Grilled Peaches

Tags

dessert, fruit, gluten free, grilled, peaches, quick, Southern

It’s that perfect time of year…. PEACH TIME!

Nothing beats sweet, juicy Southern peaches warm from the summer sun. I don’t like to do too much to them. I want to embrace their perfection, not mask it. This dessert is a quick one, perfect to thrown on the grill while you each the burgers you just made.

Grilled Peaches

• 2 ripe peaches, halved
• 2 tbsp honey
• Cinnamon, to taste
• Almond slices to garnish

In a bowl, drizzle the peach halves with the honey. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Place on grill over medium heat. Grill for 2 minutes per side. Garnish with the almonds. Serves 2.

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I am Back Again… (and this time with Grilled Shishito Peppers!)

Tags

gluten free, grilled, peppers, produce, shishito, summer, vegetable

I know I said a few months ago I was back to blogging and then I disappeared again. Getting the hang of this new life is harder than I thought. There is a lot of growing and changing and shifting after a major life event. This is not something that one can anticipate, even someone who is a planner to the extreme (who!? Not me!). As much as I have struggled these past few months, I have also grown tremendously and learned I have more strength and resilience than I previously believed. I have more confidence and faith in myself. I am more reflective of my self, my thoughts, my actions. I have made some wonderful new friendships and strengthened older relationships. I am happier now than I have been in a long time.

I have loved hosting dinner at my humble little apartment home. My last little dinner included spicy pork burgers with spicy cheddar and grilled shishito peppers. These little Japanese peppers are full of flavor without overwhelming spiciness. Trader Joe’s sells these now when in season. You can also find them at your local Asian market. Give these little babies a try….

Grilled Shishito Peppers

• 8 oz fresh shishito peppers
• Olive oil
• Salt and fresh ground pepper

Prepare your grill to medium heat. In a bowl, toss the peppers in enough olive oil to evenly coat. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the peppers change color evenly (I look for the army green color to just appear). Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 2 to 3.

Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts

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brussels sprouts, garlic, gluten free, grilled, honey, mustard, side dish, vegetable, vegetarian

I desperately want my husband to like Brussels sprouts. I have fixed them several different ways but he just won’t like them. Sadly, this recipe is no exception. That’s ok- MORE FOR ME!!!! The mustard and garlic add a bit of zippiness while the honey caramelizes and browns with the grill’s heat making these baby cabbages are super tasty and even good left over. He may not like these but I will still be fixing them. 🙂

Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts (a variation of this recipe)

• 1 lb fresh Brussles sprouts
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 3 skewers (if wood, soak for 30 minutes in water)

In a large pot, add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Boil the Brussels sprouts for 2 to three minutes. Drain and add to icy water to stop the cooling process. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes then drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, oil, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add the Brussels spouts to the mustard mixture and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Thread the Brussels sprouts onto the skewers. Grill them over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. If you have leftover marinade, spoon over the skewers after you turn them. The outer leaves will be lightly charred when they are done. Serves 2.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

Tags

chicken, food, grilled, honey, Labor Day, mustard, summer

Labor Day weekend is upon us. For some, this will be a last summer hooray. Pools will close. Children will (or already have) gone back to school. Parents will start worrying about carpools, Halloween costumes, and endless sports practices. That means dinner needs to be quick and make good leftovers. This recipe is great for that. Eat it the night it’s made. Use it tomorrow in a wrap. Or to top a salad. Or just warm it up and serve it with new sides.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken (from AllRecipes)

• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs

Preheat the grill for medium heat. In a shallow bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and Worchestershire sauce. Set aside a small amount of the honey mustard sauce for basting, and dip the chicken into the remaining sauce to coat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken over indirect heat for 18 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until juices run clear. Baste occasionally with the reserved sauce during the last 10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning! Serves 4.

Grilled Cilantro-Lime Corn on the Cob

Tags

cilantro, corn, grilled, lime, parmesan, side dish, summer, vegetarian

I have been lucky enough to get fresh corn from my inlaws this summer. But I have rationed it carefully. Honestly, my favorite way to eat it is boiled with butter and salt. This recipe adds pizzazz and fanciness that is required for those Labor Day parties you might host. You know you want to impress your guests. I love the cilantro/lime/Parmesan combo. I bet you will too!

Grilled Cilantro-Lime Corn on the Cob (recipe from A Bachelor and His Grill)

• 1 dozen ears of corn
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely shaved
• 1 lime, juiced and zest
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Soak the corn, including the shucks, in warm salted water for 20 minutes. In a food processor, combine butter, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Remove all but inner most leaves of the shuck, leaving only a single layer of leaves. Then gently pull back the remaining shucks and remove the silks. Brush the cleaned corn liberally with the cilantro-lime butter. Pull the leaves back over the corn. Prepare the coals in your grill to medium heat. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until all sides are charred lightly. Remove corn from the grill. Allow to cool a bit before removing the husks. Brush with additional cilantro-lime butter. Garnish with Parmesan. Serves 12.

Garlic and Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Tags

food, garlic, gluten free, grilled, lime, quick, seafood, shrimp, skewers, summer

I love good shrimp in the summer. Tasty and light, these skewers are great just as they are or added to salads, pasta, or even on top of nachos…

Garlic and Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers

• 4 limes, juiced and zested
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Wooden skewers

In a bowl, combine the shrimp with the lime juice/zest, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Allow the shrimp to marinade for 30 minutes. While they are marinading, soak the wooden skewers in water so they don’t burn when you grill the shrimp. Prepare the grill. When coals are grey, place the skewered shrimp over coals. Grill approx 2 minutes on each side.

Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops

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food, grilled, lemongrass, meat, pork chops, summer, Vietnamese

Prior to this recipe, I had never used lemongrass. It smelled like Pledge to me. But this recipe drew my attention. It was so simple and tasty. I made sure to leave a bit of the marinade pulp on the chops. It browned and caramelized very nicely and added an extra pop of flavor. MMMM!!! You will love this recipe!

Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops (adapted from Viet World Kitchen)

• 4 pork chops, bone-in, about 1 inch thick
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp garlic
• 3 tbsp shallot
• 1 1/2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Using a mini food processor, pulse the sugar, garlic, shallot, and lemongrass to a mince-like texture. Add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil, and process to combine well.

Place the pork chops in a large zip-lock bag, and pour the marinade to coat. Squish the marinade around to coat the pork chops evenly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, up to 24 hours. Allow the pork chops to rest at room temperature, about 30-45 minutes, before grilling. Grill over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Makes 4 servings.

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Chicken

Tags

chicken, garlic, gluten free, grilled, marinade, rosemary, summer

Here is a quick chicken recipe perfect for any cookout or quick weekend meal. It only uses ingredients you probably already have. And you can use the leftovers to top salad or place in wraps.

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Chicken

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp microplaned garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 1/8 cup lemon juice or vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, whisk together the garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Marinade the chicken in the mixture for 3 to 5 hours. Grill over medium heat until the chicken is cooked though and the juice runs clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

Grilled Japanese Style Avocado

Tags

appetizer, Asian, avocado, grilled, Japanese, ponzu sauce, side dish, style

I have always wanted to try grilled avocados but have never gotten around to it. When Cin Cin Let’s Eat posted this recipes, I knew I had to try it. Especially since I had all the ingredients readily on hand. The grill made the avocado especially creamy and added a nice subtle smoky flavor. I didn’t care for the wasabi paste. It made the dish taste too much like sushi. I can’t wait to make guacamole with these smoky avocados!

Grilled Japanese Style Avocado (from Cin Cin, Let’s Eat)

• 1 avocado
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Nori sheets, thinly sliced into flakes
• Ponzu sauce
• Wasabi paste (optional)

Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Slice the avocado on the horizontal and vertical without piercing the skin. Rub the flesh with a small amount of olive oil. Grill for about 3 minutes or until warmed through and with char marks. Remove from the grill and top each half with salt, nori flakes, and ponzu sauce. Serve with wasabi paste on the side, if desired. Serves 2 as a side dish or appetizer.

Smothered Chicken – A Healthier Version

Tags

chicken, grilled, mushrooms, onions, outdoors, peppers, smothered, spring, warm weather

It is warm and wonderful outside. If you are like me, you’re firing up the grill for two reasons- 1) you want to be outside to cook and 2) you don’t want to do dishes so you can stay outside longer. This chicken tastes decadent without adding too many calories… Just in time for your worrying about that bathing suit.

Smothered Chicken – A Healthier Version

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, marinaded as desired
• 1 green bell pepper, quarted and cored
• 8 oz mushrooms,  sliced and in a foil packet with a bit of oil and garlic
• 1 large onion, peeled and thickly sliced
• Mozzarella cheese 

Prepare grill to medium heat. Grill meat, peppers, onions, and mushroom packet until all are done. Combine in a glass dish and top with cheese. Allow to melt before serving.