Peach BBQ Grilled Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

·                     6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·                     3 Tbsp BBQ seasoning (McCormick's has a version in the spice aisle)

·                     1 cup peach preserves

·                     1-1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

·                     1 Tbsp dry mustard

·                     1 clove garlic, minced

·                     1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

·                     3/4 tsp salt

·                     1/2 tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.            Season chicken with BBQ seasoning on both sides.

2.            Whisk together peach preserves, soy sauce, dry mustard, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

3.            Cook chicken on grill until almost done, approximately 6 minutes per side.

4.            Brush chicken generously on both sides with peach mixture during final minutes of cooking. Serve leftover sauce on the side with the chicken.

(This would also be great on pork!)

End of Summer Pasta

Ingredients:

2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken breast halves or thighs, rinsed
1 pound zucchini
2 red bell peppers (12 oz. total)
2 portabella mushroom caps (7 oz. total)
1 red onion (12 oz.)

grape or cherry tomatoes (add to grill near the end)

1 package (1 lb.) dried penne pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh-ground pepper
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. 
Reserve 1/2 cup marinade for basting vegetables; pour remaining into a 1-gallon zip-lock
 plastic bag. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips and add to bag. Seal bag and 
turn to coat. Chill about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rinse zucchini, bell peppers, and mushroom caps. Slice zucchini lengthwise 
into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Stem and seed bell peppers; quarter lengthwise. Peel onion and
 slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Brush vegetables with reserved marinade.
3. Cooking in batches if necessary, lay vegetables and chicken (discard marinade) on a
barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your 
hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until
 vegetables are slightly charred and chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part 
(cut to test), 6 to 10 minutes total. Let cool a few minutes. Chop vegetables and chicken
 into 1-inch pieces.
4. Meanwhile, in a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add
 pasta, stir, and cook, uncovered, until barely tender to bite, 9 to 13 minutes. Drain.
5. In a large bowl, mix pasta parmesan cheese, half the chopped vegetables and chicken, 
and salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining vegetables and chicken. Garnish with 
sliced basil and a balsamic glaze (optional).

Spinach Burgers

When my brother-in-law, Evan, was a boy, he wanted nothing to do with vegetables.  So, my mother-in-law invented this recipe to "hide" the spinach.  The result is a family favorite - a really juicy, delicious burger.  I'm happy to report that Evan now loves his vegetables and we don't have to hide them anymore.

1 box frozen, chopped spinach

1 small onion, chopped

1 – 2 T. oil

Sauté spinach and onion in oil until onion is transparent and water is absorbed.  Cool.

1 ½ lbs. ground chuck

1 egg

1 ½ t. oregano

1 t. salt

½ t. pepper

Combine meat, egg, spices and spinach mixture.  Form into 6 patties and grill until desired doneness.

Serve on Kaiser Rolls.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cooking Light for helping me become the foodie I am today.  In 1999, I started subscribing and thanks to CL, I have learned SO much about cooking.  I'm posting this (Cooking Light July 2011 recipe) in early August when gardeners are picking ripe tomatoes, cukes, cilantro & jalepeños each day.  What better use for them than a tasty gazpacho?  This one is spicy, so cut back on the jalepeños if you wish.  Grilling the veggies first gives this sopa (that's Spanish for soup!) a nice flavor.  ¡Buen provecho!

Ingredients

• 3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and cut in half crosswise (about 3 pounds)
• 1 onion, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 (1-ounce) piece French bread baguette, cut into 2 slices
• Cooking spray
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups thinly sliced, quartered English cucumber
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

• 1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
• 2. Brush cut sides of tomatoes and onion slices with 1 tablespoon oil. Lightly coat bread with cooking spray. Place bread on grill rack, and grill 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until toasted. Remove from grill. Place peppers on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 8 minutes or until blistered, turning peppers after 4 minutes. Remove peppers from grill. Place peppers in a small paper bag; fold tightly to seal. Let stand for 20 minutes. Arrange onion on grill rack; grill for 10 minutes. Turn onion over. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill onion and tomatoes 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers.
• 3. Combine 2 tablespoons oil, bread, grilled vegetables, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and garlic in a blender; process until smooth. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cucumber, and remaining ingredients; toss. Ladle about 2/3 cup soup in each of 6 bowls, and top each serving with about 1/3 cup cucumber mixture.

Sliced Steak Soft Taco Sliders with Guaca-Salsa

This one came from Rachael Ray.  She is one of my favorite cooks, and she doesn't let us down with this tasty & flavorful dish!  It's extra good with fresh veggies & herbs from the garden.

STEAKS:

• 4 small flatiron steaks (6 to 7 oz. each) or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs. flank steak, at room temperature
• Vegetable oil, for coating
• 1 tsp. ancho (mild) or chipotle (hot) chile powder
• 1 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning or salt and pepper

SAUCE:

• 1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, flesh scooped from the skin
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled
• 1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 tomatillos (or one small red tomato), peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• a sprinkle sugar
• A generous sprinkle sea salt
• A small handful cilantro leaves
• A small handful fresh mint leaves
• A few sprigs thyme

TACOS:

• 8 flour tortillas (8 inch)
• All-natural cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high. Rub the steaks with oil, the chile powder and steak seasoning. Grill the steaks, tented loosely with foil, turning once, for 15 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the heat and let rest.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until almost smooth.
3. Lightly spray the tortillas with cooking spray and char for a few seconds on each side on the grill or stovetop. To form each slider: Spread some sauce on each tortilla, top with very thinly sliced steak in an even layer and fold the tortilla into quarters.

Chicken Kebabs with Orange Salsa and Herbed Couscous

This recipe is "company-worthy".  It is DELISH.  I adapted this from Cooking Light (they get the photo credit).  You don't need to marinate the chicken long, so this can be done last minute.  I served my 6 yr old his chicken on a skewer and he was thrilled.  Moms sometimes have to resort to these measures to get their kids to eat.   Enjoy!!

The original recipe called for nectarines, but peaches or oranges work great.  I also substituted pork and it was fabulous. 

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or boneless pork loin), cut into 24 (2-inch) pieces
• 1 large red onion, cut into 32 (2-inch) pieces
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped orange, nectarines or peaches 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

 Preparation

• 1. Preheat grill. Combine first 9 ingredients in a shallow dish; let stand 15 minutes.
• 2. Thread 4 onion pieces and 3 chicken pieces alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Grill until chicken is done, turning occasionally.
• 3. Combine orange/nectarines/peaches and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado right before serving. 
• Serve over herbed couscous

Herbed Couscous
Heat 3/4 c. chicken broth & 1/2 c. water over high heat.
After it comes to boil, remove from heat.  Add in 1 pkg of couscous and let steam.
Fluff with fork and add 2 T. fresh chopped parsley and 2 T. fresh chopped chives.  Top with 1/4 t. kosher salt & mix.

Marinade for Flank Steak (Grilled)

Credit for this goes to my neighbor, Laura Wiltz.

1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 t. celery salt
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. minced garlic 
2 green onions sliced
Black Pepper to taste (about 5-6 twists of my grinder)

Lay Flank Steak Flat and put in a Gallon Zip Lock. Pour in Marinade. Allow to marinade 2 hours at room temp, turning occasionally. Many times I've marinaded it overnight in fridge and it's great! Enjoy!