Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

We moved into a new condo in Snowmass and there is a great gas grill out on our patio that I would be happy cooking on every single night if I could. Miss F disagrees, she thinks that everything from the grill tastes burned (except corn on the cob.)  We had grilled chicken sandwiches twice during our last trip and those nights were battles at dinner time.  I thought these sandwiches were amazing, messy as can be, but it was a delicious mess.  They were inspired from these Cobb Salad Sandwiches.

Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

2 large chicken breasts
2 cups water
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar

1 tomato, sliced
1 cup baby spinach
1 avocado, sliced
½ cup ranch dressing
4 sandwich rolls

Cut each chicken breast into two sandwich sized pieces. Add the chicken to a tupperware container, pour over the water, salt and sugar. Cover and refrigerate for four hours.

Preheat grill to medium high heat and prep the rest of the ingredients. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Remove chicken from grill.

Split the sandwich roll, top with the chicken, a slice of tomato, ¼ cup of spinach, ¼ of the avocado and 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing. Top with the sandwich bun and repeat with the remaining rolls.

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Sriracha Lime Chicken Kebabs

I loved kebabs when I was a kid. It was a special treat to be able to thread the kebabs. I always made mine with chicken, mushroom and potatoes. And then I ate them over ramen noodles. I still prefer kebabs to be served over noodles, but I now love bell pepper added on. Miss F was equally impressed with making the kebabs, she is all into making patterns at school and this provided the perfect chance for her to work her pattern skills in the kitchen. I made these under the broiler, but they would be fantastic on the grill. Thanks to TasteFood for the inspiration.

Sriracha Lime Chicken Kebabs

1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha
½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used half of each)
1 pound of whole mushrooms
1 onion, cut in 1 inch pieces

Pre-soaked bamboo skewers

Whisk together the garlic, oil, lime juice, soy sauce, Sriracha and ginger together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to thoroughly coat. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or cover and marinate overnight. Thread chicken on skewers alternating with the bell pepper, mushroom and onion. Brush the vegetables with some of the excess marinade. Grill over medium heat, turning every few minutes, for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Alternatively, broil on high for 8 minutes, turning half way.

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Grilled Salmon with Creamy Dill Cucumber Salad

Back in March we planted a small raised bed garden in my parents' backyard. It hasn't been the most plentiful this summer, but we did get one gorgeous cucumber this week. And it was destined for this dish.  The dill plant has been suffering in the Houston heat, but there was more than enough for this dish.  Firstly, this salad was amazing.  I will have it on its own as well as on the salmon.  I did have some adventures with my parents' grill.  When I went to get the salmon, the skin was on fire.  Literally.  Apparently this happened last time they cooked on it...looks like it is time for a new grill.  Luckily the salmon was fine once we took off the skin.  Credit to Once Upon a Chef for this wonderful meal.

Grilled Salmon with Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad

1 English hothouse cucumber
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 salmon fillets
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut cucumber in half by slicing down the middle lengthwise. Scoop out the center seeds. Cut into thin slices and place in a colander with the salt.. Toss with salt and let sit in sink at least 30 minutes to drain the water out. While the cucumber is draining, make the dressing. Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, dill, garlic, sugar and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pat the cucumber dry with a paper towel, then toss it with the dressing.

Preheat the grill to high heat. Brush the grill rack with oil. Brush the salmon with olive oil and season generously with kosher salt and pepper. Place fillets skin side down and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the fillets over and continue grilling another 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve with the cucumber-dill salad.

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Shrimp and Peach Skewers

This is the perfect summer meal. Peaches are still wonderful right now, though I am wary it won't be that way for long. So we are eating as many as we can, enjoying them while they last.  Miss F only wanted peaches "with no brown stuff" on them.  She is a fresh peach fan, but I think she needs to grow a little bit before she can appreciate peaches on the grill.  I also think the spicy grilled peaches would be amazing over vanilla ice cream, I may just try it with some of the leftovers.  We enjoyed this with fresh corn, but cous cous or rice would also work perfectly with it.  This recipe is from Good Housekeeping.

Shrimp and Peach Skewers

8 skewers
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound (16- to 20-count) shelled deveined shrimp
2 peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bunch green onions, dark green parts trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
Lime wedges, for serving

If using bamboo skewers, soak skewers in cold water at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. Prepare your grill for direct grilling on high.

In large bowl, combine brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Add shrimp, peaches, and onion; toss until evenly coated. Thread shrimp, peaches, and onion alternately onto skewers.

Grill 3 to 4 minutes or until browned and shrimp just become opaque throughout, turning once. Serve with lime wedges.

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Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

This pork tenderloin recipe is flavorful and simple to put together. I served it with corn on the cob and maduros, which makes for a meal that comes together quite quickly.  Miss F still loves her maduros and I really enjoyed them with this pork.  A forkfull of maduro and a piece of pork provided a really nice combination of flavors.

Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin
serves 2 to 3

½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin

Combine all ingredients except oil and pork in a small bowl, bring to room temperature and divide in half.

Heat the grill to high. Coat the pork tenderloin with the oil and salt & pepper to taste. Grill the pork tenderloin 4 to 5 minutes per side, basting with the glaze every few minutes.

Serve, passing reserved glaze on the side.

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Pork Chops with Grilled Nectarines

This is a Bobby Flay recipe. I had some extra nectarines from making F's baby food, so I googled nectarines and pork and this popped up. I like anything that is all on the grill, easy clean up, even though it is C who does the cleaning. The worst part is tending to the coals and making sure they get white hot.

C liked this one, which really surprised me. I would never have guessed he would have been a grilled fruit fan. The pork cooked up nice and juicy on the grill, I bet it would be great with other grilled fruits, like mangoes or peaches. Miss F enjoyed her grilled nectarines, though she didn't get any sauce with it since infants under one cannot have honey. She also tried some of the grilled corn, but she was having trouble picking up the kernels. To her credit, it was even hard for me to pick them up.
Pork Chops with Grilled Nectarines

Two 6-ounce center-cut boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 firm nectarines, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon shredded basil

Directions
Brush the chops with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chops over high heat, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush the nectarines with olive oil and grill cut side down until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and grill until charred and softened, about 2 minutes longer; cut into 1/2-inch dice. Put the nectarines in a bowl and stir in the vinegar and honey. Add the onion and basil, season with salt and pepper. Serve the pork chops topped with the relish.

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Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

This have been a go to meal since I was a kid. I love pineapples on the grill, the heat brings out such a nice flavor. If you like some additional heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper to the marinade. They are perfect on a hot summer night and since all we have is hot summer nights here in Texas...








Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

1 large boneless skinless breast of chicken
1 small can pineapple rings (4 rings)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 hamburger buns or kaiser rolls
2 slices provolone cheese

Pound out the chicken breast and slice into two pieces. Combine the juice from the pineapple can, soy sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Marinate the chicken 4 hours or overnight in the the juice mixture. Prepare your grill. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Add the cheese with 3 minutes left. While the chicken is grilling, add the pineapple rings halfway through, turning once. Serve on the buns with two pineapple rings each.

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Bacon Wrapped Filet with Corn and Red Pepper Salsa

C's mom and stepdad were kind enough to watch F this past Friday night and when I went to pick her up, there was a cooler set beside all her stuff. Inside were two filet mingnons wrapped in bacon. Yum~ perfect for grilling for Father's Day. The corn and red pepper salsa is served warm and is really easy to make.








Warm Corn and Red Pepper Salsa

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons onion, minced
couple shakes of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except oil. Saute in a small pan with the oil for 3 to 5 minutes, just to warm through. Serve over bacon wrapped filets, or whatever meat of your choosing.

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Grilled Lobster

I got a lobster tail at Central Market yesterday to serve with my bacon wrapped filets. The preparation is simple, just split the underside of the tail shell using kitchen shears making sure to leave the top shell intact to hold the lobster together. Grill over hot coals for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your lobster tails, brushing the tail meat with lemon juice and butter.

The tiny tails are on sale and go perfectly with a filet for surf and turf. I love lobster, it is so rich and decadent.

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Grilled Balsamic Asparagus

I love asparagus! I cannot get enough of it. My favorite way to serve it is cold in a balsamic vinaigrette. I first had it chilled at a tapas place in town, Mi Luna. They serve it with a raspberry vinaigrette, which is fantastic. C doesn't enjoy the cold asparagus like I do and since it is Father's Day, it would be nice of me to make something that he might like. So I basically adapted the recipe to work for grilled asparagus since everything else being made today goes on the Weber.






Grilled Balsamic Asparagus

Ingredients
1/2 lb fresh asparagus
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
Snap off tough ends of asparagus and wash. Combine all ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, seal and marinate for 30-60 minutes. Remove asparagus from bag (discard marinade) and place on preheated oiled grill rack. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until asparagus is done.

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Chicken Kebabs

Chicken Kebabs

2/3 cup pineapple juice (from one can of pineapple chunks)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon minced onion

2 breasts chicken
1 red bell pepper
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash

Combine all marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken and whatever veggetables you like overnight. Skewer and grill until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice.

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Grilled Zucchini and Red Peppers

We went to a friends house for dinner last weekend and they served amazing zucchini. It had been sliced lengthways and grilled. I tried to replicate it, just tossing it with olive oil, salt and pepper, then grilling. I also did the same with some red peppers left over from the peanut chicken pasta. I served it with a grilled ribeye and grilled corn.

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Burger Time

I am not a huge fan of hamburgers, in fact, I didn't try one until I was in college. The texture of ground beef has always bothered me. I still prefer a very thin burger, think McDonald's thin. Here is the recipe I used this Memorial Day. I made normal sized burgers for C and one tiny and thin burger for me. I much prefer the bread to the burger.









Burgers
1.5 lbs of ground beef
2 teaspoons of worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup minced onion
1 egg
1 teaspoon Tony Chacheres spice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 cup breadcrumbs

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Divide into 6 equal sections. Form each section into a patty and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. Add cheese if desired the last five minutes of cooking. Serve on toasted buns with any condiments you like.

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Soy Lime Pork Tenderloin

Another great day for grilling, which of course means more corn on the grill, especially since corn is twenty cents right now. I am so glad it is coming back on corn season. I could eat it every night.

This pork tenderloin recipe is my mom's. It is very important that it be cooked on a grill. I have tried it indoors a couple of times and it is no where near as tasty. After tonight, we are out of charcoal, so I need to replenish the supply in order to keep enjoying the grill while the weather isn't too terribly sweltering.





Soy Lime Pork Tenderloin

2 Limes
2 Tablespoons wine or white vinegar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
2 Cloves garlic
½ Teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 ½ -2 lbs. Pork Tenderloin


Marinade
Cut limes in ½ and squeeze juice in a 2 cup measure. Add vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce and honey. Peel and mince garlic and add to measure. Add the red pepper flakes. Whisk the mixture to blend honey.
Place meat in self sealing plastic bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Scrape out any honey that clings to the measure. Seal and refrigerate a day ahead of time.

Grill
Heat gas grill on high. Cook 6 minutes and rotate the meat _ turn. Cook 6 minutes more and rotate _ turn so all sides are brown. Cook 8 - 10 minutes longer until internal temperature is 160°. Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Barbecue Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

I had tons of leftover barbecue sauce from the ribs we made this past weekend. I decided to grill some chicken leg quarters in honor of it getting as hot as summer around here. I made some easy steamed broccoli and creamy garlic mashed potatoes. I am so glad the weather is getting warm, perfect for grilling. Even though the charcoal grill is a pain sometimes, the flavor is so superior to food cooked on a gas grill.







Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters

1 cup of barbecue sauce
4 chicken leg quarters

Heat coals in grill. Reserve 1/3 cup sauce to serve with the chicken. Add chicken, making sure not to place it directly over the coals in order to avoid flare ups. Baste the chicken with 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Grill for 45 minutes, turning and basting every 15 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

7 to 10 red new potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Place potatoes in large saucepan. Fill pan with enough water to cover potatoes, salt the water liberally. Boil potatoes, approximately 20-25 minutes, until fork tender. Combine cream, butter and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer on very low heat while potatoes cook. Drain potatoes and mash with a hand masher. Stir in cream mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Barbecue Beef Ribs and Grilled Corn

Beef ribs were on sale this week, so I decided to try them for the first time. They were tasty, but I much prefer pork ribs. C did all the hard work, tending to the fire on the Weber. I just made the sauce and soaked the corn. They were very flavorful, just not as tender as the pork variety I am used to. My barbecue sauce recipe is really never the same twice. It is always a combination of what I have in the pantry and what I am in the mood for.







Barebecue Beef Ribs

1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine all spices together. Pat the dry rub all over the ribs. Cook over a low fire (indirect heat on the grill) for 3.5 to 4 hours. Baste with barbecue sauce for the last 30 minutes of cooking

Barbecue Sauce

1 1/2 cups ketchup
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestire sauce
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
several dashes of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, until sauce reaches desired consistency.

Grilled Corn

Remove all but one layer of the corn husk. Soak the corn in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. Grill over hot coals for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

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