June: Grill ‘Em Up!

So NH+No Work+Mom’s Money=Lots o’ cooking!

Two more recipes for you- and they’re my own, yay!

Turkey Burgers- There was thawed Turkey meat in the fridge and the Gazpacho needed some protein to make it a meal, so Mozzarella Turkey Burgers it was.  I took the turkey meat and mixed it with worcestersire sauce, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.  Made nice juicy balls and stuck em on the grill. After a few minutes on one side, I flipped them and only pressed a little- you don’t want to lose the moistness.  They flipped once more and then a nice hunk of fresh mozzarella went on top to melt and surround the little guys.  They were moist and yummy- a great accompaniment to a cold soup for a summer meal.

Tuna Steaks- They looked good, so they came home with me.  I mixed up some soy sauce, garlic (3 gloves), and a handful of chopped cilantro.  The tuna steaks sat in a zip-lock with the marinade for about 4 hours before going on the grill.  I placed them on one side for 4 minutes and then flipped them for 2 or 3.  They were slightly overdone, next time lower flame- the steaks were thinner than I thought.  Still, delicious with a fresh garden salad and some oven roasted potatoes.

I love summer cooking!

March: Roasted Red Pepper Salsa with Cinnamon Grilled Chicken

I was exctied to try this recipe because it meant roasting my own red peppers.  When the cousin I was making dinner for told me it was something he loved to do, I knew it was the right recipe for the evening.

The peppers themselves were so easy!  You slice them open and cut out the seeds and ribs and then lay them flat skin side up on a pan.  Drizzle on some olive oil and put them in the oven on 350 for about 35-40 minutes.  When you take them throw them in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap for 20 minutes.  The skins will slide off and you have roasted red peppers!

The salsa was a little fussy with lots of ingridents.  I chopped and organized the ingredients as the peppers roasted.

I was a little hesitant about the golden raisins, the orange and the cinnamon spice mixture I’d be rubbing the chicken with as I don’t like sweet tastes in my entrees or salad dressings.

However- it was delicious.  I forgot to salt the chicken and the salsa, and I didn’t even notice- which is saying a lot for a saltaholic.  The olives really helped add the zestiness the dish needed to steer clear of sweet.

I used our griddle pan to grill the chicken, it worked perfectly and I will definitely be using it again. My biggest pet peeve with it so far was cleaning it, and this time I had a huge sink of hot soapy water to help.

I paired it with a box of garlic couscous and arugula salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

For this dinner we pulled out our “table” and I set it.  I put a TV table next to it with the items so we could easily serve ourselves.  It was great to have a set table and to sit at it with guests and enjoy a delicious meal.

I’ve been really enjoying having citrus infused water with our meals, it is lovely to use the pitcher we got and since most recipes I’ve been making call for citrus I just buy an extra and throw the slices in the water.  Refreshing!

This one is worth typing in and I’ll definitely be making it again.

3/4 Cup coarsley chopped roasted red bell peppers

1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives (I pitted these myself, a little annoying but worth it for the freshness- just press the side of your knife onto the olive and it will split and you peel)

1/4 cup golden raisins

3 tbspn chopped red onion

3 tbspn chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

juice of 1 orange

Kosher salt (I didn’t use this)

2 boneless chicken breast halves

2 tbspns olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine the bell peppers, olives, golden raisins, red onion, cilantro, orange zest, and orange juice in a small bowl.  Season with kosher salt to taste (Again, I didn’t use the salt, you’ll think the salsa is too wet, but it isn’t and it will get wetter!)

Prepare your grill (or gridle as I used)

They have you tenderize the chicken, I should have tenderized it more, give it some good whacks.

Heat the olive oil in small heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add half of the spice mixture to the bell pepper mixture.  Brush the remaining spice mixture on the chicken and season with kosher salt to taste (again, didn’t use it, don’t think you need it).

Grill the chicken.  Spoon the salsa over the chicken and serve.