Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burgers (and some Thoughts)

Tags

burger, chicken, chipotle, food, grill, Mexican, summer

I dislike blogs that typically feature food or DIY or any other topic but suddenly veer off into political rambling/dogma. You read my blog because you want to see what recipe I post next. Despite my dislike for our society’s tendency to politicize of nearly everything, I am going to break from my typical food discussion to highlight something I think is important.

Compassion for all.

Not- Agreement with all. Not- I want to do it all. Not- You are right in all your decisions. Not- I support everything you do.

Rather- Regardless of my disagreement of your choices, I will recognize that you are a person with feelings and who has value. I will disagree with your choice in love and kindness, not blasting my opinion into your life (recognizing that most of the time, you didn’t ask for my opinion in the first place).

Please read this recently Freshly Pressed blog post by evoL= You don’t have to support something. Please just don’t be hateful! It hurts real people and it doesn’t help your cause at all.

And now back to your your regularly scheduled programming…. I promise I won’t digress again in the future. 

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burgers

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (I would probably increase to 2)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cheese of your choice
• Toppings of choice (avocado, arugula, onion, mayo, etc)

Combine the chicken, onion, cilantro, chile, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Form into 4 patties. Grill on medium heat until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). On a bun, top the burger with cheese and your choice of toppings. Enjoy!!!

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Spicy Grilled Tilapia with Peppers and Onions

Tags

fish, food, gluten free, grill, summer

I am trying my best to eat healthy this week. I have been eating way too much fast food this past week. I love recipes like this because they are so simple and rewarding. Plus, by using the grill, I have minimized my kitchen clean up. I hate washing dishes!

Spicy Grilled Tilapia with Peppers and Onions

• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground thyme
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets
• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and core removed
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeds and core removed
• 2 banana peppers, seeds and core removed
• 1 onion, sliced thickly

Prepare grill as desired. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with the spices. Grill the fish and large slices of the peppers and onions until done. Slice the bell peppers into bite sized pieces. Serve the fish and vegetables with lemon.

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

Tags

gluten free, grill, jalapeno, peppers, poppers, summer

Who doesn’t love jalapeno poppers?!? If you are one of those people who avoid spicy things, do not fear this recipe. Removing the seeds and the membrane really cools these peppers down.

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

• 12 jalapenos, stems, seeds and membranes removed (with as few cuts to the pepper wall as possible)
• 1/2 package cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Herbs to taste (I used thyme, garlic, onion, and basil)
• 1/2 package bacon
• Toothpicks

Combine the cheeses and the herbs; mix well. Stuff the cheese into the peppers and use the toothpicks to hold together any pepper wall you had to cut. Wrap with bacon slice. Grill over medium heat until the pepper skin starts to blacken. Serve hot.

Spicy Garlic Citrus Chicken

Tags

chicken, gluten free, grill, marinade, summer

MMMM! Who doesn’t love a good grilled chicken? This chicken is super simple to make and would be good many ways – plain, on salad, in a Mexican dish, with a spicy sauce. I usually make 2 pounds (even though there are only two of us) so I have plenty of leftovers.

Spicy Garlic Citrus Chicken

• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Combine the ingredients except the chicken. Pour over the chicken and marinade for at least 2 hours. Grill as desired. Enjoy!

Grilled Corn with Herbed Butter

Tags

corn, food, grill, side dish, Southern, summer

This is the first time I have ever made grilled corn and I LOVE IT!!! It is super quick, super tasty, and a great way to cook corn without heating up the house. I plan on making this my new go-to summer recipe.

Grilled Corn with Herbed Butter

• 4 ears of corn
• 1/2 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp each fresh basil, marjoram, and chives (or your herbs of choice)
• Salt and pepper

Use this method to remove the silks and some of the husk off the corn. Combine the butter with the herbs, salt and pepper. Rub the herb butter over the corn and place the remaining shucks over the butter. Grill over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until the shucks start to brown.

Miso-Ginger Marinated and Grilled Salmon

Tags

Asian, food, ginger, grill, miso, salmon, summer

When I was in Japan, I had some of the most amazing salmon. It was so fresh and had a unique flavor I was unfamiliar with. Now that I have become more experienced with flavors, I learned that flavor was miso. Love that flavor! We really enjoyed this salmon. I intend to make this recipe in the future!

Miso-Ginger Marinated and Grilled Salmon (thanks to Bobby Flay)

• 1/4 cup white miso
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced green onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 4 salmon fillets, 8 ounces each
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the above ingredients and marinate the salmon for at least 30 minutes.

Grill as desired.

Carne Asada

Tags

asada, carne, Dinner, food, gluten free, grill, marinade, Mexican, steak, summer, Supper

I am always on the lookout for a new, yummy Mexican dish. This one fits the bill. It was super easy to make and full of flavor. Thanks Rufus for the inspiration.

Carne Asada (adapted from Rufus)

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from two limes
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chipotles packed in adobo, rinsed and diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 pound flank or skirt steak

Combine the first 8 ingredients. In a ziploc bag or a small glass dish, marinade the steak for 4 to 6 hours.

Grill to desired doneness. Serve thinly sliced (against the grain) in corn tortillas with cilantro, avacado, black olives, sour cream, and cheese.

Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken

Tags

bruschetta, chicken, food, grill, Italian, main dish, meat

A quick dinner, this chicken is super tasty and easy to make. I served it with garlic mashed potatoes and a side salad. The next day I took it to lunch and it reheated well. I plan on adding this to my dinner recipe rotation. It will be so much better when the tomatoes are fresh. I can’t wait for summer’s fresh produce!

Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 1 spring of oregano, chopped
• 3 basil leaves, chopped
• Mozzarella cheese slices

Marinate chicken breast in vinegar and oil. Prepare grill as you normally would. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and basil. Prepare a foil pan and pour the bruschetta into it. Heat the bruschetta off to the side while you grill the chicken.  When chicken is grilled through, remove to a plate. On the grill, add a sheet of foil. Then add the chicken, top with bruschetta mizture, and top with the cheese slices. Close the grill lid and allow the heat to melt the cheese until bubbly.

Chili Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Tags

food, grill, pork, salsa, summer

These chops are very tender and complimented nicely by the salsa. It was super easy to put together. The leftovers were tasty too. There is nothing better than an easy grill meal- they taste good and there are no dishes!

Chili Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

(From Recipe Girl)

Chops:

• 4 (3/4 inch thick) pork loin chops
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Salsa:

• 3 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise slices fresh pineapple, trimmed
• 1 medium jalapeno, halved lengthwise- seeds and veins removed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeds and veins removed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

In a shallow bowl, combine chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with the spice mixture. Let the chops sit at room temperature while you prepare the salsa. Prepare a grill to medium-high hat and lightly oil the grate. Grill pineapple and peppers until lightly charred (2 to 3 minutes per side).
Remove from the grill and dice pineapple and jalapeno. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, jalapeno and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

Grill pork until the juices run clear.

Serve chops with the grilled salsa on top.

Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Tags

Dinner, food, grill, pork, smoke, smoked meat, summer, Supper, Weber grill

I bought a gorgeous pork loin last week at the grocery. Part of it was sliced into thick chops. The other 3 pounds was left whole for this purpose. I have an old, cheap charcoal grill like the ones at Walmart. Not a fancy smoker… But I just can’t justify the price of a smoker. I mean, I rarely smoke meat. Why spend hundreds of dollars? I guess this goes back to the “make do with what you have” mentality of my childhood poorness. If this loin is any proof, my little grill is just as good. I served it with a nice salad and macaroni pie.

The Brine (from Grilling Companion)

• 3 pound pork loin roast
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small handful of peppercorns
• 1 small handful dried thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary

Combine the brown sugar and salt in the water and bring to a boil. Stir until dissolved and then add the rest of the brine ingredients. Lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely to room temperature. Once the solution has completely cooled (we don’t want to start cooking the meat!), add the pork loin roast and brine solution to a Ziplock type bag. Seal and squeeze out as much air as possible. Put the sealed bag with the now brining pork roast into a pot or large bowl, one that can hold all of the liquid in case something happens to the bag. Place the bowl containing the brining meat into a refrigerator for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours. Mine was in about 18 or so hours.

 

The Loin

• 1 brined loin, about 3 pounds
• 1 bag of charcoal
• 1 cup of mesquite wood chips, soaked in water about 30 minutes to an hour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start your charcoal as desired. When little bits of white start showing up on the charcoal, spread it out in the pan so that the coals are even. Even coals means even heat. Leave the two bottom vents wide open, while shutting the top vent to about half. Place the loin fat side down and close lid.

Periodically turn the meat, being sure of even cooking.

If it is too hot on one side, move the meat away from it. It took my loin about three hours to smoke.

Be sure to use a meat thermometer to determine if it is fully cooked. Pork is done at 160 degrees in the center (though there is new support for the temperature of 150 degrees).  A special thanks to Rufus for his tips on smoking with a Weber grill.