Grilled Lemon-pepper chicken/Salad with Creamy Poppyseed Vinegarette - Dinner #9

Being at my mom's house the past few weeks, made me realize how much I cook on the grill...because she doesn't have one.  Anytime of the year...throw some meat on the grill...make something to go with it...and there you go.  Just makes it easier for me...

Basic Marinade - (4-6 chicken breasts or 4 steaks, etc)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lime juice...or lemon juice...or 2 T vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons of seasoning
*increase or cut this down depending on how many pieces of meat
Be creative - put a splash of this and that to change it up... but remember that soy sauce is very salty.
Put your meat in a pan with marinade at least an hour before cooking - turn sides occasionally.

Lemon Pepper Chicken
I used this marinade with fresh squeezed lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning.

While I was waiting...I made a salad with:

Spinach and Arugula greens

Grape tomatoes - cut in half

Sliced cucumber

Sliced yellow pepper

1/2 of a sliced white onion

Garbanzo beans (rinsed out of the can)

Sunflower seeds

Creamy Poppyseed Vinegarette

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp ground mustard

1 Tablespoon poppyseeds

One 4 or 6 oz container of Honey-Greek Yogurt

Whisk until smooth and refrigerate - whisk again before serving.

Squeeze 'em!

I  thought  it was a good idea to bring these home with me from Florida....
My mom and I picked as many as we could...and then I climbed the tree to get the really good ones at the top...throwing them down and my mom catching them :-)  I couldn't stop myself...just had to get that big yellow one...just out of reach!!  Three laundry baskets later....

Now I am squeezin' them and making the best grapefruit juice you've ever tasted. 

First - you have to wash them because they are not like what you buy in the store.  They are kind of dirty and organic.  Fill up the sink with water and grapefruits...and put a little salt in it.  Just scrub them a little to make sure there are no bugs & stuff. 

Second - Get your area organized and your containers washed and ready.  Have a trash can near by for peels and seeds.  Do not put them in your garbage disposal....there are lots of seeds and they can possibly get all stuck up in there and shut it down...(how do I know that??)

Third - Start squeezin' em! It takes a lot of fruit to make a gallon of juice.  I put one in the fridge and the rest in sealed containers in the freezer.  It thaws out nice and tastes just as fresh.  

Just one of the reasons I LOVE FLORIDA!

My Mom's Strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie

1  10 inch Graham Cracker crust
12 oz cream cheese (1 1/2 packages)  - softened

1 8oz cool whip

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

12 oz carton of strawberry pie topping gel (I don't use it all)

2 quarts of strawberries - sliced

Blend softened cream cheese, cool whip and powdered sugar together until smooth (no lumps of cream cheese).  Mix in chopped pecans.  Dump and spread gently into graham cracker crust.  Form and pack an even mound of sliced strawberries over the cream cheese pie bottom.  Spread gel all over like a glaze to seal it in.  Refrigerate to firm it up before serving (best if made the night before or morning of)....and eaten by the pool in Florida  :-)

I believe in Chicken Soup...

On my recent visit to Atlanta, my daughter Megan had bronchitis, strep and a sinus infection.  I sent her to bed, played with Damian and made soup.  I guess you never get too old to have your mom take care of you when you are sick...and homemade chicken soup is just one of those things that makes you feel better...and a little bit more loved :-)
 

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 chicken (or chicken pieces)
1 cup of chopped celery - about 3 stalks
1 yellow onion
1 cup of chopped carrots
1 package of Fettuccine noodle - uncooked
1 Tablespoon of Morton SeasonAll Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper

Fill a large stock pot with water (2 or 3 inches from the top)  - boil chicken (whole or equivelant of 2 breasts, 2 thighs & 2 drumsticks) - Use both white and dark meat for good flavor....about 45 minutes.

This liquid will be the chicken stock for your soup...so don't dump it out!  Remove chicken when done (almost falling off the bone).  I like to strain stock into a clean pot or bowl (get all the goobers out).

Pick your chicken (get all the skin and bones off) and you should have at least 3 cups of chicken pieces.  Set aside.

Chop celery, onion, and carrots - 1 cup of each... but a little more is ok too!  Put into your clear chicken stock (add some water if needed) and continue to cook on medium/high until veggies are tender.  Add  - 1 Tablespoon of McCormick SeasonAll salt and 1 tsp black pepper.  Season more if you like.

Add 2/3 box (or the whole box if your pot is big enough) of uncooked --broken in half--Fettuccine noodles.  I like to use these because they don't get soggy!  Stir and cook noodles into your soup (making sure they seperate) and then add all your chicken pieces.  Continue to cook all together until noodles are done. 

Get well soon!

It's ALL on the grill...Dinner # 8

I love cooking on the grill!  In the summer...almost every night.    After prep time, this meal took about 25 minutes!

Blackened Chicken, Red Potatoes, Corn on the Cob

Seasoning - (for about 6 chicken breasts)

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp of Hot Shot (black & red pepper) or just black pepper

Put all in a container and shake together.

When you are ready to cook your chicken, brush oil on each side and sprinkle seasoning evenly all over each side of the chicken - pat it to stick.

Red Potatoes

Wash potatoes with a veggie brush and slice into spears (like thick apple slices).  Put spears in a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of oil and 1 Tablespoon of "roasted vegetable and fry" seasoning (or something like a Lawry's or SeasonAll ).  Toss and evenly coat. 

These will go on the grill first...on the top rack.  Put them on about 5 minutes before the chicken. 

*If you put them on a skewer - it is easier to turn them...instead of one at a time with your tongs!  They should be done when everything else is.  Turn them over when you put the corn on.

Corn on the Cob

Shuck and clean fresh corn.  Put on the grill just before you turn your chicken over.  Tend it and turn in so that it roasts on all sides.  Brush on butter & salt when done.

So...you are going to put the potatoes on, cook for about 5 minutes, then put your chicken on....close the hood (but check on it).  In about 8 minutes, put your corn on...turn your potatoes over...and turn your chicken over.  Keep turning the corn till it roasts on all sides...and when your chicken is done (about another 8 minutes)...it should all be done!  Serve like this or add a salad... or you could even do some roasted tomato slices to make it pretty :-)

And for dessert...

Key Lime Pie                                                                            

(best if made the night before or the morning of)                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Preheat oven to 350

Put in a blender....

8 oz softened cream cheese

5 ounces of "Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice" (grocery store)
14 oz can of  Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks

Blend till completely smooth and pour into 9" graham cracker pie crust and bake for 12 minutes.

After baking, let cool for 15 minutes and put into fridge. 

Serve plain or with whipped cream and lime slice garnish.

Quesadillas

For a very long time, I have cooked for 6 people...plus a few more.  It has been difficult for me to scale it back to just 2...so I still make too much.  I plan on it most weeks...eating leftovers in some way...or making the leftovers into something else...even showing up at my neighbors...bringing a plate of something.  They don't seem to mind. 

Well...I still have some salsa!! and some random veggies.  So I made very fast and easy....

Quesadillas

Tortillas - any kind you like - 1 or 2  per person

Some cheese - monterrey or pepper jack  - any kind you like
Something to put inside - veggies, chicken - anything you like
You can saute' your veggies until softened a little or put them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Drizzle some oil - about 1/4 tsp - in a skillet and heat.  Place tortilla in pan and sprinkle cheese on whole tortilla.  Spread your inside stuff on just half.  Check tortilla for when it starts to crisp on the bottom.

Then fold empty half over and press down a little to stick the cheese.

Flip over until both sides are crisp and cheese is melted.  Cut in wedges and serve...with whatever you like! :-)

You can do these in the oven or even in tin foil on the grill...but this is the easiest.  The kids love them with just cheese of course!

It was HUGE!

Last year, around this time...my son Jordan (FSU) was diving at the ACC in Chapel Hill, NC.  My husband attended both NC State and UNC (though he is, without a doubt, loyal to the Wolfpack)...so he took off work and came with me.  This gave Don, not only a chance to show his support and cheer poolside with me, but to drag me around his old college stomping ground...again :-)  Awww...the good old days!

First stop...breakfast at "Ye Ole Waffle Shoppe".  It was crazy how many people were in this old diner that had been there since "back in the day"...still owned by the same family.  Hmmmm...what to order???
I decided on the Blueberry Pancakes....and it was as big as my plate!  Soooo good...warm syrup...butter :-)
Are you hungry yet?  I wasn't anymore...it was huge and one was enough. 

The next morning...we went back again...and I got another one!  Jordan finished up the competition in the top 10 and went back to school in Tallahassee.  We went back to Charlotte (with visions of pancakes in my head). 

Since then, I've tried to duplicate them...but they are never as good as they were on that trip.... :-)

Huge Blueberry Pancakes

2 cups of Bisquick

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Fresh blueberries

Mix up batter.  Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a medium size pan.  You want it hot...like you are going to fry it...but not burn it. Quickly put in about 3/4 cup of batter and place your blueberries one at a time all over your pancake.  It will be time to turn by then...and that's the hard part!!!  Flip it over fast and it should be light brown and a little crispy...more like a "griddle cake".  Put butter on your cooked side while still in the pan and once it's done in the middle...take it out and pour on warm syrup. 

It was a great trip!  I always enjoy watching my children do things ... and I always enjoy pancakes! :-)

Dinner #7 - Chicken & Mushroom Patties/Vegetable Mix

I tend to get a little excited in the produce section of the grocery store...and buy too many fresh vegetables...which results in this sometimes....(cause I just hate to waste food if I can help it).....

Mixed Vegetables

Cut up and cook 1 or 2 pieces of bacon in your skillet (or a little butter....or just steam veggies if you prefer)

Cut up your veggies into pieces....Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash....
Add a little water (1/4 cup) and just a little salt.

Toss it around like a stir fry for about five minutes until you see some steam...and then turn it off. 

Put the lid on and it will continue to cook while you do something else.  If it's going to be a while...leave the lid off and reheat them again when you are ready to eat...or else they overcook. They are better just a little crisp. 

Chicken/Mushroom Patty

1 lb Perdue Ground Chicken

1 package of Lipton Onion soup mix

1 egg

1 package of fresh mushrooms (diced to make about 2 cups)

Mix all together like a soft meatloaf

Put about 2 T oil in your skillet and heat.  Form meat mix into palm size patties (sticky almost like mashed potatoes).  Cook about 10 minutes on each side until done. 

Eat plain or on a bun (makes a great "slider").

I am a big fan of  HOT SAUCE so I splash some of that on too!

Lime-Chili Grilled Shrimp & Salsa Salad - Dinner #6

Clean and peel 1 lb Shrimp - toss in 1 Tablespoon of oil and 1 Tablespoon of Lime/Chili seasoning until coated.  Put on skewers and grill on both sides until shrimp are done pink.

Salad - Use whatever greens you like, add some leftover salsa, & seasoned black beans...corn is good too.

Dressing - I used the 1 cup of leftover guacamole, added 2-3 Tablespoons of Fat Free Ranch dressing and squeezed in some fresh lime juice to blend and thin it out into a dressing. Top with pepitos (roasted & shelled pumpkin seeds).

You can put your shrimp in your salad....or eat seperately.  A fresh and easy meal !

Salsa/Guacamole Burger - Dinner #5

This is kind of a messy burger...but it is soooo good!

The first time I made salsa - it took a couple of hours to chop every pepper, onion, tomato by hand...perfect little cubes of colorful flavor!  My family thought it was amazing!  I'm not sure if it tasted that good...or if they just saw how long it took me to make it...a true labor of love!  The bowl of salsa grew everytime I made it...and soon it was a "tub" of salsa...and a real chore!   Then one day my friend, Ruthann,  introduced me to the "Vidalia Onion Chop Wizard"....hallelujah!!  A truly great invention (you can get one at Target). 

Salsa

1 green pepper

1 orange pepper

1 yellow pepper

12 -15 (Firm)  Roma tomatoes

3 jalapenos

1 bunch of cilantro - finely chopped (need about 1/3 cup)

2 limes juiced

1 large white onion

1 Tablespoon of garlic salt

Chop and mix all together - add tomatoes last. 

If you have any leftover...it can be used in many things...omelets, cooked rice, salads, etc.

Guacamole

2 avocados
1 tsp garlic salt
juice of 1 lime

Mash it!  :-)  I use a potato smasher.  Make it right before you need it because it starts to turn brown in the fridge.  You can add other things if you like...tomato, onion, black bean & corn......I like it plain.