Sweet Balsamic Glazed Skirt Steak

I'm a sucker for a good skirt steak and this recipe is amazing!! It makes the steak juicy and your palette craves for the salty sweet combinations. I like to pair it with zucchini and orange/red pepper melody. I usually coat the veggies in some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
  
  
  
  
  Directions:
  
  
  
  
• Simple! Just mix all of the ingredients together and let steak marinade overnight in the fridge before you throw it on the grill! 

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Best Chicken Marinade

This is a recipe from a wonderful loving mom whose legendary chicken marinade should be shared for others to enjoy! This is a classic recipe that I have made time and time again for my picky eating family to my carnivorous guy friends. It's classic, tangy and sweet. And most likely you will have all the ingredients on hand in your pantry and fridge. Simple * Quick * Delicious !

Ingredients:

1 Cup brown sugar
3 Tbs yellow mustard
3 Tsp liquid smoke
3 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Bottle of ketchup (32 oz)

Directions:

Stir together over heat until fully mixed together. Pour over meat and let marinade over night. Save extra as a BBQ sauce and keep bottled in a fridge.

Brown Sugar Chicken Drumsticks

This recipe from Martha Stewart is absolutely amazing! My favorite thing to grill is chicken drummies and this is one recipe that I'm permanently adding to my recipe box. Martha's recipe requires you to bake the chicken, I just marinated the drummies in the sauce and threw them on the grill. Either way I'm sure they're amazing!  It goes well with squash or asparagus coated in olive oil and garlic salt. Enjoy and let me know what you think! 

Ingredients

2 cups ketchup

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Coarse salt and ground pepper

6 pounds chicken drumettes, patted dry

Directions

.    In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Set aside 1cup sauce for tossing raw chicken; use rest for baked chicken.

.    Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds; line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.

.    Divide drumettes between baking sheets, and toss with reserved 1 cup sauce.

Bake chicken until opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating sheets and tossing chicken halfway through. Toss baked drumettes with 1/2 cup sauce, and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Patriotic Rice Krispies Treats

Ingredients: 

6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
1 Package Marshmallows
3 TB Margarine or Butter
 Food Coloring (red and blue)

Directions:

Gather supplies and divide all ingredients into 3 bowls
I like to microwave my marshmallows because it’s easier. I stick them in for a few minutes or until they start to get big and almost touch the top of the microwave. Take them out, stir well and add the food coloring. Then add the 2 cups of Rice Krispies and stir well. Press into well greased 9×13 or 9×9 depending on the thickness of your treats
Do this for all three layers. Blue, White (no food coloring)red
Let sit for 20 min and Enjoy! 

Grilled Zucchini Rolls

These are so unique and yummy. If you like goat cheese this recipe is for you! Enjoy! 


Ingredients

3 zucchini (about 1/2 pound each), sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces soft goat's cheese
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon basil
      
Directions

Cut zucchini the long way and get rid of the ends of the zucchini.
Brush each slice with olive oil
Season each slice with salt, pepper and garlic salt
Place each slice on the grill for about 4 min each side, or until tender
Mix together goat cheese, parsley, lemon juice
Take mixture and spread onto each zucchini slice, roll up tightly, spread accordingly so the mixture isn't gooing out.
Repeat with each zucchini slice

Patriotic Cheese and Fruit Plate

I'm a bit bias when it comes to 4th of July traditions, seeing that my birthday is on the 5th. But who can resists celebrating this great country we live in! Especially when our red, white and blue colors can represent so many of the food groups that go along with fantastic pairings. I made this fruit and cheese plate last year and it was a hit! People love the choice of flavors and many people tend to pick around so the flag is always somewhat resembled throughout your gathering. In the picture I used one kind of cheese (swiss) but most cheeses if not all are similar colors so you can mix up the cheese, depending on what type of fruit you are using. Also, I have seen many variations to fruit flags. Let me know other ones you have made or seen! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Seedless Watermelon

Feta Cheese, Swiss, Goat Cheese etc...

Blueberries

Bowl for Blueberries

Toothpicks

Directions

1.    Cut and cube half of a seedless watermelon

2.    Cube 8 ounces of Feta or white cheese of your choice   

4.    Pour blueberries into a rectangular bowl (I kept them in their original packaging)

5.    Assemble watermelon and feta into rows start with watermelon

6.    Serve with toothpicks

Cheesy Pizza on the Grill

Ingredients

Pizza Dough (You can buy it from your local favorite Deli, Easy and Cheap!)
Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar
1/2 Cup Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Parmesean
1/2 Sliced and already cooked Turkey Pepperonis
1 Grilled/cooked Chicken Apple Sausage
2 cooked Asparagus

Directions

Roll out the dough, make sure you do this in flour, so the dough does not stick to the grill.
Place the dough onto the grill and cover over medium heat around 3 minutes each side, or until golden brown on both sides.
Place sliced tomatoes on the pizza and smash until covered like a sauce
Take the pizza off the grill and add all of your ingredients.
Start with Mozzarella cut and sliced, parmesan, pepperonis, sausage, asparagus and end with Sharp Cheddar cheese over all ingredients.
Place pizza back on the grill for 2 min or until all of the cheese is melted.
Let cool for 5 min, and serve!

Honey Chicken and Pineapple Skewers

 

This is an original recipe that I've created. I'm a sucker for honey, pineapple and red peppers on the grill. It makes for perfect accessories for a skewer! Yumm.

INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breast cut into thick chunks
Pineapple chunks (can w/ heavy syrup)
1 red pepper (cut into slices/chunks)
1 cup ketchup
1 cup honey
1 tsp dijion mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 garlic crushed garlic cloves (I use the minced garlic in the jars)
1 tsp hot sauce ( I like tobacco, but feel free to use a milder hot sauce)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook all ingredient in a skillet on low heat until combined and melted down into a sauce.
I buy organic chicken breast and cut the chicken into chunks myself. Feel free to do the same with the pineapple, cutting into chunks yourself. Though I recommend buying pineapple chunks in a can with heavy syrup.
Cut your red pepper into slices and chunks big enough to thread thru the skewer.
Take your skewer sticks and poke thru your chicken, pineapple and red pepper. Combine them every other one, though I like to include more chicken on the sticks!
Once all skewers are threaded, lay them down in a baking dish and brush the sauce over the skewers, drenching them as much as possible.
Cover with tin foil and marinade in fridge for 30 min.
After marinading place skewers directly on the grill, turning frequently and spritzing with water if necessary. These babies can get dried out quickly. When skewers turn a deep brown color you know they're ready! Serve hot and enjoy! FYI Always check your chicken first to make sure it's not pink.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

By far one of the best recipes I've found on pinterest! The sauce was to die for and everyone that ate it thought I was a culinary genius! But I must give credit to Mels Kitchen Cafe for the recipe. 

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

For the sauce: 3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a plate. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook on the other side until nicely golden but not all the way cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

Scalloped Potato Gratin

This recipe by Tyler Florence is amazing! If you like thyme, you'll enjoy the taste of these potatoes. I used about half of the thyme recommended and I added cheddar cheese to his recipe. Let me know what you think! Happy cooking. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups heave cream
• 1 sprig fresh thyme ( I used one tablespoon ) 
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Butter
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese. 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg. While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper (I like to sprinkle garlic salt as well)  Remove cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan and cheddar cheese ( I like to smother the potatoes with both cheeses)  Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5 minutes

Link to original Tyler Florence recipe