FBF: Grilled Lemon Chicken

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN

click on image to see full post from 11/17/11

Greek Vegetables

Do you recognize these veggies? I served them with my Grilled Lamb with Brown Sugar Glaze that was posted yesterday. This is an excellent side to any dish. You can use basically any vegetable in the mix to cater to your likeness!

GREEK VEGETABLES

1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1/2 bundles asparagus, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fried oregano

• Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
• After slicing all the vegetables, toss with olive oil. Split the batch into 2 different bowls.
• In one bowl, toss vegetables with rosemary. In the other bowl, with oregano.
• Then place the vegetables in a roasting pan.
• Roast in the over for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
• Place vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle feta cheese over top. Serve warm.

Grilled Lamb with Brown Sugar Glaze

Why don't we just call this "lamb week" since it seems that it is the only thing I'm cooking recently! Goes to show how much we LOVE it!

GRILLED LAMB

with BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 lamb chops

• In a small bowl, mix first 7 ingredients until well blended.
• Rub over chops and place on plate. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat grill on high.
• Place lamb chops on grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.

Look later on this week for recipes for the veggies!

Chinese Pork Tenderloin

This recipe is one that I have used for years. Its a win-win for everyone and there is never leftovers! I've recently given a friend of mine the recipe and she now cooks it once a week because all her boys love it (picky eaters!). Even better, there is no "measurements."...."whaaaa?" you say? Trust me!

CHINESE PORK TENDERLOIN

Honey
Soy sauce
1 pork tenderloin
Sesame seeds

• In a large ziplock bag, combine the pork tenderloin, about 1/4 cup honey and about 1/8th cup soy sauce. 
• There is nothing special about these measurements. You don't keep the marinade for later, so you want just enough to make sure the tenderloin is well covered. I like making sure there is more honey than soy sauce because of the crispy edges the honey produces when on the grill. Make this your own and experiment on what you like!
• Let the mixture marinade for a few hours in the fridge. 
• If you don't have much time to marinade, just make sure you let it sit until the soy sauce has broken down the honey in the bag. You will know this when the marinade is "watery" and there is no thick spots of honey.
• Wrap in aluminum foil, sealing the edges all the way around.
• Grill over medium heat, constantly turning. (about 15 minutes)
• I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check if the pork is done. Pork is done when it reaches 165 degrees F.
• When the thermometer reads 145 degrees F, remove the aluminum foil and continue to cook, rotating a few more time to make sure the edges are evenly "charred"
• Pull off the grill when temperature reaches 160 degrees F, wrapping it in a foil tent and let it sit a few minutes, continue cooking. Check temp again and make sure it reads at least 165 degrees F.
• Slice into rings and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve while warm!

Grilled Lemon Chicken

GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN

1 lemon
2 tblsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley [plus extra for garnish]
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

• Use peeler to remove strips of zest from half of the lemon, then trim into fine strips with a small knife. reserve and set aside. Grate the other side of the lemon to make 1 tblsp zest. Finally, squeeze the juice from the lemon into a bowl.
• In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic, parsley, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl and spoon the marinade over the chicken until well coated. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes, or overnight if you have time.
• Preheat the grill to medium heat. Put the chicken pieces on the griddle, reserving marinade. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes on each side. Brush with reserved marinade 2-3 times during cooking. Sprinkle with reserved lemon strips and serve immediately garnished with parsley sprigs.

Recipe from Great American Recipes "Quick and Easy Chicken Dishes"

Beer Can Chicken

I loved saying "I'm gonna shove a beer can up a chicken's butt." And then I have to admit this is the first time I've done this too! After it was all done, I couldn't believe how good it was. So moist and tender! Can't wait to try this again, and maybe change up the spices.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

2 tsp salt
2 tsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 12-oz can beer
1 3 1/2 to 4-pound broiler-fryer chicken
2 tblsp butter, softened
1 lemon quarter

For rub, combine salt, brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, thyme, pepper and garlic powder. Discard about 1/2 of the beer from can. Add 1 tsp of the run to the half-empty can--beer will foam up.

Remove neck and giblets from chicken. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the rub inside the the body cavity. Rub outside of chicken with butter and sprinkle with the remaining rub.

Hold chicken upright with opening of the body cavity at the bottom and lower the chicken so the beer can fits into the cavity. Pull chicken legs forward so the bird rests on its legs and the can. Stuff lemon quarter in neck cavity to seal steam in. [if you have a special beer can chicken holder, use it now--we did, made it so much easier!]

INDIRECT grilling. Heat grill on med-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Turn off the flames for half the grill, and place chicken over the flame-free spot. Cover and cook for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours. Cover with foil if its browning too fast.

Carefully remove chicken from grill, cover chicken with foil and let it stand for 10 minutes. Remove can from chicken and serve.

[Don't skip the part to let the chicken rest--this is what makes it really tender and juicy]

Grilled Lamb Chops with Wine Sauce

This isn't the BEST lamb recipe, but its still really good! Be careful not to over cook the tomatoes, like I did. And having an instant read thermometer is really helpful on getting the lamb to the right doneness. If you like lamb, also try my Wine & Mint Lamb Chops, Lamb & Olive Pasta and my "How to use a guy in 10 day" Rack of Lamb!

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH WINE SAUCE

Click HERE for printable recipe

2 Tbsp finely chopped sweet onion
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup dry red wine
\1 tsp butter
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 cup cherry tomatoes
6 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 lamb rib or loin chops (6oz each)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, saute onion in 1 tsp oil until tender; add the wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Stir in butter and thyme. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Place tomatoes on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle with 1 tsp oil. Fold foil around tomatoes and seal tightly; set aside. Repeat with whole garlic cloves and remaining oil. Grill garlic, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the minced garlic, salt and pepper; rub over chops. Grill lamb and tomato packet, covered, over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until lamb reaches desired doneness.

[medium-rare 145 F, medium 160 F, well done 170 F]

Open tomato packet carefully to allow steam to escape; place tomatoes in small bowl. When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze softened garlic over tomatoes; toss to coat. Serve the lamb with tomatoes and wine sauce.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Grilled Asparagus

This is such an easy recipe! I like doing this when we're grilling a steak or other things. The grill is on, so why not use it to its full potential? I was at my parents house, and they have the really fancy Weber grill, so I really enjoyed cooking these steaks and asparagus.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS

1 bundle of thick asparagus [I like the thin ones, but for the grill, the thick ones work better]
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Rinse off asparagus and pat dry. Cut off the ends [if you know the snap method, do so here]. Toss the asparagus in olive oil and the s&p. Lay them out on the grill, and cook (lid closed) for 10 minutes (rotating after 5 min) along with your steaks.

Now all I need now is a fancy Weber grill. =) Enjoy!

"Grill Cupcake Kit" WINNER!

[I used random.org to pick a winner]
CONGRATS to Maryanne @ craftymommydiva.blogspot.com/ for winning the cupcake kit! Please contact me within 24 hours with your information!

"Grate" Gift for Dad

I was going to wait until Sunday to post this, but I've had so many friends ask me how I made them and wanted more details! So here it is!

I want to give credit to where I saw this idea, because I didn't think of it on my own. Family Fun, The Cupcake Blog, Polka-Dot Apron ....I have seen it on a few other personal blogs as well. Just trying to give credit to whom it belongs.  

FATHER'S DAY CUPCAKES

 "Grate Gift for Dad"

Bake chocolate cupcakes however you like. I use box mix to keep it on the simple side.

What candy you need:
Hot Tamales
Caramel with cream centers
Orange colors sugar sprinkles
Mike-n-Ikes

Other supplies:
Black frosting
White frosting (to mix a little with black to make gray frosting)
Decorating tips and bags
Knife (to cut candy pieces)
Toothpicks

First sprinkle the cupcakes with the orange sugar sprinkles (burning embers!). Then pipe with the gray frosting the grill over the orange sprinkles. I used just a little orange, and as things started to pile up, its not as noticeable. I would use a lot more next time. The rest is up to you.

Shape the caramel with cream center into meat "shapes"--like a pork chop, or a t-bone, or fillet Mignon...you get the point. Since the caramels where so think, I cut them horizontally so I could get 2 chops from 1. Use the hot tamales for the "hot dogs." Don't forget to put on the "grill marks" using the black frosting and a toothpick.

These are my favorite little puppies. Kabobs! Use the hot tamales for the "sausage" part, then cut up yellow and green mike-n-ikes for the "pineapple" and "bell peppers" part of the kabob. You can get creative with other things for the kabobs, but I had to use what I could find. Again, add "grill marks" for more detail.

Be creative on what you put on which cupcakes. Keep a variety to make them each unique!

I LOVE how they all look together as a group. Makes me smile. And my husband has already snatched one!

Hope you enjoy! I don't mind anyone using my pictures, however, please give credit to me (for the photo) and to Family Fun (for the idea).

"Grate" Gift for Dad

I was going to wait until Sunday to post this, but I've had so many friends ask me how I made them and wanted more details! So here it is!

I want to give credit to where I saw this idea, because I didn't think of it on my own. Family Fun, The Cupcake Blog, Polka-Dot Apron ....I have seen it on a few other personal blogs as well. Just trying to give credit to whom it belongs.  

FATHER'S DAY CUPCAKES

 "Grate Gift for Dad"

Bake chocolate cupcakes however you like. I use box mix to keep it on the simple side.

What candy you need:
Hot Tamales
Caramel with cream centers
Orange colors sugar sprinkles
Mike-n-Ikes

Other supplies:
Black frosting
White frosting (to mix a little with black to make gray frosting)
Decorating tips and bags
Knife (to cut candy pieces)
Toothpicks

First sprinkle the cupcakes with the orange sugar sprinkles (burning embers!). Then pipe with the gray frosting the grill over the orange sprinkles. I used just a little orange, and as things started to pile up, its not as noticeable. I would use a lot more next time. The rest is up to you.

Shape the caramel with cream center into meat "shapes"--like a pork chop, or a t-bone, or fillet Mignon...you get the point. Since the caramels where so think, I cut them horizontally so I could get 2 chops from 1. Use the hot tamales for the "hot dogs." Don't forget to put on the "grill marks" using the black frosting and a toothpick.

These are my favorite little puppies. Kabobs! Use the hot tamales for the "sausage" part, then cut up yellow and green mike-n-ikes for the "pineapple" and "bell peppers" part of the kabob. You can get creative with other things for the kabobs, but I had to use what I could find. Again, add "grill marks" for more detail.

Be creative on what you put on which cupcakes. Keep a variety to make them each unique!

I LOVE how they all look together as a group. Makes me smile. And my husband has already snatched one!

Hope you enjoy! I don't mind anyone using my pictures, however, please give credit to me (for the photo) and to Family Fun (for the idea).

Grilled Corn on the Cobb

It's National Corn-on-the-Cob Day! Here's some grilled corn-on-the-cob!

GRILLED CORN ON THE COBB

4 to 5 ears of corn
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
Seasoned salt


Take each ear of corn and pull back the husks and remove the "strings" then pull the husks back up and tie a piece of kitchen twine near top of corn to help keep husks on.

Put into huge kettle of cold water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove and grill on medium heat for 20 minutes, constantly rotating. Peel back the husks a little and brush butter and sprinkle some seasoned salt on them. Serve!

Grilled Pocket - Peaches

This is super easy. No need to mess with the measuring. E-A-S-Y. 

GRILLED POCKET-PEACHES

1. Grab 2 peaches, cut in half and remove the pit.

2. Layer 2 sheets (12-by-12 inch) heavy-duty foil. Place both peach halves on top.

3. On each peach: sprinkle with a few blueberries, spoon of brown sugar, a teaspoon-ish of butter, and a dash of lemon juice.

4. Roll up the foil and seal tightly.

5. Grill, covered, on med-low heat (top shelf if cooking meat at same time) for about 20 minutes. Open carefully to let steam escape!

This is finger-licking good!

~Cook 1 whole peach per person. (a peach-pocket each!)

~I made "boats" with the foil, so no need to dirty a plate.

~Also a great idea for a grill-out!

Flank Steak Pinwheels

**as for the issues I had yesterday...I got confused between "following" and "subscribing". Even if you've noticed i'm not "following" you anymore, I'm still seeing your stuff through the subscription. With Google reader, it makes it possible. So you won't have that problem--click on "subscribe by RRS" [where I have the 'follow me this way' on the left column] with the orange funny icon.**

**Thank you everyone who has "followed" my craft blog. Its not "officially" up yet, so don't expect much yet =) But I do appreciate it! I don't do crafts as often as I cook, just a disclaimer. LOL Its still under much construction!**
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Ok, if the kabobs haven't gotten you in the mood for grilling--this WILL. And don't just do the pinwheels. Do the pinwheels, cheese sauce AND fettuccine noodles. Trust me on this one, please?

FLANK STEAK PINWHEELS

8 bacon strips
1 beef flank steak (around 1-1/2 lbs)
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 jar (7 oz) roasted sweet red peppers, drained

Place bacon strips wrapped in paper towels, and cook for 2 minutes or until partially cooked.

Cut steak horizontally from long side to within 1/2 inch of opposite side. Open meat so it lies flat.

Place spinach over steak within 1/2 inch of border; top with red peppers.

With the grain of meat going from left to right, roll up jelly-roll style. Wrap bacon strips around the beef and secure with toothpicks. Slice beef across the grain into eight (about) slices.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until meat reaches desired doneness.

Discard toothpicks before serving.

CREAM CHEESE SAUCE
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

In a small saucepan, combine the cream cheese, milk, butter and pepper. Cook and stir consistently over low heat just until smooth (do not boil!). Off heat, stir in blue cheese.
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~Put a good size spoon full of the cheese sauce on the plate, and place pinwheel on top.

~Serve with fettuccine noodles tossed in a little butter. The noodles soak up the extra blue cheese, and its D-E-V-I-N-E!

~This is a great party grill-out dish. Just prep ahead of time and pop them on the grill when guests arrive.

Polynesian Sausage Kabobs

I'll put up "Penny-Meal Mondays" linky again next week. Hopefully more will link up! 

Also, I'm doing a hop on Friday called "Flash-back Fridays" in which you link up a very old post from the past! That should be very fun! 

DON'T FORGET: I'm still looking for a blog or 2 that would like to co-host a hop! Leave me a message if interested!
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This was an absolutely FANTASTIC dish for camping or just grilling out at a campground. We went to our favorite "fishin' hole" and while husband and kids fished, I whipped these bad boys up. Ok, so I didn't just whip them up, there was some planning. But totally worth it. TRUST ME.

POLYNESIAN SAUSAGE KABOB

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup soy sauce (I ran out and only had 1/4 cup--and it worked just fine)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 small pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch cubes (or with "melon-baller" tool)
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Set aside 1/4 to 1/3 of marinade for basting (cover and refrigerate).  Pour remaining marinade into a large ziploc and add sausage. Seal bag and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

Drain and discard the marinade from the sausage. On metal skewer, add pieces of sausage, fruit and green pepper. Grill, uncovered, over med-heat for 10 minutes or until sausage is browned, turning and basting (with reserve marinade) frequently.

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I had each "item" in different Tupperware bowls, and when we got to our spot, assembled the skewers.

This is so good--the sausage just melts in your mouth. The "blackened" edges were even delicious!

And after 3 minutes, my tray looked like this: