July 4th Celebrations

Independence Day falls right behind Christmas in the race for my favorite holiday.  Now, nothing can ever compare with Christmas so it's not even a real race, but that's not the 4th of July's fault.   If Christmas wasn't so warm and festive and jolly and snowy and cozy, well, the 4th would easily slide into first place. 

What's not to love?  Flags, americana, sparklers, fireworks, barbecues, parades and watermelon--yes, this is a happy day of the year indeed.  When I lived in NY, my friends and I always had a little 4th of July road trip each year...DC, Boston Pops, Virginia Beach, Philly, NYC...all cities that know how to celebrate the 4th in style. 

This year I was craving a little 4th of July road trip and headed back to America's heartland to visit family in Iowa.  Different kind of feeling than DC, but there's a lot to be said for small town charm. 

This was the first place I have full memories of as a child.  We lived exactly where I am standing to take this photo.  I remember the lake being more massive and well, lake like. Needless to say, I grew up with a fishing pole in my hand--a Snoopy one to be precise.  While the charms of fishing have eluded me since then, there's nothing like visiting old haunts to stir up a little nostalgia. 

And this is just a ways up the road....

I love a great worn barn.

And of course the food part of the post.  This is another Pinterest special--who of us didn't pin the bacon wrapped corn onto one of our boards?  This is one of the few Pinterest pins I've actually executed and it was yummy as bacon always is.  

It did however make a ginormous mess and grease fire in the barbecue.  Just  a little warning for you. 

Hope all who celebrated had a wonderful and safe 4th!

Grilled Peaches and RolyPoly Cake

Hopefully you've all had your share of grilled veggies and fruit this summer because grilled produce is awesome.  Some of my favorite grilled fruits are our Colorado colossal super fantastic Palisades peaches that I pick up EVERY weekend at the local farmers markets when peaches are in season.  They are phenomenal all by themselves but when you need a little variety because you've been eating peaches nonstop for weeks, throwing them on the grill is a great way to mix it up.  I've been using the Tyler Florence "recipe" I posted eons ago--a drizzle of oil and some fresh rosemary.  A few minutes per side on a medium high grill and voila, you are good to go. 

The same recipe can be turned into a nice clean summery dessert with a little help from greek yogurt. Of course, this recipe works without the rosemary--I just fell in love with the peach and rosemary combo so always throw them together if I'm grilling peaches.  I served these after the Tandoori chicken I made so thought it would be nice to incorporate a little eastern flavor into the dessert as well......mmmmm cardamom and honey.

For the yogurt you simply mix 1/4 tsp finely ground cardamom(or you could use cinnamon) and 1 tsp vanilla extract into 2 cups of greek yogurt.  I tend to like my food less sweet so I opted for no honey in the yogurt itself, but if you are sugar peeps, drizzle a big glob of honey into the yogurt.  Mix well, and spoon onto warm grilled peaches  Drizzle with honey and serve.

A little Peanut turned not so little this year...5!!! Oh I'm so weepy.  And again, instead of humoring her aunt with a princessy girly cake, she's decided to love bugs...rolypolys in particular.  Since I'm a believer in encouraging what people love, I thought a rolypoly cake might be fun....that is until I realized that no one in all of internet land had ever posted a photo of a rolypoly cake they'd made.  Or at least I couldn't find one.  Crikey.  Turns out it wasn't so hard with a little chocolate fondant and a loaf cake.  

Yes, the cakes are getting lazier over the years.  I might just stick a candle in a Sara Lee pound cake and call it good next year.  Just kidding Peanut. 

Happy Birthday little Peanut.  You are this auntie's favorite 5 year old superhero. 

Puppies always know how to get in on the action.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken Kabobs

The longer you go between posts, the harder it is to get back to blogging.  I have to admit to loving a little break over the summer.  Work has been exhausting, weather has been dreadfully hot and I've been lazy.  I'm sure the three are inextricably tied together. 

But alas, I fired up the grill and cooked up some indian fare.  I'm pretty sure I don't cook indian nearly often enough.  I saw a bazillion great looking recipes online and on Pinterest, but in the end, I need to justify my unnecessary cookbook collection so I grabbed American Masala off my bookshelf.  Every time I make something from a cookbook I wish I had more time (or the dedication required) to crack them open more and experiment with all of the recipes. 

This recipe for tandoori chicken taught me that tandoori chicken is not naturally colored red.  Shocking right?  You could add red food coloring if the red is important to you.  I also thought this version was pretty fascinating in that it was one of the few I've seen that included an onion (blitzed completely in the food processor) as a major marinade ingredient.  

All in all, it was fantastic and as it turns out, chopped cold tandoori chicken is also pretty tasty thrown on top of a regular 'ole green salad for lunch the next day. Definitely a recipe keeper. 

Grilled Tandoori Chicken Kabobs

adapted from American Masala by Suvir Saran

For the chicken:

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp paprika

3 large chicken breasts (about 2.5 lbs) cubed into 1 inch pieces

Mix spices spices and lemon juice together in a large bowl.  Add chicken.  Stir and let sit for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

For Marinade:

1 small red onion, roughly chopped

4 large garlic cloves peeled and smashed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1/2 cup greek yogurt

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garam masala

pinch of cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)

¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Place marinade ingredients into food processor and pulse until smooth.  Pour over chicken and let marinate in fridge for 8 hours or overnight

To prepare chicken, soak skewers in water for 30 minutes

Heat grill to medium-high

Thread chicken onto skewers

Grill for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through, turning halfway through

Blackened Salmon with Spicy Fresh Mango-Pineapple Chutney

I'm in training this week and it's odd how sitting still and listening can actually be exhausting.  I haven't come home in the mood to prep and cook so was looking for something fast and easy.   This meal, straight from Rachael Ray's cookbook Book of 10, (Cookbook #83--woohoo!) is a quick one. 

I'll admit to not being the biggest Rachael Ray lover.  Once however, I was browsing through a friend's cookbook and I was surprised to see that many of her recipes actually sound pretty fantastic.   This cookbook has 30 top ten lists and recipes in categories such as: Super Easy, Family Faves, Comfort Foods, Sammies, Soups and many others.  Chipotle Chicken Rolls with Avocado Dipping Sauce?  Yes. Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Cheddar-Mustard Sauce?  Okay.  Pumpkin-Peanut Curry Noodles with Five-Spice Seared Scallops? Sold!

Love the spicy-sweet fruit salsa which was a welcome contrast to the blackened salmon.  I of course made a few changes....fresh pineapple instead of canned, added a bit diced roasted red pepper for color, used thai bird chilies instead of jalapeños and grilled the salmon.  Rachael's recipe called for sautéing the salmon but I am a grilling queen these days.  I blackened the salmon because I always have a jar of blackening spice I make in large batches...it was easier to toss that on instead of read what Rachael wanted me to season the salmon with.  I call it lazy interpretation. 

Little shy of photos for this post.  Too. Tired. To. Take. Photos.  I did sit still for many hours after all. 

Blackened Salmon with Spicy Fresh Mango-Pineapple Chutney

adapted from Book of 10 by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow or red onion, chopped
1-2 jalapeno pepper, seeds and membrane removed, chopped(I used 3 Thai bird chilies)
Salt and pepper
1.5 c fresh pineapple diced in 1/2 cubes
2 tablespoons honey
2 thicker salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each
1-2 tbsps blackening spice
1 ripe mango, diced
2 tbsp finely diced roasted red pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat grill on medium-high and lightly grease
2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized saucepan
3. Add the onion and jalapeño and season with salt and pepper to to saucepan. Cook until onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes
4. Add the pineapple, honey, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and then down to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes
5. Add cilantro, mango, red pepper and lime juice to pineapple. Stir and remove from heat. Season salmon with blackening spice and place on grill. Grill 5-7 minutes each side
6. Remove from heat and serve with with chutney

Bacon Chicken Kebobs with Guinness BBQ Sauce

These 2  recipes kind of came together as if they belonged together.   I saw a recipe for bacon paste chicken kebobs from Cooks Illustrated.  Bacon paste.  It's exactly what it sounds like, bacon that has been pulverized into a paste and then you rub it all over chicken. Totally intriguing right?  I figured if I was going to all the trouble to turn bacon into a paste (30-45 secs in a food processor amount of trouble really) I might as well up the stakes with a different kind of bbq sauce too.  

When I saw the bottles of Guinness in the fridge, I knew immediately what kind of BBQ sauce it needed to be.  Guinness has a deep dark flavor that I hoped would lend itself to a super rich BBQ flavor...I hoped.  As it turns out it was....eh.  It was pretty similar to any bottled sauce and the Guinness flavor was almost nonexistent.  Personally I'd save the Guinness for drinking next time but included the recipe link just in case you are that intrigued that you need to try. 

The bacon paste part though...kind of genius.  I didn't post a photo of the paste itself because no one wants to see that. Not pretty but once you get it on the chicken and then onto the BBQ...magic.  The bacon crisps up and adds that fantastic bacon flavor and really does keep the chicken ultra moist.  I would recommend spacing the kebobs a bit more on the skewers though so the bacon in between the pieces gets crisped and bbq'd up.  

This is super with some grilled pineapple on the side.  

Chicken Kebobs 
kebab recipe from June 2011 Cooks Illustrated
Guinness bbq sauce from Epicurious

Guinness BBQ sauce

2 cups Guinness
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dark brown mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Kebabs:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 12-inch metal skewers

Directions: 

1. Boil the Guinness in a saucepan over high heat until reduced by half
2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick. 
3. Cool and store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
4. Add the chicken and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. 
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Preheat your grill – turn the burners to high, close the lid and let heat for at least 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, use paper towels to pat chicken dry. 
8. Mix the sweet paprika, sugar and smoked paprika together in a small bowl. 
9. Add bacon to food processor and pulse until the bacon becomes a smooth paste, about 30-45 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. (this is not pretty)
10. Combine the chicken, spice mixture and bacon paste in a large bowl and use your hands to mix and coat the chicken evenly. Thread the chicken onto the skewers.
11. Leave one burner of your grill on high and turn the others off. Place the kebabs over the hot burner, and grill , giving them a quarter turn every 2 minutes, until browned and slightly charred on all sides, about 8 minutes. If a flare-up occurs, just move the kebabs to the cool side of the grill temporarily.
12. Brush one side of the kebabs with about 1/4 cup sauce then flip and cook until the sauce browns a bit, about 1 minute. Brush the other side with the remaining 1/4 cup sauce, flip and cook until brown, about 1 more minute. The chicken should register 160 F on an instant read thermometer. 
13. Transfer the kebabs to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes before serving

Chicken Shawarma and My Grill by Pete Evans

Cookbook #82 already?  Only 3 (or 4) years later and I'm still trying to make my way through all of these cookbooks.  It's a little odd that it's taken me so long since in actuality, each cookbook really only takes a little bit of time per recipe.  It's really the planning part that's lengthened the process...flipping through each cookbook to pick the recipe, planning the shopping list because invariably I choose the recipe with ingredients that don't live at my place and then finding the motivation after 9-10 hours away from home, to clean up a mess after I cook something.  I love to cook so it's definitely the mess that's the deterrent.  Just thinking of making a mess makes me grab that box of peanut butter Cheerios and call it a meal.  But that's not too bad because there are very few things that are as tasty as PB Cheerios.  Have you tried them yet?  Love them. Yes, total rabbit trail there. 

I picked up this cookbook on grilling back in Las Vegas before I even had my brand new grill.  I was initially drawn to Australian outdoor cooking part.  Australia is a country that gave us both Hugh Jackman AND Alex O'Loughlin which in my mind makes it a pretty perfect place. Surely the grilling had to be spectacular also.

The cookbook did not disappoint.  The book is full of gorgeous food porn photos, matte pages and a beautiful hardcover binding that doesn't seem to even need a dust jacket.  And the recipes...Crab and Sweet Corn Cakes, Miso Marinated Salmon, Malaysian Noodles, Thai Beef Salad and even a Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Baguette that the author calls one of the best sandwiches in the world. The photos and commentary alone made this cookbook look like a keeper, and the first recipe I made from it confirmed it.

Garlic Yogurt Sauce is as simple as it sounds--garlic and olive oil pureed and then mixed with yogurt and sumac. 

The tomato parsley salad added a bright clean flavor to the shawarma.  

And the chicken itself was so quick and easy since it's just tossed with a few ingredients before you heat the grill.  I opted to cut into pieces and grill on skewers to ensure the flavoring coated each piece but Pete's recipe calls for grilling the chicken in large pieces. He also called for boneless thigh meat and iceberg but I substituted breast meat and romaine.

Even though there are a few different prep pieces to this, the recipe came together rather quickly and was just as good as the shawarma we pick up for lunch sometimes.  It's definitely a make again and again kind of recipe. 

Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt and Garlic Sauce

adapted slightly from Pete Evan's My Grill

Ingredients:
3 tbsp lemon juice pinch of salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves minced
2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
6 white flatbreads
2 large handfuls shredded romaine lettuce

YOGURT & GARLIC SAUCE
8 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp sumac (a lemony spice used in Middle Eastern cooking)

TOMATO PARSLEY SALAD
3 handfuls fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 vine-ripened tomato, diced
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Soak skewers in water for at least 30 minutes
2. Combine the lemon juice, salt, oil, spices, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. 
3. Preheat the outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
4. Grill the chicken 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, to make the yogurt and garlic sauce, combine the garlic, salt, and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Gradually add the oils in a thin, steady stream while the motor is still running, until the sauce has thickened; fold in the yogurt and sumac.
6. To make the salad, combine the parsley, tomato, and onion.
7. Place the flatbreads on the grill for about 5 to 10 seconds to warm slightly, then spread the yogurt and garlic sauce over them. Arrange the tomato parsley salad, lettuce, and chicken on top. 

Fettuccini Alfredo with Zucchini Ribbons and Comfort Food by Ellie Krieger

I've never had an alfredo sauce that didn't come from a jar.  Even as a type that I almost don't even believe it myself.  My mom didn't make a lot of pasta as we were growing up and when I go to an Italian restaurant I order eggplant parm or chicken piccata.

When I received Ellie Krieger's new cookbook Comfort Food Fix, (Cookbook #81) I was immediately drawn to this recipe that included a healthier alfredo sauce and tons of zucchini ribbon "pasta." I love Ellie and her healthy twists on food.  My absolute favorite thing about Ellie's cookbooks is that she is not about substituting low fat, artificial foods and sweeteners to just to lighten the calories in foods.  She uses real ingredients and sugars and fats but in moderation and includes healthy additions to improve the nutritional value.   Comfort Foods is full of those recipes that we love such as quiches, french toast, coffee cakes, quick breads, burgers, cobblers, cookies and casseroles, but with a cleaner, healthier twist.

Chicken Alfredo Pasta.  Yep, not necessarily known for being light and healthy.  But with substituting whole wheat pasta for regular, replacing some of the pasta for veggies and creating a sauce with evaporated milk, I think she was pretty successful in creating a recipe that is ultra creamy, cheesy and rich.  Almost a little too rich tasting.  I am though, the girl who's never had real alfredo sauce to compare this to.  

Love the zucchini ribbons twist.  I would easily make this again with just the zucchini and omitting the pasta all together.  The garlic cooked zucchini was that delish.

As the cookbook mentions, save some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit.  Mine was pretty thick so I used all of the pasta water.  It made a super saucy pasta because I dumped the zucchini and the pasta into the sauce rather than vice versa.  Next time I'd definitely conservatively spoon the sauce over the zucchini and pasta.  In the end though, the sauce all soaked into the noodles as sauces usually do. 

Ellie's recipe had instructions for pan cooking some chicken, but since my grill came to live at my place, I always have chicken marinating in the fridge to throw on the grill. This was pretty fantastic with some juicy grilled marinated chicken thrown on top.  

Fettuccini Alfredo with Zucchini Ribbons

adapted from Comfort Foods by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium zucchini
• 8 oz ounces whole wheat fettuccini 
• 2 tsp flour
• 2/3 cup cold 1% milk
• 5 oz can evaporated skim (not condensed milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully create long strips of zucchini. If pieces are too wide, use a knife to cut into fettuccine width pieces 
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large non-stick skillet over a medium heat. Add 1 clove of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini ribbons, cover and cook until the zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. 
3. Cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. Ladle out a half cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta. 
4. For the sauce, stir the flour into the low-fat milk until it is completely dissolved. 
5. Put the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the remaining clove of garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 
6. Add the flour-milk mixture and cook until the mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. 
7. Add the evaporated milk, salt and the cheese and cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. 
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
9. Add the the zucchini and pasta in the pot and toss to combine. Add a little of the reserved pasta water as necessary to loosen the sauce to a light and creamy consistency

Grilled Eggplant Dip

Tons of grilling means tons of leftovers.  Since I'm not the biggest leftover fan though, I had to come up a way to use up the accumulating grilled veggies and remembered a roasted eggplant dip I used to make quite often.  The  dip, which is from Barefoot Contessa's first cookbook, has a slight smoky eggplant and red pepper base mixed with a garlicky tomato kick.  I added parmesan to the dip once and loved the addition so much, I've incorporated it into the recipe. When I saw the leftovers in my fridge, the lightbulb went off and I knew immediately what I was going to make.  Don't you love those rare occasions when that happens?

The dip is super easy as absolutely everything goes in the food processor and then you just pulse until it all comes together. 

The best part of this dip made from leftovers though is that it has one more incarnation in it.  Boil some pasta, drain and then toss some of the eggplant dip along with some reserved pasta water into the pasta and stir to combine.  

Top this with some cheese you have a fantastic additional meal from the same grilled veggies.  I feel rather uncharacteristically frugal.

Grilled Eggplant Dip
adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant cut into 3/4 inch slices
1 large onion, sliced into 3/4 inch slices

2 red peppers
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling on veggies for grilling

1.5 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium high
2. Toss eggplant and onions with oil and place on grill. 
3. Add whole red peppers to grill
4. Grill eggplant and onion until tender (about 10-12 mins) turning halfway through 
5. Grill red peppers until charred on all sides and tender inside
6. Remove veggies from grill.  Place peppers in bowl and cover with plate.  Allow to cool.
7. Remove red peppers from bowl and peel (skin should pull right off) and remove seeds.  
8. Place all veggies in bowl of food processor along with garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and parmesan.  Pulse until dip comes together.  (I like to keep some chunks in mine)
9. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread, flatbread or tortilla chips

Grilled Blackened Cedar Plank Salmon

Did you know dinner could be so easy?  Coating a beautiful piece of salmon with blackening spice and throwing it on the grill takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and tastes out of this world delish,  if you are a salmon fan that is.  And even if you are not, you might be convinced to convert.  Blackening spice gives the salmon tons of flavors and grilling it on a cedar plank  imparts even more smoky woodsy flavor.

I've always been a huge fan of grilling because it adds so much flavor with very little mess. When I lived in NY, I grilled 3-4 times a week, even in the winter.  Lighting a gas grill is just as easy as turning on the stove and while you do have to step outside into the cold for a few minutes, not having to clean pots and pans was so worth it to me.  When I bought my condo, I wasn't allowed to have a grill because my patio was enclosed.  Now, with the opportunity to grill in front of me again, Tess is one of the first things I purchased.  Isn't she lovely?

I've had Tess (because all grills need names) for just a couple of weeks and I'm pretty sure I've grilled at least every other day. I love Tess, even more than, get this......my other KitchenAid, the beast that sits in the kitchen. I know that seems wrong to so many and I do actually feel a little guilt over it.

I opted for the two burner grill because I am one person and the grill is supposed to be big enough to grill 28 hamburgers.  Who needs to grill 28 hamburgers except people with begging Boston Terriers?  If I had to do it again, I might go with the bigger one. While I may only need enough space for one hamburger for hamburger needing pups, it gets a little crowded when you try to throw veggies and protein and puppy treats all onto the same grill. 

So the salmon.  Easy peasy as soaking the untreated cedar wood for at least an hour (you can buy untreated wood at Home Depot for less but I find Crate and Barrel much less intimidating than Home Depot.)  You then rub the salmon with the blackening spice, throw it skin side down on the wet plank and throw it on a med-high grill for 12-15 mins or until the salmon is opaque and flaky. Have water bottle handy in case the plank dries out and wants to flare up.  Seriously, blackened salmon is good stuff and it's just as outstanding cold and thrown into a salad the next day.

With some grilled veggies (drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic flakes) you have an entire meal and no pans to clean.  Love, love, love that.

Grilled Blackened Cedar Plank Salmon

Blackening Spice:

2 tsp dried basil crushed fine
1 tsp dried thyme crushed fine

1 tsp dried oregano crushed fine
2 tbsp garlic power
2 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsps cayenne pepper

Mix together and store in small spice jar

For Salmon: 

1 1lb salmon fillet

blackening spice

cedar plank soaked in water for at least 1 hour

Directions
Heat grill to medium high
Place the plank with salmon on the grill and cook, covered, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily, 12 to 15 minutes