A Touch of Mint Chicken Grillers

What You’ll Need:

1/3 C fresh mint, coarsely chopped
1/4 C + 2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 C lemon juice
1 TBSP garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine
1/4 C Dijon mustard
2 TBSP honey

How to Make It:

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the mint, 1/4 C olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

Place the chicken breasts in a large zip lock bag. Add the mint mixture and seal tightly.
Turn the bag a few times to be sure the mint mixture covers the chicken. Refrigerate one hour.

Place the 2 TBSP of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and heat until the butter is completely melted. Add the onion and jalapenos and cook for 4 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and the honey.

Heat the grill to medium high.

Cook the chicken breasts for 8 minutes turning once. Baste the chicken with the mustard sauce and continue grilling 5 more minutes or until the juice runs clear.

Keep the lid on your grill closed. This will insure your meat will cook quickly, evenly and without flare ups.

Lil Lamb Kabobs

Kabobs are so much fun to each. Everyone enjoys a good kabob so here’s one for you to share. When using lamb in shish kabobs the best meat to use is from the shoulder joint.

What You Need:

1 3/4 lbs lamb, cut in 1 inch cubes

3 zucchini, cut in 1/4 inch rounds

Olive oil

4 small tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 TBSP parsley

Metal skewers

How to Make It:

Brush each piece of lamb with some olive oil. Brush each piece of zucchini with olive oil.

Place a piece of tomato on the skewer. Follow with a piece of lamb and then a piece of zucchini. Continue to alternate ending with a piece of lamb.

Heat the grill to medium high.

Grill the kabobs for 12 minutes turning them often.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

To ensure less flare ups while the meat is cooking be sure you have cut away any fat.

Marinate My Chicken Livers with Pomegranate

What You Need:

1/2 C grenadine syrup

4 TBSP red wine

2 TBSP sugar

2 onions, grated

4 cloves of garlic, minced fine

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 slices of bacon per wooden skewer

4 chicken livers per wooden skewer

3 button mushrooms per wooden skewer

How to Make It:

In a large mixing bowl combine the syrup, red wine and sugar. Mix until all the sugar has dissolved.

Add the onions, garlic, oregano, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients together.

Cut each piece of bacon in half. Lay each piece of bacon flat and place one liver on top of each piece. Wrap the bacon slice completely around the liver.

Thread the liver onto the wooden skewer. Tread a mushroom onto each skewer and continue alternating back and forth between the livers and mushrooms being sure there are 4 livers and 3 mushrooms on each skewer.

Place the pomegranate mixture into a large container with a lid.

Place the skewers in the mixture and secure the lid tightly. Turn the container over a few times to insure all the meat is well covered.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove skewers from the mixture and discard the mixture.

Heat the grill to medium high.

Grill each kabob 12 minutes turning often.

Kabob will be done when the bacon becomes slightly crispy.

When grilling chicken livers remember they should still remain slightly pink in the center. Over cooking will make the livers very dry and take away from their flavor.

Buttery Lemon Herb Shrimp Bites

photo credit: Navin75

 

Doesn’t the name of this recipe just make your mouth water?  Yum!

Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

 

8 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

Juice from 1 whole fresh lemon

2 tsp rosemary

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp marjoram

2 tsp pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

20 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Fresh lemon slices

 

How to Make It:

 

Mix together in a large bowl the butter, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, pepper and garlic. 

 

 

Pour the mixture into a large zip lock bag.  Place the shrimp in the bag and seal tightly.  Turn the bag over a few times to make sure the shrimp are covered well with the marinade.

 

 

Allow the shrimp to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

 

 

Remove the shrimp and discard the marinade.

 

 

Run the shrimp on a wooden skewer.

 

 

Heat the grill to medium high.

 

 

Cook the shrimp about 6 minutes turning over after 4 minutes.

 

 

Serve with a fresh slice of lemon.

 

Grilling with a skewer can make for faster grilling and tasty meats.  Bamboo skewers are great for grilling seafood but should be soaked in water for 30 minutes to keep them from burning on the grill, soak them while the shrimp are marinating for the hour.

Simple Oysters in the Shell

photo credit: ftchris

Three simple ingredients and you’ve got yourself and your guests some delicious Oysters in the Shell grilled on your pit.

What You Need:

24 oysters in the shell
24 fresh lemon slices
Seafood cocktail sauce

How to Make It:

Clean each oyster shell top and bottom well.

The grill needs to be very hot to cook these.

Place the oysters shell and all on the grill. Close the lid.

Check every 3 minutes or so and when the shells begin to open remove them from the grill.

Carefully open the shell being sure to retain the juice and the oyster in the bottom shell.
Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top each oyster. Serve with the cocktail sauce.

Be carefully not to over cook these oysters. When the shell starts to open you want to remove them immediately. Overcooking them will cause them to become rubbery.

Hungry Man Fiery Steaks

photo credit: acme
Add a little spice to your next backyard barbque with this steak recipe.

What You Need:

 

1 TBSP crushed peppercorn

1 tsp + 1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp light brown sugar

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp + 1 tsp onion powder

1/2 C ketchup

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP red wine vinegar

1 TBSP dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 C water

4 (3/4 lb) rib eye steaks (1 inch thick)

Olive oil

 

How to Make It:

 

Mix the peppercorns, 1 tsp chili powder, salt, light brown sugar, garlic powder and 1/4 tsp onion powder together well in a mixing bowl.

Let the steaks stand at room temperature 30 minutes prior to grilling.

Coat both sides of the steak with the peppercorn mixture being sure to press into the meat.

Brush both sides of the steaks with the olive oil.

Heat the grill to high temperature.

Grill the steaks 12 minutes for medium turning once during grilling time.

Allow steaks to rest 10 minutes before serving.

In a saucepan over low heat simmer together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, dark brown sugar, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder, pepper and water.

Allow to simmer 10 minutes being sure to stir often to insure the brown sugar dissolves completely.

Pour the sauce over the steaks before serving or use as a dip on the side.

 

Using kosher salt will insure that the salt cooks into the food instead of being washed away by the juices as would regular table salt.  If you would like to use regular table salt reduce the amount by half.

Marvelous Meat Munchers

Today’s recipe is one for the grill so enjoy the warm summer days with your friends and this recipe.

What You Need:

 

1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and cubed

1 lb beef sirloin, boneless and cubed

1/2 C canola oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 C pineapple juice

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

4 jalapeno peppers

8 strips of bacon - cut in half

16 toothpicks

 

How to Make It:

 

Whisk together the canola oil and minced garlic in a large mixing bowl.

 

Add the pineapple juice and soy sauce and continue whisking until well blended.

 

Stir in the red pepper flakes.

 

Place the mixture into a large zip lock bag.

 

Trim any fat away from the pieces of meat.

 

Place the meat into the zip lock bag, close tightly and shake to insure the meat is completely

covered by the marinade.

 

Allow the meat to sit in the marinade at least one hour.

 

Meat can marinate over night if you prefer.

 

Remove the meat from the bag and discard the marinade.

 

Cut the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds, membrane and stems.

 

Cut the peppers into strips.

 

Place one strip of pepper on each piece of bacon.

 

Place one cube of meat on top of each pepper strip.

 

Add another pepper strip on top.

 

Wrap the bacon completely around each piece and secure with a toothpick.

 

Heat grill to medium hot or if using coals place coals in the center of the grill and when the coals burn down to a slight gray spread in a single layer.

 

Cook 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to insure they are cooked on all sides.

 

When done the bacon should be crisp and the juices from the chicken should run clear.

 

When cooking with jalapeno peppers if possible wear gloves.  Never touch your face or eyes until you have washed your hands thoroughly.