Jerk Chicken Skewers

Another great recipe from the Weber grilling cookbook!

Jerk Chicken Skewers with Honey Lime Cream (from Weber’s Way to Grill)

Paste:

1 habanera or Scotch chile pepper – I used a jalapeno – didn’t have anything else
1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 scallions, white and light green parts, roughly chopped
6 medium garlic cloves
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp ground allspice
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Sauce:

½ cup sour cream
½ tsp finely grated lime zest
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp honey
¼ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Wear rubber gloves when seeding and chopping the chile. Remove the seeds and put the rest of the chile in the food processor with the rest of the paste ingredients and process until smooth.

Trim the chicken of any fat and remove the tenders. Cut the chicken lengthwise into even strips ½ to ¾ strips. I bought chicken tenders as they were on sale.

Place the chicken onto a large resalable bag and spoon in the paste. Work the paste into the chicken, press out the air in the bag, and seal tightly. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2-3 hours.

In a small bowl whisk the sauce ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let the sauce stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Prepare the grill for direct heating over high heat.

Wearing rubber or plastic gloves, thread the chicken strips onto the skewers, being sure to keep each skewer well within the flesh of the chicken. If you don’t have rubber gloves, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after this step.

Brush the cooking grates clean. Gill the skewers over direct high heat with the lid closed as much as possible until the meat is firm and the juices run clear – 6-8 minutes, turning once or twice. Serve warm with sauce.

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5 Ingredient Cooking

This chicken was delicious, and quick and easy to boot.  Pitting the olives took the most time, so I recommend you buy olives that are already pitted to make meal prep even easier!  Also, don’t forget to add the feta cheese like we did!

Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and Olives (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1  cup  multicolored cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

3  tablespoons  oil and vinegar dressing, divided

20  olives, halved

1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Keep warm. Combine tomatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing, and olives in a medium skillet over medium heat, and cook for 2 minutes or until tomatoes soften slightly and mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Brush chicken with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing. Cut each chicken breast half into 3/4-inch slices. Top each chicken breast half with 1/4 cup tomato mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese and torn basil leaves, if desired.

Ingredients

THE 5 INGREDIENTS:

4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1  cup  multicolored cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

3  tablespoons  oil and vinegar dressing, divided

20  olives, halved

1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

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Grilled Asparagus

Last week I was coping with horrible fall allergies, unable to smell or taste anything.  Of course Tyler had already planned the meals for the week and done the shopping.  He made several new recipes and while I gobbled the food up, I couldn’t actually taste it!  However, I’m pretty sure this asparagus was very good  At least that’s what Tyler tells me!

Asparagus and Prosciutto with Lemon Vinaigrette (from Weber’s Way to Grill)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds asparagus
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 thin slices prosciutto, about 2 ounces total

Directions:

1. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat.

2. In a small bowl whisk the vinegar, shallot, lemon zest, and mustard. Slowly drizzle and whisk in the oil until it is emulsified. Season with the salt and pepper.

3. Remove and discard the tough bottom of each asparagus spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness, usually two-thirds of the way down the spear. If desired, use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer skin from the bottom half of each spear. Spread the asparagus on a large plate. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season evenly with the salt.

4. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the asparagus and the prosciutto over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the asparagus is tender and the prosciutto is crisp, turning once or twice. The asparagus will take 6 to 8 minutes and the prosciutto will take 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Arrange the asparagus on a platter, spoon on the vinaigrette, and crumble the crispy prosciutto on top.

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Crash hot potatoes

This recipe was in my “to try” folder for over a year at least!  I finally pulled it out to try on Labor Day.  They were yummy, although squishing them with a fork made them kind of fall apart (maybe I boiled them too long?)  They were tasty though.  I used red potatoes and chives, and I added cheese, because everything is better with cheese!

recipe from The Pioneer Woman

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Grill Master (in training)

We purchased our first gas grill earlier this summer and Tyler has been learning the ropes.  Lots of burgers, some chicken, some steak (some burned…), and now pork!  I was not so sure about this recipe when he showed it to me but humored him and it was worth it!  The pork was tasty and the sauce had lots of great flavors that paired well with the pork.  Excuse my sloppy photo, I was quite excited to eat and my couscous was attempting to take over the plate!

Pork Tenderloins with Smoked Paprika Rouille (from Weber’s Way to Grill)

Ingredients:

Rouille
2 medium red bell peppers
2 to 3 small garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Grill the peppers over direct medium heat (350°F to 450°F), with the lid closed as much as possible, until the skins are evenly charred and blistered, 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 or 4 minutes. Place the peppers in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 to 15 minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the charred skins, stems, and seeds.

2. In a blender or food processor, mince the garlic first, and then add the roasted peppers, salt, and bread crumbs. Add the lemon juice and paprika and, with the motor running, slowly add the oil. Blend until very smooth and orangey-red in color. If rouille is too thick, add about 1 tablespoon of water. Season to taste with more salt, if needed.

3. Trim the tenderloins of any surface fat and silver skin. Lightly brush with oil and season evenly with the salt and pepper. Allow the meat to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

4. Grill the tenderloins over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the outsides are evenly seared and the centers are barely pink, 15 to 20 minutes, turning about every 5 minutes. The internal temperature of the tenderloins should be 150°F when fully cooked. Cut the pork crosswise into thin slices. Serve warm or at room temperature with the rouille.

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