Lemon-Parsley Chicken with Herbed Couscous

I must admit that while we subscribe to a lot of magazines, lately they have ended up sitting in a pile for months. Yesterday I needed some inspiration for dinner and finally tackled part of the pile and pulled out this recipe from the September issue of Cooking Light. Grilling is year round in Florida so I was lucky that wouldn't be an issue, but I am sure you can always use a grill pan if necessary. The parsley and lemon combination gave the chicken and couscous a light and refreshing flavor. 

Lemon-Parsley Chicken with Herbed Couscous
Source: Cooking Light Magazine - September 2013
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 (6oz)skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup couscous
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon melted butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat grill to high heat

Combine minced parsley, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle chicken with mixture and let stand for 10 minutes. 

Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray and grill for 3 minute each side, or until chicken is done.

Meanwhile, bring 1 ¼ cups water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir in 1 cup uncooked couscous; cover. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Honey Chicken Kabobs

One thing I love about living in Florida is that it is always grilling weather. And grilling is such a quick, easy and usually healthy way to make dinner. These Honey Chicken Kabobs were a huge hit with us! We made them to take over to Jason's parents house for an easy and transportable dinner. I let the chicken and vegetables marinate about 4-5 hours to ensure they soaked up the marinade. By brushing the reserved marinade on top it sealed in the flavor. The chicken is a little sweet from the honey and tangy from the soy sauce. The best part is that they are only 180 Calories! You can use whatever vegetables you prefer or have in the house.

Honey Chicken Kabobs
Source: All Recipes
Serves: 12

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better). 30 minutes before you are ready to start, soak the skewers in water so they won't burn on the grill.

Preheat the grill for high heat.

Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Grilled Pesto Shrimp

We pretty much always have a bag of frozen shrimp in our freezer and therefore are always trying new shrimp dishes. Normally fresh basil and the grill are reserved for the summer, but not in Florida! It was a great way to kick off our year with a healthy, fresh and quick dinner and allows us to use some of the ever growing basil in our yard. Try this at your next BBQ and it is guaranteed to be a hit. Normally, basil can be heavy on the garlic, but not this one, the shrimp have a fresh flavor from the basil. You can also serve it as a healthy appetizer for the Superbowl!

Grilled Pesto Shrimp
Serves 6
Source: Skinnytaste

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
wooden skewers, soaked in water

Directions:
In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing.

Combine raw shrimp with pesto and marinate a few hours in a bowl, covered in the fridge. Soak wooden skewers in water at least 20 minutes (or use metal ones to avoid this step. Thread shrimp onto skewers.

Heat grill or grill pan over medium-low heat until hot. Be sure grates are clean and spray lightly with oil. Place shrimp on the hot grill and cook until shrimp turns pink on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes; turn and continue cooking until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken

It has been HOT and humid here with the daily downpour. So I have not been in the mood to turn on the oven and make it even hotter. Instead I turn to the grill, which also means that Jason gets to help with cooking dinner...lucky him ;) Recently, I have gotten into Pinterest. Sometimes I feel like Pinterest was invented to make life so much easier and other times I think it is a big time sucker. On this particular day I was glad it is around because it allows me to see different recipes from blogs I don't normally read and enjoy something new. Grilling and chicken both are big staples in our house so I am constantly looking for new ideas. The cilantro in this recipe has a bold fresh, slightly citrus flavor that held up really nicely on the chicken against the grill. The liquids helped keep the chicken moist and tender, which can be hard to do with boneless chicken breasts. If you want to add a bit of heat you can add in some red pepper flakes and still stick with the Thai flavors.

Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken
Serves: 4
Source: Artsy Foodie

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
2 Tablespoons Asian fish sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
Place all of the ingredients except chicken in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Prick the chicken with a fork to allow the marinade to seep in. Pour marinade over chicken breasts in a zip lock bag and let flavors sink in for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.

Prepare your grill or broiler. Cook until temperature registers 165F on the meat thermometer. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving, this prevents the meat from drying up.

Korean Grilled Chicken

I am writing this as I sit in a chaise lounge in our backyard taking in one of the less hot and humid evenings. I tend to take for granted how nice it can be here, even in the summer and just taking a few minutes to sit outside and relax, read or write this blog post can make such a difference in the day or night. Now onto the food! I am not sure what makes this chicken Korean but it definitely has Asian flavors in the marinade. I couldn't find the special Korean malt syrup the recipe called for so I added a tiny bit of honey for the texture and sweetness. Since this recipe uses chicken thighs and it is marinated beforehand it keeps the meat nice and juicy, not dried out like boneless, skinless chicken breasts can get. You can definitely taste the saltiness from the soy sauce and sweetness from the sugar and honey with a hint of ginger. Serve with your favorite vegetable, we had broccoli and shared a sweet potato instead of traditional rice. Hope you have a great weekend and hopefully can grill up some of this chicken!

Korean Grilled Chicken

Serves: 6
Source: Chow.com

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

6 medium garlic cloves, smashed

3 medium scallions, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 (4-inch) piece ginger, cut into ¼ inch coins

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Korean malt syrup or honey

6 Tablespoons granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Vegetable oil, for prepping the grill

Directions:

1. Lay the chicken in a single layer on a cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, evenly pound to a 1/2-inch thickness.

2. Place everything except the chicken and the sesame seeds in a large, nonreactive dish or a re-sealable plastic bag and mix until evenly combined. Add the chicken and turn to coat evenly. Cover and place in the bottom of the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.

3. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high (about 400°F) and rub the grill with a towel dipped in vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature while the grill heats up, at least 20 minutes.

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Place the chicken on the grill and cook uncovered, turning rarely, until it’s charred and the juices are running clear, about 10 minutes total. When ready to serve, garnish with the sesame seeds.

Buffalo Grilled Shrimp

We just got back from Jason's sister's wedding in Ohio. And as usual our fridge was pretty empty. Usually we have a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer and some form of lettuce, but not this time. Luckily, the shrimp were on sale at the grocery store and we only needed a few items to make this recipe. Most people love buffalo chicken wings so this is a take on the same flavors. Instead of the mess from the wings, I have coated shrimp with Frank's original hot sauce and grilled them. This recipe was inspired by a blog I read for Grilled Buffalo Shrimp Po' Boys, only I put it on a salad to avoid all of the bread. I used the same flavor profile as the recipe with the peppery arugula to cut the heat and some celery for crunch. If you like blue cheese crumbles feel free to add or use blue cheese salad dressing. This is a quick, healthy spicy weeknight dinner.

Buffalo Grilled Shrimp
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound frozen uncooked shrimp, thawed, peeled, deveined and tails removed (about 41-50 per pound)
1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot Original Hot Sauce
1-2 cups baby arugula for dressing
½ cup chopped celery
1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Blue cheese crumbles for topping
Blue cheese or Ranch dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste


Directions:
If using skewers, soak skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.

Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick grill cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Place shrimp on skewers and brush with hot sauce or toss with sauce if using a grill basket, reserving about 2 Tablespoons.

Grill shrimp until cooked, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from skewers or basket and place in bowl. Toss with reserved sauce.

Dress with baby arugula, topped with shrimp, celery, dressing and garnish with blue cheese crumbles and chopped parsley. If you don't like blue cheese, you can substitute for a light ranch dressing.

Cook's notes- I prefer using skewers to cook my shrimp to get them charred but you could use a grill basket if preferred.

Key West Grilled Chicken

This is an easy, inexpensive and very flavorful weeknight dinner. Most of these ingredients are items that are already in our house on a regular basis so it is an easy go to. It is great now that summer is here to use fresh limes that are on sale with your pretien of choice on the grill outside! If you do them in a kebab format add in some veggies and you are ready for a weekend BBQ! You can also substitute shrimp if you prefer, just don't let it marinade as long since the acid in the lime will start to cook it. According to Jason this was "great" so goes down as a keeper in our house.

Key West Grilled Chicken
Serves: 4
Source: Grocery Budget 101

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Juice of 1 Lime1 teaspoon garlic, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:In a ziploc bag combine soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice and garlic. Place chicken breasts into mixture and and turn to coat. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If you prefer kebabs, cut the chicken into large chunks and skewer onto bamboo sticks that have been soaked in water for 5 minutes so they don't burn on the grill. (For a zestier version add a teaspoon of  fresh chopped cilantro to marinade)

Grill chicken on medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes per side until juices run clear, depending on thickness of chicken.

Jerk Chicken Thighs

I know it has been a while since my last post, but we have been traveling for work and some fun on the side ;) and that always means eating out and no cooking. When we came home there was a new issue of Cooking Light waiting in the mailbox. I actually waited and read it over my leisurely breakfast and as usual, there were tons of recipes I ripped out to try. Jason loves chicken and I prefer the thighs for the dark meat. This recipe could be used on whatever type of chicken you like, just keep in mind the boneless can cook faster so keep an eye on them. Jason grilled a few whole mini bell peppers as well, they are so much cuter when a mini! The chicken had a lot of flavor and the serrano gave it some spice but kept it pretty mild, you can keep the seeds in if you prefer things spicier.

Jerk Chicken
Serves 4
Adapted from Cooking Light May 2012

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped shallots

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

3 garlic cloves

1 large serrano chile, stemmed

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. After preheating, reduce one side to low.
2. Combine green onions, shallots, sugar, lime juice, oil, allspice, garlic, and serrano in a mini food processor; process until smooth. Combine half of onion mixture and chicken in a medium bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cover and grill 5 minutes on each side. Move chicken over low heat. Cover and grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Brush chicken with remaining onion mixture and enjoy!

Tequila Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs

Our kitchen is finally coming together with the boxes mostly unpacked and everything put away. There are still those random miscellaneous items that we don't know what to do with but are feeling more settled. Only problem is remembering where we put things. I must open at least 3 cabinets or drawers looking for a utensil or pot or pan. Hopefully things will become second nature soon enough. 

The best part though was being able to make and enjoy our first meal in our new house. I found the box with all of my cookbooks and stacks of recipes ripped from magazines or printed from online. While the grill is not hooked up yet this recipe was just as easy to do inside using our grill pan on the stove. I hadn't found the tequila so I used the recommended substitution of more pineapple juice. The spice rub was really flavorful and the lime juice shone through refreshingly. I think the tequila would have given the sauce a little extra kick to cut the sweetness of the pineapple juice but it was a moist and flavorful chicken recipe I would try again.

Tequila-Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs

Source: Cooking Light June 2011

Serves  6

Ingredients:

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder

2 lbs chicken thighs, skinned (about 6 pieces depending on size)

¾ cup pineapple juice

1/3 cup tequila (can substitute for 1/3 cup pineapple juice)

¼ cup honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons grated lime rind

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat

2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl and rub evenly on chicken.

3. Bring pineapple juice, tequila and honey to a boil in a small saucepan; cook until reduced to

¾ cup (about 10 minutes). 

4. Combine cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl and stir well. Add cornstarch mixture to juice mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in lime rind, 3 Tablespoons lime juice and red pepper flakes.

5. Spray cooking rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over direct heat. Cover and grill for 5 minutes on each side, basting occasionally with juice mixture. Move the chicken to indirect heat. Cover and grill an additional 5 minutes on each side or until done, basting occasionally.

Turkey burgers and Steak fries

While September is lurking, it is still summer and hot out which means it is still grilling season! I have a feeling that it is always grilling season here in Florida. We use ground turkey  for most recipes as a healthier alternative to ground beef. Normally, we just season with pepper and throw the burgers on the grill. This was a nice change with a lot of fresh flavors.  A common problem with turkey burgers is that they get dried out, by adding the olive oil it really helped keep the burgers moist. And you can't have a burger without fries! I had a potato left in the fridge that we cut up and seasoned. Be sure to start the fries first since they take longer to cook than the burgers.

Turkey Burgers

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh sage

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper and herbs to the bowl.  Mix well so everything is evenly blended.  Mix in the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil.  Form the mixture into 8 equal sized patties.  

When you are ready to grill, oil the grates of the grill with additional olive oil or vegetable oil. Cook until evenly browned and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.  Serve with toasted buns, lettuce, and condiments as desired.

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

Oven Steak Fries

Ingredients:
5 russet potatoes, cut into thin wedges
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme, eyeball it
1 teaspoon dried oregano, eyeball it
1 Tablespoon steak seasoning blend, or, salt and pepper

Directions:Preheat oven to high. Cut potatoes and spread out on a cookie sheet. Coat potatoes with extra-virgin olive oil, dried herbs and steak seasoning or, salt and pepper. Spread potatoes to the corners of the cookie sheet. Cook potatoes in very hot oven 25 minutes. Turn potatoes once, half way in the cooking process to avoid burning. Serve fries hot from the oven.

Source: Rachel Ray - 30 Minute Meals

Perfect Marinade for Grilled Chicken

We went to our friend's house for a kebab party a few weeks ago and Jason kept raving over the chicken. Since that is one of his main food staples I had to get the recipe. too bad it has taken me a while to finally make it. By poking holes in the chicken with a fork and allowing it to marinade for a few hours it really allows the flavor to be absorbed making the chicken moist, juicy and full of flavor. The brown sugar makes it a little sweet but the balsamic vinegar and soy balance it out. This is definitely a recipe we will keep. We grilled some yellow summer squash but you can have this with any grilled vegetable or corn on the cob.

Perfect Marinade for Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup Olive oil

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

up to 4 lbs of chicken

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Poke your fork into the chicken to help it absorb the marinade. Place the chicken and marinade in a big ziploc bag and leave in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Preheat the grill, add chicken and grill until cooked through.

Pork Chops with Craisin Couscous

As is usually the case, our new issue of Cooking Light arrived and we both read through it and ripped out a pile of recipes that we want to try. That is where the inspiration for tonight’s dinner came from. I am a sucker for Whole Foods and of course headed there to buy the bone-in pork chops for tonight. It must have been my lucky day because they were actually on sale; that almost never happens when I go there to purchase a specific item. This turned out to be an inexpensive, quick and easy recipe with a lot of flavor. I would definitely make it again or even for company.

I like recipes that have a component on the grill because that way Jason can help out. I leave most of the grilling to him since I can never tell when they are done or get the nice grill marks like him. We prepped the pork chops and sent him outside after the rain let up to put them on the grill.

Meanwhile, I stayed inside to put together the couscous salad. One of the things I love about couscous is that it is ready in 5 minutes and is a fluffy and delicious side! The original recipe calls for cherries but I like craisins since they are a bit sweeter and it’s something I have in the house. I also decreased the amount of scallions for next time since the original recipe had a lot and it was an over powering flavor. I did like the chopped almonds for a bit of crunch.

Pork Chops with Craisin Couscous

4 servings

Total Time: 39 minutes

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops

1 teaspoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

¾ cup uncooked couscous

1 cup boiling water

½ cup coarsely chopped craisins

3 sliced green onions

1/3 cup dry-roasted almonds, chopped

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat

2. Brush 1 Tablespoon olive oil evenly over both sides of pork, and sprinkle evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place pork on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let pork stand for 5 minutes.

3. Place couscous in a large bowl. Add ¾ cup boiling water; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Stir in remaining 2 Tablespoons oil, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, craisins, and remaining ingredients. Serve with pork.

Adapted from: Cooking Light