Grilled Vegetable Kabobs in White Wine and Honey Marinade

Vegetable kabobs 

are the perfect side to accompany 

grilled meat!

These healthy vegetables get a burst of tang to enhance their flavor.  
 
A marinade of white wine, balsamic vinegar, honey and seasonings provides a sweet/savory coating for the peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. 

Marinating

This time, I skewered chunks of zucchini, whole mushrooms, red onion slices, a variety of peppers and plum tomatoes. Use whatever mix you like.  

Cut vegetables thick, or leave small ones whole, so they will stay on the skewer as they grill. 

Be sure to make plenty ~ they vanish quickly!


Vegetable Kabobs in White Wine and Honey Marinade
Printable recipe

Ingredients: 
 6 (12”) wooden skewers

Marinade:

¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Vegetables:

1 zucchini, cut into 1” chunks
6 plum tomatoes, whole
8 ounces whole button mushrooms
12 assorted whole small peppers
1 large red onion, cut in half horizontally, along its equator, to expose its layers.

Method:

Soak skewers in water for 1 hour.
In a large bowl, stir marinade ingredients until honey is dissolved.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
Remove vegetables from marinade, discarding marinade.
Thread vegetables onto soaked skewers, alternating colors, and place on hot grill.
Cook until vegetables are tender and lightly charred, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. 
6 servings



Enjoy!

Garlic-Herb Shrimp on the Grill

Nothing beats grilling in the summer

and this is 

another great recipe 

for your grill!

Super simple, is this recipe that comes together quickly and easily, all the better for you to enjoy another summer evening!

Lemon juice and herbs are exactly what puts this shrimp over the top.  Serve it with fresh steamed broccoli, corn on the cob or rice, or grilled veggies, the choices are endless.

Ready to move on to the grill!

You may prefer to peel the shrimp before grilling; however, cooking the shrimp with the shells on makes them remarkably flavorful ~ just peel and dig in at the table!


Garlic-Herb Shrimp on the Grill
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1½ pounds large unpeeled shrimp
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Method:

Using kitchen shears of a paring knife, cut through shells along the back of each shrimp.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and place in a resealable plastic  bag.
Seal bag, making sure all shrimp is covered with marinade.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat grill.
Remove shrimp from marinade, wiping off excess.
Grill until opaque, 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve as is or with your favorite sauce.



Enjoy!

Spicy Goodness ~ Grilled Cajun-Style Chicken Breasts

Just imagine

the aromas of Acadian cuisine 

in the Louisiana bayous,

the euphonious sound of their music…

This is the Cajun way of life.

St.Martin Bayou Sunset by DramaQueenB Photography

Acadians are the ancestors of present-day Cajuns.  The world “Cajun” derives from “Acadia" ~  a name used to refer to the Nova Scotia area in Canada where French immigrants settled during the early colonial era.  

They were hunters, fishermen, and farmers, well-versed in the art of living off the land, when they arrived destitute in the New Orleans area, and were given land grants.  The Acadians had a strong bond with each other as they moved into the bayous, swamps and prairies of Louisiana to start their farms.  

Their old traditions and language merged with the distinctive Louisiana landscape to fuse into a new Cajun cultural identity.

A lot of people are unaware that the typical Cajun food was developed by extremely poor people.  Refugees and farmers used what they had to feed large families.  

Bill and I have visited the New Orleans area many times, and love Cajun-style cooking ~ it’s aromatic, spicy, and rich, really good…  

This time, I used a generous portion of minced garlic, onion powder and oregano, all whisked together with spicy Robusto Italian dressing for the chicken marinade. 

Bill grilled the chicken to a spicy, moist, delicious meat for our dinner.  

Fire up your grill now for some seriously good Cajun-style chicken!


Grilled Cajun-Style Chicken Breasts
Printable recipe 

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Wish-Bone Robusto Italian Dressing
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon each, salt and pepper

Method:

Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl or a resealable plastic bag.
Add chicken breasts and let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess.
When grill is heated, place chicken on grill over medium heat.
Grill chicken until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per side, depending upon thickness, or when thermometer registers 165°.

Serve



Enjoy it!

Grilled Pork Medallions

These little medallions were 

quick and delicious!

The recipe is  pretty straightforward:  blend Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic and seasonings with a little olive oil, rub over the pork medallions and grill.

We concurred on this ~ the pork was tasty and tender, perfect for summertime grilling, and a it will be a repeat before long.

Serve it with you favorite side dish and a little green salad, and Voila!  You’ll have a great tasty quick dinner.


Grilled Pork Medallions
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 (1¼ pounds) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Method:

Prepare grill.
Cut pork crosswise into ½” inch think diagonal slices.
Combine oil and remaining ingredients, rub over pork, coating well..
Grill pork 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until desired doneness.

Serve




Enjoy!

Grilled Beer-Brined Pork Chops

This is good eating for you pork chop people out there!


These chops were soaked in a hearty beer-based brine.  Brining is like a marinade, keeping the meat moist, tender and juicy.  There are few rules regarding it, but generally it starts with water and salt.  Though, too much salt, or brining the meat for too long, will result in salty tough meat, or even mushy.




This is an old recipe from Bon Appétit, with appealing ingredients.  The salty bath, with dark beer, brown sugar, molasses, sage and seasonings, is a fail-safe way to make the meat juicier and more flavorful.  

The brine is delicious ~ filled with great flavors to make the chops more succulent and flavorful.  


Grilled Beer-Brined Pork Chops
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups water
2 cups dark lager beer
¼ cup coarse salt
3 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoon light molasses
1 cup ice cubes
6 (1¼-inch-thick) center-cut-bone-in pork chops
7 large garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried sage leaves

Method:

Combine water, beer, salt, sugar and molasses in a large bowl.
Stir until salt and sugar dissolve.
Stir in ice.
Place pork chops in large resealable plastic bag.
Pour beer brine over pork chops, seal bag.
Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat grill on medium-high heat.
Remove meat from brine and pat dry.
Mix, garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons salt and sage in small rub; rub over both sides of pork chops.
Grill pork chops until cooked, about 10 minutes, per side and instant-read thermometer inserted until center of chops, away from bone, registers 150 degrees.
Transfer pork chops to a platter, cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.


ENJOY!

 

Grilled Chicken w/Whole Grain Mustard and Cider Vinegar Marinade

Kudos to Livia Youngdahl!

I was lucky to be given a jar of her seasoning salt, and I knew buried deep in my recipe stack, was this great chicken recipe that would do her seasoning justice.

Here’s the lowdown on the salt:

The product is Livia’s Seasoning Salt.  Check out the website here!  The story goes that, with her Swedish heritage and culinary style, Livia Youngdahl developed her seasoning salt, which she shared with family and friends for decades.  

It consists of 3 ingredients:  Kosher salt, garlic salt, and coarse ground black pepper.  Order yours now, and the next time you start to reach for the salt and pepper, use Livia’s Seasoning Salt instead.  Your food will taste better, for sure!

This chicken is bursting with flavor, thanks to the marinade of whole grain mustard, along with cider vinegar, herbs, garlic and Livia’s Seasoning Salt.  It took minutes to put the marinade together, with on-hand ingredients, and then marinated in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  

The result was tender, slightly piquant, juicy chicken, without much effort ~ hope you give it a try!

Grilled Chicken w/Whole Grain Mustard and Cider Vinegar Marinade

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano, rosemary and thyme (mixed, 2 teaspoons total)
¼ cup whole grain mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Livia’s Seasoning Salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Method:

Place vinegar, herbs, mustard, garlic and oil in a large resealable plastic bag, close and shake gently to combine.
Drop chicken in the bag, coating it evenly, seal and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat grill to medium-hot, grill to internal temperature of 165 degrees, turning once, halfway through.
Great with a little pasta salad and fresh cooked green beans!

ENJOY!

 

Cocoa-Chile-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

We know cocoa powder is generally used in desserts; however, occasionally, I’ve added it to savory dishes with wonderful results.  

Unsweetened cocoa adds a deep flavor to meat, particularly, when it is combined with chili powder, in a dry spice rub.  To that mix, add a little cinnamon, brown sugar and seasonings to coat pork tenderloin.  I let it stand for about an hour, but for even more flavor, coat the meat and refrigerate it overnite.


I saw this recipe on CHOW, and Bill and I were amazed with how good it turned out.  I adapted the recipe slightly, omitting cumin, as that’s one spice not bought, nor used here.  The spicy rub is easy, has a nice deep color for the pork and tastes scrumptious!  I will be repeating this soon!

Cocoa-Chile-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Adapted
Ingredients for the spice rub:

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine; set aside.

For the tenderloins:

2 (1 to 1½ pounds) pork tenderloins
1-2 tablespoons oil

Method:

Trim pork of any silver skin and pat dry with paper towels.
Using your hands, rub the tenderloins all over with the oil.
Sprinkle them with all of the spice mixture, and rub until evenly coated.
Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Heat grill to medium.  If the meat has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
Place tenderloin on grill, cover grill and cook, turning every 5 minutes, until the pork is browned all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 to 150 degrees, about 20-30 minutes.
Transfer pork tenderloins to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cut crosswise into ½” thick slices and serve.
4-6 servings

ENJOY!

 

Garlic-Butter Marinated Grilled Cod

I know it’s grilling season here, but please!  It’s in the 50’s and the heat is on in our house right now.  But grilling goes on here almost daily, because who knows, it might be snowing next week at this rate!  Now for the fish:

Fish doesn’t require a long time to marinate ~ a 30-minute soak is sufficient.

And, if you’re looking for a great marinade, look no further, as this one, with its simple ingredients is delicious.

Redolent with butter, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes, this is a piquant marinade for cod.  It bursts with flavor and is impressive with little effort.  

It’s just the thing to grill when you can’t think of what else to cook!
Hope you like it!

Garlic-Butter Marinated Grilled Cod

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
4 cod fillets

Method:

In a saucepan, heat all ingredients, except cod, over medium heat.
Cool mixture and pour into resealable plastic bag.
Add cod, and let marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place fillets on medium-hot grill and grill 5 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. 
Serve with lemon slices, if desired.

ENJOY!

 

Grilled Tequila Citrus and Jalapeño Chicken

Get your grill going!

 Because ~ this grilled chicken will make your mouth water!

This zesty chicken is marinated in tequila, lime, and pineapple juices, with a good dose of garlic and minced jalapeño, providing additional seasoning.  
The marinade tenderizes the chicken, making it moist and flavor-packed.  It’s a perfect marinade that’s not as hot and spicy as it sounds.

 

You can’t go wrong with this mix of ingredients ~ the chicken is bursting with flavor and is summer BBQing at its best!  

Serve with buttered corn on the cob to make it even more enjoyable!

Speaking of corn on the cob, growing up on the farm, we always called it “sweet corn,” and sweet it is now!  Am I the only one who thinks it is way much “sweeter” now than it used to be??? 


Grilled Tequila Citrus and Jalapeño Chicken

Ingredients:

¼ cup tequila
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup pineapple juice 

1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Method:

Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a large resealable bag, add chicken, seal bag and turn to coat.
Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, for up to 4 hours.
Preheat grill to medium heat.
Place chicken on grill rack and grill until cooked through, and juices run clear. 

ENJOY!

Grilled Spicy Cod Tacos with Tomato Salsa

Cod fish is sometimes referred to as the “Chicken of the Sea,” as it’s a mild flaky fish that easily takes on the flavors of its seasonings.  

Instead of deep-frying the cod for our fish tacos,  I coated the fish with a spicy ancho chile rub and Bill grilled them to perfection.  The fillets were on the thin side so they would grill quickly, while he used a grill basket to enable flipping them easily, without breaking.

These tacos pack more than just a little heat, thanks to ground ancho chile pepper and jalapeño peppers.   They’re later tempered with cabbage, and tomato salsa when you eat them, but use a light touch, if heat isn’t your thing. 

I make my own salsa, as most store bought salsa contains cilantro, and that only gets through my kitchen door by mistake.

Ready to grill!  Mmmmm!

This is comfort food with no feeling guilty eating it!

Spicy Cod Tacos with Tomato Salsa

For the cod fillets:

1 pound cod fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
8 flour tortillas

Garnish:

1 cup shredded white cabbage
Tomato salsa, recipe below
Bermuda onion, chopped
Sour cream

Method:

In a small bowl, combine oregano, paprika, chile pepper, garlic powder, coriander, salt and black pepper.
Sprinkle mixture over fish fillets, and rub to coat.
Heat grill on high.
Place fish in grill basket or grate and brush with olive oil, turn grill down to medium-high.
Grill about 10-12 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Assemble tacos:  

Use a fork to break cod into flakey pieces and place on warmed (I warm them in the micro) tortillas.  Top with shredded cabbage and tomato salsa.

While fish is cooking, make salsa:

Tomato Salsa

6 plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded
¼ cup chopped onion
1 jalapeño, chopped (for less heat, discard ribs and seeds)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Chop tomatoes and place in a medium bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to tomatoes and combine well.
Let stand for 15 minutes to develop flavor and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Refrigerate or let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
Spoon over tacos.
 4 servings 

ENJOY!

Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Slices

I like the taste of grilled pineapple with succulent pork ~ it seems like they go together naturally!

If you’ve never eaten jerk seasoning, you’re in for a surprise at how delicious it is.  Jerk style of cooking is native to Jamaica in which meat is either dry-rubbed or wet marinated, with a hot spice mixture.  The use of allspice and thyme, as well as an abundance of peppers characterizes the seasoning, with sugar for a sweet touch to complement the hot chillies.

For this recipe, mix the paste, spread over the pork and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 24 hours to marinate, allowing the seasonings to penetrate deep into the meat. 

The jerk pork with juicy pineapple slices is an outstanding combination…

It’s good eating, my friend!

Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Slices

2 pounds pork tenderloin

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced 1” thick

Jerk Seasoning:

2 habanero chillies, deseeded and chopped

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground thyme

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 green onions, chopped

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pineapple ingredients:

1 fresh pineapple, trimmed, cored and peeled

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon lime juice, orange or lemon

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Using a mortar and pestle, or food processor, blend together the ingredients for the jerk seasoning to make a smooth paste. 

Spread mixture over pork tenderloin and place in a resealable plastic bag, making sure the pork is well coated with the marinade.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Remove meat from bag and discard marinade.

Grill the pork for 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until slightly charred on the outside and an instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees.

Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients for pineapple in a small bowl.

Cut pineapple into 1-inch slices.

Brush with glaze.

Grill about 3 minutes on each side, turning once and basting with glaze.

Serve

ENJOY!