• Greek Feast – Greek Chicken Skewers

    Recipe from Chef Brittany Eddelbuttel.

    Ingredients:

    • 4 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 TBSP lemon zest
    • 2 TBSP lemon juice
    • 1 tsp. paprika
    • 2 tsp. oregano
    • 2 tsp. dried basil
    • 1 tsp. dried thyme
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • 1 1/4 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
    • 1 1/4 tsp. pepper, plus more to taste
    • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 10 bamboo skewers, soaked in water
    • Serve with Lemon Roasted Potatoes, Greek Salad, Hummus, and Tzatziki

    Directions:

    1. Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes.
    2. In a medium bowl, combine olive oil through pepper. Add 1 inch chicken cubes to marinade and toss to combine. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
    3. Preheat grill to medium or 350F. Preheat oven to 350F.
    4. Thread chicken onto skewers.
    5. Add skewers to grill and turn occasionally until chicken has grill marks. Transfer to oven for 15 minutes or until completely cooked through.

    Greek Chicken Skewers:

  • Greek Chicken Salad

    Serves 6-8.

    Ingredients:

    Chicken:

    • 2 lbs. of chicken tenders
    • Generous amount of olive oil (1/4 c. or more)
    • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 2 tsp. onion powder
    • 2 tsp. dried parsley
    • Salt and pepper
    • Lemon juice, optional

    Dilly Potatoes:

    • 24 oz. Yukon gold baby potatoes, quartered
    • Generous amount of olive oil
    • Generous amount of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried dill, salt and pepper

    Tomatoes and Cucumbers:

    • 2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
    • 2 c. cucumbers, diced
    • 1/2 red onion, diced
    • 1 bunch parsley, chopped
    • 1/4 c. olive oil
    • 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
    • Salt and pepper, to taste

    Salad:

    • Romaine lettuce, chopped
    • Dried oregano
    • Garlic Expressions dressing
    • Chicken
    • Dilly Potatoes
    • Tomatoes and cucumbers
    • Feta
    • Hummus, optional
    • Tzatziki, optional

    Directions:

    1. Chicken: Add olive oil through salt and pepper to a Ziploc bag and mix to combine; then add the chicken tenders and toss to coat the chicken. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready, grill or bake chicken, and then chop into bite sized pieces. Optional: add squeeze of lemon juice over hot chicken.
    2. Dilly Potatoes: Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and toss the potatoes with the olive oil and seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes, then flip the potatoes and bake for another 15 minutes, or until potatoes reach preferred doneness.
    3. Tomatoes and Cucumbers: In a bowl add all ingredients and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    4. Salad Assembly: In a large serving bowl add chopped romaine lettuce, sprinkle with dried oregano, and then toss with desired amount of Garlic Expressions dressing. Then top with chopped chicken, dilly potatoes, and tomatoes and cucumbers and toss to combine. Sprinkle with feta and serve with a dollop of hummus and tzatziki.

    Greek Salad:

  • Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

    Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

    Ingredients:

    • 2-3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
    • 1 c. pineapple juice
    • 1 c. soy sauce
    • 2/3 c. brown sugar
    • 1 TBSP of ginger paste
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder

    Directions:

    1. Place chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag.
    2. In a bowl, whisk pineapple juice through garlic powder together.
    3. Pour HALF of the marinade over the chicken in the bag so the chicken is evenly coated. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
    4. Refrigerate the remaining marinade.
    5. When ready to cook, simmer the reserved marinade in a small saucepot, until sauce thickens to desired consistency.
    6. Grill chicken, slice, and drizzle with the reserved marinade.

    Grilled Hawaiian Chicken:

  • Chicken Shawarma Feast

    This feast is beyond delicious.
    Serve with pita, naan, or tortillas.
    Chicken recipe from Noshastic, and rice recipe adapted from A Family Feast.

    Chicken Shawarma Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. boneless chicken
    • 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
    • 3 TBSP olive oil
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 tsp. salt
    • 2 tsp. pepper
    • 4 tsp. ground cumin
    • 4 tsp. ground coriander
    • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
    • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste

    Middle Eastern Rice Ingredients:

    • 2 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 c. rice
    • 1 tsp. curry powder
    • 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
    • 1 1/2 chicken broth or water
    • Salt, to taste

    Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad Ingredients:

    Salad:

    • 1 large English cucumber, diced
    • 5 green onions, diced
    • 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 1 orange bell pepper, diced
    • 1/4 c. parsley, minced
    • 1/4 c. mint, minced
    • 3/4 c. crumbled feta

    Dressing:

    • Zest and juice of 3 lemons
    • 1/2 tsp. Sumac
    • 1 garlic clove, ,minced
    • 1/2 c. olive oil
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper

    Garlic Sauce Ingredients:

    • Mayonnaise
    • Garlic, minced to taste

    Directions:

    1. Chicken: Place the lemon juice through cayenne in a Ziploc bag and combine. Add the chicken and marinate overnight. Cook chicken on grill, stovetop, or oven.
    2. Rice: In a medium saucepan, add olive oil and heat to medium heat. Add rice and cook for five minutes stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add spices and cook one minute; then carefully add broth/water. Bring to a boil and cover and lower heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. During the 12 minutes stir occasionally. After 12 minutes, remove from heat and let sit covered for five minutes, then fluff with a fork.
    3. Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad: In a medium bowl, combine salad ingredients. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients, and then mix dressing with salad.
    4. Garlic Sauce: mix desired amount of mayonnaise and garlic to taste.

    Chicken Shawarma Feast:


  • Tri-Tip Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

    Recipe from Cafe Sucre Farine.

    Ingredients:

    Chimichurri Sauce:

    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
    • 3 garlic cloves peeled
    • 1 tsp. dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • 1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
    • 1/2 c. fresh basil packed
    • 1 c. fresh cilantro packed
    • 1 c. fresh parsley packed
    • 1/2 c. olive oil

    Tri-Tip:

    • 1 2-2½ lb. Tri-Tip steak
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 tsp. dried rosemary 
    • 1 tsp. pepper
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder

    Directions:

    1. For the Chimichurri Sauce, combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and puree until ingredients are combined and fairly well pureed. Leave just a bit of texture.
    2. Transfer to a bowl and add olive oil. Stir until well combined. If too thick, add a bit more olive oil or lemon juice, to taste.
    3. Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
    4. For the meat, combine dried rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub mixture between your fingers to crush the rosemary.
    5. Rub mixture onto beef on both sides and place meat on a dinner plate. Cover loosely and allow to come to room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
    6. Heat grill to medium high.
    7. Clean the grill grate thoroughly with a wire grille brush and wipe it with a paper towel soaked with cooking oil. Do this with a long handled tongs.
    8. Place steaks on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side or until meat reaches 120F (for rare) or 130F (for medium). If meat is deep golden brown on the outside, but has still not reached the desired internal temperature, move meat to indirect heat to finish cooking.
    9. Remove from grill and tent meat with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. (This allows the juices to return to the meat.)
    10. Slice against the grain and serve with Chimichurri Sauce.

    Tri-Tip with Chimichurri Sauce:

  • Greek Chicken Marinade

    From: Carlsbad Cravings

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. chicken breasts
    • 3 TBSP olive oil
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
    • 1 TBSP lemon juice
    • 1 tsp. dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp. EACH cumin, dried basil, onion powder, sugar, salt
    • 1/4 tsp. EACH pepper, paprika

    Directions:

    1. Whisk together all of the Greek Marinade ingredients in a large freezer bag and add chicken. Marinate 4-8 hours..
    2. Remove chicken from fridge and let sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes.
    3. Grill or cook in 450 oven.

    Greek Chicken Marinade:

  • Jerk Chicken Sliders

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    Oh man are these sliders delicious!!!!  Everyone devoured them, and asked for more!  I love finding new recipes that everyone enjoys.  Yay!!

    We’ve made these with the pineapple mango salsa (recipe below), with the pineapple salsa (recipe below minus the mango), and with just the mango salsa (recipe below minus the pineapple).  Use what you have on hand or what you like best.  It’s all good!

    Recipe adapted from Chef in Training.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 4 dinner rolls (I used the King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and you can use the leftover rolls for the Cinnamon Pull-Apart Rolls!)

    Jamaican Jerk Sauce

    • ½ bunch green onions, chopped
    • ½ c. peanut oil
    • ½ c. vinegar
    • 3 TBSP ground allspice
    • 5 cloves garlic, peeled
    • 2 limes, juiced
    • 1/4 c. dark brown sugar
    • 2 TBSP soy sauce
    • 2 TBSP Ketchup
    • 1 TBSP ground cinnamon

    Pineapple Salsa

    • ¼ pineapple, peel and diced
    • ¾ mango, diced
    • ½ red onion, finely diced
    • Fresh cilantro, chopped
    • juice from 1 lime
    • salt to taste

    Directions:

    1. Mix the Jamaican Jerk Sauce ingredients until smooth.  Place the sauce in a large Ziploc bag and then add the chicken.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
    2. Prepare the Pineapple Salsa.
    3. Grill the chicken; then cut each breast in half (or smaller, if necessary).
    4. Slice each roll in half, place chicken on roll then top with Pineapple Salsa.

    Jerk Chicken Sliders:
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  • Quick Steak Taco Dinner

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    Here’s a tasty menu for a quick weeknight dinner.  Top tacos with Mango Salsa and serve with Los Tios Mexican Rice.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 flank steak
    • lime juice to marinate
    • salt
    • pepper
    • garlic powder
    • onion powder
    • ground ginger

    Directions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a dish or zip top bag and marinate for 30 minutes.  Grill until desired doneness.

    Serve:

    Quick Steak Taco Dinner:

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  • Grilled Tuscan Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

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    This is the first year that we’ve planted rosemary and it actually thrived! Wohoo! I found a recipe in Great Food Fast…shocking I know that sounded really good. I adapted the recipe just a bit, and it tasted delicious. I served the chicken with grilled zucchini and peppers (also adapted from Great Food Fast) and Tuscan cous cous (my recipe).

    Ingredients:

    • 4 TBSP fresh chopped rosemary
    • 1/3 c. water
    • 1/4 c. lemon juice
    • 1/4 c. olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Directions:

    1. In a small saucepan bring water and rosemary to a boil; remove from heat, cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Transfer rosemary and the steeping water to a blender. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Let cool.
    2. In a shallow dish or ziploc bag, combine chicken with rosemary oil, and marinate for at least 15 minutes (mine marinated for about 2 hours) or overnight.
    3. Grill.

    Grilled Zucchini and Peppers

    Ingredients:

    • 2 zucchini, 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal
    • 2 red, yellow and/or orange bell peppers, big chunks
    • 1/4 c. olive oil
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1/2 c. basil, chiffonade
    • 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced

    Directions:

    1. In a large bowl, toss veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill veggies until tender.
    2. Return veggies to the bowl; toss with basil and rosemary.

    Tuscan Cous Cous

    Ingredients:

    • 1 c. cous cous
    • 1 1/2 c. water
    • 2 tsp. olive oil
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 TBSP rosemary, chopped
    • 1/4 c. basil, chiffonade

    Directions:

    1. Combine couscous, water, olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, keep covered and let cous cous continue cooking, for about 10 minutes. Uncover fluff with a fork and stir in basil.

    Grilled Tuscan Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon:

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  • Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

    flank-steak-with-lime-marinade.jpg

    I adapted this recipe from a recipe in Great Food Fast.  I have found the longer you marinate flank steak the better it tastes. (The second time I made this I marinated it for 8 hours, and it was absolutely delicious). I’m sure the steak would still be delicious if you marinate it for the 30 minutes, but if you have the time, marinate for longer.

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 c. fresh lime juice
    • 2 TBSP soy sauce
    • 2 TBSP vegetable oil
    • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
    • 2 TBSP fresh ginger, minced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
    • 1 1/2 lb flank steak

    Directions:

    1. In a zip loc bag, combine the lime juice, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and red pepper. Add the steak and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for at least 30 minutes (longer if you can-the second time I made this I marinated it for 8 hours, and it was absolutely delicious).
    2. Heat grill. Remove steak from the bag and discard marinade. Cook, turning once, until desired tenderness–6 to 8 minutes for medium rare.

    Flank Steak with Lime Marinade:

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