeter they will become...I cooked ours on the grill in that grill basket that has become one of my favorite cooking tools.  In a medium saucepan, boil the marinade with the wine and stock until it becomes syrupy, but at least for 5 minutes (think food safety).  Toss the pasta, veggies, and sauce together and serve.

From a pretzel to a burger...

Brezelburger mit Sauerkraut, Speck und Senf

Okay, that would be a pretzel burger with sauerkraut, bacon and mustard (Ben is the German wiz in the house).  Last weekend we knew we wanted burgers and whilst shopping at Jungle Jim's (International Market) we set off seeking some nice buns (for burgers, of course).  What drew our attention were some very handsome pretzel rolls...and what do pretzels need but mustard and cheese (sauce)?  So off we went, now seeking mustard and cheese.  Well, one thing led to another, and in the search for a "good" mustard, we ended up with a German mustard, which lead to sauerkraut (Bavarian style), which lead to bacon, which lead to the creation of our "Pretzel Burger" (isn't it wonderful how our minds wander?).  We picked up some German potato salad at the deli and had that alongside our burgers with some additional sauerkraut.  While I could not finish mine (okay Ben, no more 1/2 lb. burgers), I can definitely say it was one of the best burgers I have ever eaten.

Since we are kinda nerdy, and like to match our beverage to our food, we also went seeking some German beer (Reisling just wouldn't cut it for a burger of this magnitude).  What we found was a Lithuaian triple bock (close enough, right?) by the name of Before and After, and coming in at a whopping 12% alcohol, this is a very apt name indeed.  This beer did not taste as strongly of alcohol as I had feared, and being a bit on the sweet (and dark) side, I quite liked this one, more so than Ben, the beer aficionado of the family.  Funny, I don't like sweet wine, but I like sweet beer (oh, well).

The recipe that follows isn't really a recipe so much as what we put on our burgers; which toppings you decide to use and in what quantities is entirely up to you, we just hope to provide a little tasty inspiration.

German Pretzel Burger

Honking 1/2 lb. patties ready for the grill

burger patties grilled to your liking (we used 80/20 chuck cooked to medium)
pretzel rolls, split and toasted
crisp, cooked bacon (we used thick cut peppered bacon)
extra sharp cheddar cheese slices
good quality mustard (please, something better than the cheap yellow stuff)
sauerkraut, squeezed dry and warmed through

Assemble your burgers, using as much. or as little, of the listed ingredients.  Ben put the bacon slices under the cheese on the grill and melted everything to a nice ooey gooey goodness.

The burger up above was Ben's, this is mine, not piled quite so high.

Pollo Sabroso

Pollo Sabroso (Delicious Chicken)

I saw this chicken on Gina's blog earlier this summer, and the mouthwatering photo made me want it badly.  I finally made it this past weekend, but was left a bit disappointed.  I used a package of mixed chicken pieces, and while the smaller pieces like the wings and legs were absolutely delicious (higher skin to meat ratio), the breasts were disappointing.  Despite marinating for better than 24 hours, the dry seasonings were not able to penetrate into the thick breast meat, leaving the bulk of the plain chicken, just that, plain.  I will make this again, using a package of drumsticks, but will reserve the larger pieces for 'wet" marinades.

Pollo Sabroso

adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

3 lbs. chicken pieces of choice 

1 tbs. vinegar

1 tbs. soy sauce

2 packets Sazón (in the Latin section of your grocery)

Adobo seco  (again, in the Latin section)

garlic powder

dried oregano

Place the chicken in a glass dish just large enough to accommodate it in a single layer.  Sprinkle the chicken with vinegar and soy sauce, it will be just enough to wet the surfaces.. Sprinkle generously with the adodo, garlic powder, oregano, and 1 pkt. sazón.  Using tongs, not your hands, turn over and season generously again, and use the second pkt. sazón.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Grill until cooked through and the skin is deliciously crisp.

An easy grilling side...

Steak and asparagus, hot off the grill.

I love roasted asparagus, probably more than any other way to prepare it.  You get the same delicious taste by throwing the spears on the grill, but without having to heat up the oven or dirty a baking pan.  If you haven't already, try some asparagus like this the next time you are grilling.

Grilled Asparagus

fresh asparagus spears, washed and patted dry, tough ends snapped off

extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

Place the spears on a plate and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil; toss around to coat with the oil and season generously with the salt and pepper.  Toss on a hot grill and cook to your desired doneness- we like ours a bit browned, but still crisp.  Serve with lemon wedges, the spritz of juice adding a nice fresh bite that is perfect with asparagus (and green beans, too).

And the first up is...Lima-Limon

Lima-Limon (Lemon Lime)

photo courtesy of Jarritos

I was poking around on the internet looking for inspiration for the eleven bottles of Jarritos awaiting me in my pantry.  Cooking with soda seems to involve a lot of onion soup mixes, canned cream soups, ketchup, or jello, none of which sounds appealing to me (quite yucky, in fact), so the thinking cap has gone on and sent me pondering my options.  I have a few ideas, some obvious, some not so, but we'll have to see how it goes.

First out of the box is the Lima-Limon, or Lemon Lime.  I have an agreement with Chris that he will get to taste test each soda before I do anything with it, so I called him to the kitchen and we popped the top.  I must say that the soda was not what I expected at all, the color and taste more reminiscent of Mtn. Dew than the 7-Up that I was expecting.  I am not a fan of Mtn. Dew, but Chris found the taste very acceptable and said he could drink the whole bottle.  If the caffeine content is more reasonable than the dew's, I just may let him in the future...except for Piña, this is the only other one he has tried and he is already bugging me to go to the grocery and buy them all (that's what I get for limiting soda consumption I suppose).


I thought that the lemon lime flavor would lend itself nicely to chicken, and after viewing an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives the night before where Guy visited that Koren-Mexican fusion taco truck in LA, I wanted tacos.  Fortunately the contents of my fridge and pantry allowed me to go in that direction (any real surprise there?)...

 taacos de pollo lima limon con frijoles

I had the chicken and veg marinating, and did not discover until I went to cook them that the gas frill was out of gas. so I didn't get to cook them as planned.  The next evening rolled around, and with family in from out of town, I still did not get to cook this chicken.  This leaves me tonight, with this chicken in the marinade more than two whole days, and afraid of what I was going to get.

What I got was absolute delishiousness....the chicken had a distinct lemon lime flavor, but still subtle, even after two days.  I grilled up the chicken and veg before slicing up the chicken and tossing it with the veg.  This was served on warm corn tortillas with shredded cheese, avocado slices, crema, salsa roja, and shredded lettuce.  On the side we had the frijoles I had made two nights previously (and reheated gently in the microwave).  These tacos were delectable and got me thinking that this marinade would be fabulous for fish tacos (but not marinaded for 2 days!)...

Yet another tasty burger...

Bison Burger on Ciabatta with Dubliner Cheese,

Simple Slaw, Roasted Potatoes, and Cucumber Salad

Yes, we had burgers again, but hey, it is summer after all,  and what is more perfect for a humid summer eve?  I found ground bison on sale at Kroger for $2.99 a pound and snapped up a few packages for the freezer (it is normally $6.99 a pound!).  Bison is very lean with a wonderful meaty taste that we don't like to cover up with a lot of complicated flavors, and this super simple burger was just divine.  The meat was seasoned with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper before a quick grilling, and topped with slices of Dubliner cheese (a family favorite) before sliding into grilled ciabatta rolls spread with the leftover seasoned butter leftover from Father's Day...um, um, good.  A simple slaw (no mayo!), roasted potatoes, cucumber salad (yes, we keep eating that too, but it is sooo tasty and refreshing), and iced tea (unsweetened) with lime slices finished out the meal beautifully.  Isn't summer great?

Just some food related photos and thoughts...

This is the cookbook Nicole brought me from Prague.  The English translation is a little shakey, and there are some unfamiliar ingredients and measurements (internet research, here I come), but I can't wait to start cooking from this most welcome addition to my collection.

Father's Day of corned beef hash and eggs, one of Ben's favorites.  We cheat this one often and use canned hash, and have determined that the Aldi store brand hash is the best, even beating the national brands (it is meatier and less fatty).

Ben's Father's Day dinner...grilled porterhouse steak with seasoned butter, grilled lobster tails, steamed broccoli, and a whole grain brown and wild rice mix.  This was an over the top meal well deserved (and enjoyed) by my dear husband on his day.  Chris tried lobster for the second time and decided that he REALLY likes it (great, with his love of sushi, could this boy develop more expensive tastes?).

This is the rice blend we had for our Father's Day dinner.  The Lundberg Wild Blend is delicious, full of nutty, chewy flavor.  I love this blend, and while it does take a while to cook, it is super simple and I serve it completely plain, no butter. sauce, or even salt (although it is great tossed with grilled/sauteed veggies).  I get this at Kroger for two and change, but I'm sure it is available at other major retailers.

I call this "The Girlfriend Spread," and while Arnita and I didn't eat all this, we did make a big dent in it (yum, yum).  Margaritas, chunky guacamole and salsa with tortilla chips, hummus with roasted red pepper blended in, and a very nice baked brie using sundried tomato pesto.  A good friend, good food, and good drink...what more could a girl ask for for a fantastic evening ;-)

A pitcher of margarita perfection.   

Arnita had to drive home,so that just meant more for me (!).

On the rocks, the best way...

Okay, another shot...Arnita took these photos, just showing that I have my friends trained right!

I'm back from camp and cooking again...

BBQ Chicken, Southwestern Rice,

and Cucumber Salad

We are all home and relaxing, me and my three guys from an exhausting week at scout camp, and Nicole, from her adventures inPrague.  Except for a crockpot meal on Monday night, not much cooking has been happening,and Nicole was lamenting the lack of leftovers in what is normally a full fridge.   Split breasts on sale at Kroger for one dollar a pound meant BBQ chicken for dinner, and the contents of a veggie drawer that needed to be used lead me to an accompanying rice dish and cucumber salad.  Dinner on the deck with fresh limeade all around (with a bit of tequila for the grownups :) made for a great night at home on the deck.

Ben is a proud grill master and snapped this photo of "his" chicken after he pulled it off the grill.  The unsauced breast to the right is intended for this evening's dinner- this huge breast is nearly a pound on its own, and when we go back to Kroger today for Father's Day steaks, I'll be picking up more of these for the freezer.