September 22, 2011: Using a Cedar Plank for Grilling

If you’ve never barbecued your fish on a cedar plank before, you’re missing out on a real taste treat. Skinless fish, in particular, absorbs the fragrance of the smoking cedar. Although salmon is the traditional fish to cook on cedar, other types such as cod, halibut, tilapia, tuna or even trout, work just as well.

Just take any piece of cedar (you don’t have to buy the expensive planks they sell at the store; just visit your local building materials store and ask them to cut a length of it into sizes appropriate for your barbecue) and soak it in water for at least one hour before placing on the grill. Place the marinated fish on top, skin side down, and “bake” it, turning once when the fish is almost done. The beauty of this cooking method is that you can use any type of marinade; since the fish isn’t in direct contact with the grill, an oily marinade won’t cause flare ups.

The bottom of the plank will char – just be sure it doesn’t catch on fire! My husband keeps a spray bottle filled with water nearby for putting out flames. The planks are not reusable (trust me on this; I've tried before!).

September 3, 2011: Spicy Inside Out Burgers Recipe

Are you planning on barbecuing burgers for your Labor Day celebration? Here’s a different kind of hamburger that will turn them from humdrum to exciting! It only takes a few ingredients to transform this grilling staple, including my favorite spice, garlic salt.

The cheese started to ooze out of this inside out burger when the top bun was in place.

Spicy Inside Out Hamburgers

1 pound 80% lean ground beef

1 T. bold steak sauce

1 t. tequila (your choice of varieties)

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. garlic salt

Pinch of sugar

4 slices pepper jack cheese

Montreal steak seasoning

Mix together the ground beef, steak sauce, tequila, lemon juice and garlic salt. Form into 6 or 8 thin patties (depending on how big you want your burgers to be). Cut cheese slices into fourths. Place one quartered cheese slice on top of one thin patty. Top with another hamburger patty. Press the edges together to seal. Sprinkle top with Montreal steak seasoning to taste. Continue with remaining ingredients so that you have 3 or 4 hamburgers.

Heat grill to 400+ degrees. Cook patties 7 to 10 minutes, until desired doneness. Serve with lettuce, slices of tomato, French fried onions, avocados, and green chiles or jalapenos, if desired.

September 2, 2011: Stuffed Pork Loin Chops Recipe

My husband is trying to get the maximum use out of our grill before it’s time to clean it up and cover it for the winter. I know, that’s still a ways away, but he’s been insisting that I give him foods he can barbecue in order to hone his grill skills. He’s not always really keen on pork chops but loves cornbread stuffing so I created this recipe as a way to appease him and appeal to his taste buds. One thing I really like about this recipe is the way the stuffing stays in the pork chops even when they're flipped over, because it doesn't contain any big chunks.

Stuffing Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

4 extra thick pork loin chops

8 ounces pork sausage

1 shallot, minced

1 heaping teaspoon apple butter

1 cup prepared cornbread (about 2 squares)

1 T. olive oil

1 t. dried sage

Garlic salt and pepper, to taste

With a sharp knife, make a slit along the side of each pork chop, cutting almost all the way through to the other side to form a deep pocket.

Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until done. Add the shallot and cook a couple minutes longer, until the shallot is soft. Turn off the heat. Add the apple butter and crumble cornbread over the sausage. Combine gently. Remove from heat.

When cool enough to handle, stuff the cornbread sausage mixture into the pocket of each pork chop, using one fourth of the mixture in each. Secure the openings with a long toothpick threaded through the pork chop.

Combine olive oil and seasonings. Brush all over each pork chop.

Heat grill to about 400 degrees; cook for a total time of 15 - 18 minutes, turning once.

Serves 4

August 15, 2011: White Pizza on the Grill Recipe

I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making pizza on the grill. Although I wasn’t confident enough to place it right on the rack (I used my pizza stone), this still has the flavor and crispiness of a crust cooked in a barbecue with an open flame. This version of pizza is perhaps my husband’s favorite so far. I hope you enjoy it, too!

White Pizza

Crust:

1 cup warm water

2 t. yeast

2 T. olive oil

1 t. sugar

1 t. salt

2 ½ cup flour

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add remaining ingredients (use a stand mixer for best results) and mix until it forms a smooth ball. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Roll out the dough into a circle. Carefully place it on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal.

Place a pizza peel in your grill heated to as high as it will go (with indirect heating). Carefully slide the pizza dough from the peel to the heated stone. Cook for about 5 minutes, until it is just firm enough to slide back onto the pizza peel without breaking or falling apart.

Toppings:

½ jar store bought Alfredo sauce

1 lb. mild Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked

1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced

½ cup thinly sliced black olives

6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

1 ounce shredded Parmesan cheese

Spread Alfredo sauce on the prepared pizza crust (still on the pizza peel). Top with tomato and black olive slices. Sprinkle with cheese, followed by sausage. Slide the topped pizza crust back onto the pizza stone and cook for about 10 minutes. If desired, finish pizza under the broiler for a few minutes to brown cheese.

Makes 8 large slices.

August 10, 2011: Garlic Basil Pork Tenderloin Recipe

I didn’t realize it until yesterday but this month marks the halfway point in my year-long recipe blog experiment. The reason it finally dawned on me was due to the fact that, while taking a photo of the beautifully barbecued pork loin I had prepared for dinner, my husband commented, “I’ll sure be glad when this year is over and you’re not experimenting anymore with recipes.”

Naturally I was shocked and accused of him not being open to trying new foods. He admitted that he’d rather have the same old basic stuff he’s used to each and every night. Humph!

Does this mean that I’m going to quit trying new recipes? Of course not! He’s just going to have to deal!

So… on to today’s recipe. It’s adapted from one I found in my August Relish magazine. I thought it turned out quite good and much as my husband wouldn’t want to admit it, he liked it, too!

Garlic Basil Pork Tenderloin

1 one pound pork tenderloin

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 T. olive oil

¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make small slits in the top of the tenderloin and insert slices of garlic. Rub with olive oil all over. Press basil into the oil on top of the meat and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.

The oiled and garlic-infused pork tenderloin covered in chopped fresh basil ready to go on the grill.

Grill over indirect medium-high heat (400 degrees) for about 40 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes with a tent of aluminum foil before slicing.

Serves 3.

July 30, 2011: Buttery Onion Corn on the Cob Recipe

I have to admit I got this recipe straight from my latest Taste of Home magazine. It sounded really good so I had to try it and, sure enough, it was very tasty! This is another unique way to serve the bounty of corn on the cob sure to be in your garden or at the farmer’s markets very soon.

I decided to add leeks to this dish instead of making 4 corn on the cobs.

Buttery Onion Corn on the Cob

8 T. butter
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
4 ears of corn, shucked

Melt the butter and combine with the onion soup mix. Place the ears of corn in a square of foil and brush with the onion mixture. Wrap the foil around the corn and seal the edges. Bake in a 375 degree oven or throw on the barbecue grill for about 30 minutes, until corn is cooked.

Serves four.

July 24, 2011: Grilled Potatoes Recipe

Here’s an easy side dish to put on the grill while you’re cooking meat. As shown in the picture, the potatoes are great in combination with avocado boats and chicken or steak.

Grilled Potatoes

2 large or 4 medium-sized yellow potatoes
3 T. butter
2 t. dehydrated (or jarred, minced) garlic
1 t. dried parsley or 1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Scrub the potatoes, poke them several times with a fork, and cook in the microwave until almost done (since microwave powers vary so greatly, use your experience to determine the right amount of time). Cube the potatoes and toss with remaining ingredients. Put in grill-safe pan and cover tightly with foil. Cook for 10 minutes over indirect heat, until the bottoms of the potatoes are slightly crispy and all the butter is melted.

Tip: Because this is such a simple recipe that doesn’t require many fresh ingredients, this would be a good dish to make while camping.

Note: The dehydrated garlic adds exceptional fragrance and flavor so don't substitute unless you have to.

July 10, 2011: Rotisserie Chicken Recipe

Since we got our “mac daddy” big, stainless steel grill last year, my husband and I have been doing our best to use all of its features. One of our favorite meals from the grill is rotisserie chicken.

We last served rotisserie chicken with the Parmesan green beans recipe I shared yesterday so the seasoning mixture is similar. This chicken was scrumptious – nicely seasoned, very moist and tender, yet crisped on the outside. If you have a rotisserie option on your grill, use it!

Rotisserie Chicken

4 pound roasting chicken
Salt and pepper
1 key lime
1 t. lemon pepper
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. citrus peel seasoning blend

Heat grill to 400 degrees.

Rinse chicken inside and out; remove giblets, if necessary. Sprinkle inside cavity with salt and pepper.

Cut lime in half and remove seeds. Squeeze juice into inside cavity of chicken; rub cut halves over outer skin.

Mix together remaining seasonings. Rub over outside of chicken.

Thread chicken onto rotisserie skewers and secure. Roast on grill for one and a half hours, until crispy on the outside, legs move easily in the joints, and no red juice is remaining.

July 3, 2011: Grilled Ham Recipe

I know I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again – I love grilling in the summertime. It doesn’t heat up the kitchen and it’s much easier to clean up afterwards. But I get tired of the same old boring dishes – hamburgers, steaks, chicken, fish. So I came up with this easy recipe for ham.

Grilled Ham

1 pound cooked sliced ham
1/2 cup Ginger-Ale barbecue sauce (find  my Ginger Ale Barbecue Sauce recipe here)

Brush a bit of the barbecue sauce over each slice. Place on a hot grill, cooking each side for about a minute, just until warmed through and it has distinct grill marks. Remove to a platter and serve.

How easy is that? And it’s tasty, too! This might be a good option for your 4th of July barbecue.

June 10, 2011: Grilled Top Sirloin Sandwiches Recipe

Top sirloin is a funny kind of steak – it can be really tough or it can be pretty tender. It’s hard to tell what you’re going to get when you buy a package at the grocery store. Just to be on the safe side, I always marinate it. This recipe is for the marinated steaks and a mustard glaze that goes over the top during the last few minutes of grilling – and this combo is perfect for a hearty dinner sandwich (I served mine on pieces of a store-bought cheese loaf).

Grilled Sirloin Steak Sandwiches topped with Balsamic Caramelized Onions, Peppers, and Mushrooms and served with Parmesan Crusted Corn on the Cob

Balsamic Marinade

¼ cup balsamic
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds thick cut top sirloin chops

Mix together ingredients in a nonmetallic dish. Add meat and marinade for a minimum of two hours. Remove from marinade just before grilling and sprinkle with sea salt.

Mustard Glaze

1/8 cup yellow mustard
1/8 cup Dijon mustard
1 t. citrus peel seasoning (look for it in the spice section; can substitute a mixture of freshly grated lemon and orange peel, dehydrated minced, crushed coriander seeds and sesame seeds)
1 t. minced garlic
½ t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Brush on both side of steaks during the last few minutes of grilling.

For sandwiches: Slice steak thinly and pile on top of bread. The mustard glaze is the only condiment necessary although you may wish to top the sandwiches with caramelized onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms (recipe will be posted tomorrow, June 11, 2011).

Tip: cook the sirloin steaks to medium rare then take off the grill and put on a platter. Tent with a piece of foil for five minutes so the juices don’t run off.

June 8, 2011: Jerk-y Style Barbecue Sauce Recipe for Chicken

Although this recipe doesn’t include completely traditional Jamaican jerk spices, it is reminiscent of the slightly sweet and hot blend of flavors that characterize jerk dishes. Try this sauce on chicken next time you barbecue and see if you agree!

Jerk-y grilled chicken with potato and leek skewers

Jerk-y Style Barbecue Sauce

3 green onions, white and green parts cleaned and chopped into short lengths
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 t. minced ginger
1 t. each coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns, crushed (use a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder)
½ t. pumpkin pie spice
½ to ¾ t. cayenne pepper (depending on the desired heat level)
2 T. brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes or 1 medium-sized lemon (about 1/4 cup)
½ cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream and blend until sauce is well mixed and thickened. Reserve ½ cup for brushing on while grilling; add a quarter cup of water to remainder of sauce and use to marinate chicken or pork.

Makes enough to marinate one chicken, cut up, 4 leg quarters, 4 bone-in breasts, one 3-pound pork loin, or 4 thick pork chops.

June 2, 2011: Slow Cooked Barbecue Ribs Recipe

Some years ago I found out the secret to the absolute best way to make tender pork ribs. It’s a secret my friend, Jeana, shared with me after she’d watched a cooking show on TV. She isn’t particularly fond of barbecue sauce so this recipe was perfect for her tastes. I’m going to share it with you now so you, too, can easily and effortlessly make these yummy ribs.

Slowed Cooked Barbecue Pork Ribs

3 – 4 pound rack of spareribs
Spice Rub*
Turkey roasting bag

That’s it! Simply rub the spareribs with your choice of spices. Place the rack of ribs underneath the broiler for a minute or so on each side, just until slightly browned (so it retains its juices). Remove from broiler and place inside a turkey roasting bag. Cut a couple small slits in the top of the bag and fasten closed. Cook in a slow (225 degrees) oven for 4 to 5 hours, until falling-off-the-bone tender. Remove the ribs from the roasting bag and place on barbecue grill over medium heat. Grill on each side just until crispy. Serve with barbecue sauce.

* I make a spice rub out of chili powder, garlic salt, sage, black pepper, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and a pinch of cinnamon but feel free to use any commercially prepared seasoning mix of your choosing.

April 20, 2011: Brined Barbecued Chicken Recipe

It’s a good thing my husband really likes chicken as I’ve been cooking a lot of this month in order to take pictures for the recipes. But frankly, I’m getting just a bit tired of it. When he selected chicken as his choice for dinner last night and wanted to barbecue it, I wanted to try something a bit different.

The one thing about putting chicken on the barbecue grill is that if you use a sauce, it always burns. Always. It drips off and sparks a flame and before you know it, your chicken is charred beyond recognition.

In order to prevent that from happening, I decided to prepare our chicken much like I do for our Thanksgiving turkey – by brining it. I took one big breast and two thighs that were semi-frozen and added them to the brine solution for about an hour before cooking. Presto! Each piece came out perfectly moist with crispy skin and not a trace of blackness anywhere.

Brined Barbecued Chicken

3 – 4 pieces frozen chicken (you could also brine a whole roaster; just increase ingredients proportionately)
¼ cup kosher salt
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 slices fresh lemon (the ends work great)
About 1 T. each of:
Black peppercorns
Coriander
3 cups water

Mix together the salt and all ingredients following in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken pieces. Add more water, if necessary, to cover the chicken. Let sit at room temperature for at least an hour or overnight.

Prepare grill. Take the chicken straight from the brine and place on the grill, away from direct heat. Cook for about 50 minutes, or until done, turning occasionally.

April 1, 2011: Easter Chickens, Spring Eggs and Chicken Satay Recipe

What came first: the chicken or the egg? It’s the age old question… now that spring has officially sprung and we are looking forward to the Easter holiday, it seemed appropriate that this month’s posts focus on chicken and egg dishes. Plus, with the cost of food rising dramatically every day, chicken is one of the few meats that is still reasonably priced (have you checked the price of beef and pork lately?). I know some of you readers are vegetarians but those who aren’t quite so strict may indulge in chicken once in a while – maybe one of this month’s recipe will tempt you to try it!

Personally, I love chicken. And because I’ve got three hens – and aim to get three more next month – I always have an abundance of eggs. While my favorite way to eat them is soft boiled or poached, there are lots more things that can be done to eggs – and many more ways to use them with other ingredients.

I’m also going to throw in the occasional side dish and dessert that would go nicely with this month’s chicken and egg recipes. You could put together a very elegant Easter dinner menu! Stay tuned for my suggestions.

So get ready to move beyond the ordinary fried chicken and scrambled eggs – welcome to April!

To start us out, I’m sharing my recipe for chicken satay – a favorite of both me and my husband.

The photo depicts chicken satay skewers with red bell peppers and a side dish of Pad Thai Noodles.
Chicken Satay

Marinade:
½ cup coconut milk
1 T. fish sauce
2 t. Chinese red chile sauce
1 t. curry powder
1 t. brown sugar
Seeds of 2 caramom pods
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients, except for chicken, in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the chicken into long, thin strips and add to the marinade. Coat chicken with marinade, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

While the chicken is marinating, soak several bamboo skewers in water.

When ready to cook, thread the chicken strips onto the skewers. Broil or grill about 7 to 10 minutes, turning them over once. Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce (find the Thai peanut sauce recipe here).