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Today is Kitchen Tuesday so you know what that means -- recipes and tips from the kitchen! YAY!! I had some fun grilling out over the weekend. There's just something about this beautiful weather that makes me want to turn on the grill -- how about you?
Today, I think I'm going to give you a few grilling secrets and maybe a couple of easy recipes for side dishes -- but these tips have come in handy for me so I think I'll just pass them along.
First one: Be sure that your grill is really hot before you add anything to it. If you can count to 10 with your hand held over the grill -- it's not hot enough -- wait it out and you will have a non-stick surface.
Second one: Don't overturn your meat. If you will be patient your meat will tell you when it's ready to be turned. How so? It will easily lift off the grill. If it's trying to stick -- it's not ready to turn. This is especially true with chicken, steak and hamburgers. Fish and shellfish should be brushed with olive oil before adding to the grill or you'll never get it turned -- and end up with a MESS!
Third one: If you want to smoke your meat - use the lid -- if you want to grill your meat -- leave it off (or open).
Last one: Cleaning your grill is much easier if you do so when the grill grate is warm. If you wait until it is cold, you'll have a lot of char stuck on the grill. Don't clean it while it's hot, but wait until it's touchable and clean it -- you'll eliminate any residue - and if you use an indoor grill doing this will get rid of lingering odor. Try to use a cleaner like baking soda or salt that is abrasive but won't affect the taste of your food.
Ok -- now for recipes: Grilled Fresh Asparagus Salad
1 bunch of fresh asparagus (washed and snipped at break point (to find this hold 1 piece of asparagus with your fingers and bend it until it snaps -- this is your break point - cut the remaining asparagus at this length and you should have tender stalks)
1 1/2 T. Olive Oil (place in a small bowl)
pinch of salt and pepper
pinch of garlic powder
1 or 2 Fresh Tomatoes
2 t. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic chopped finely
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sliced olives for garnish (optional)
Lay asparagus in a shallow dish or pan and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place on hot grill. Watch carefully and turn as stalks begin to get grill marks. Remove when tender and bright green...but keep warm.
Wash and slice tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix Vinegar with remaining olive oil and add garlic to this mixture.
Assembling Salad:
In a pretty oval or narrow rectangular platter, arrange sliced tomatoes in 2 rows. Place asparagus down the middle of these two rows and sprinkle olives randomly over both. Pour vinaigrette over this to coat but not soak the vegetables. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all as if sprinkling fresh snow.
Serve at room temperature.
This salad is great with anything - a fancy grilled salmon or tilapia with rice or as a side dish for a great burger and some grilled corn or potato salad.
Wish I had a picture for y'all....you'll have to just make it to see just how pretty and delicious this is!
Here's one more easy side dish: Grilled Fresh Corn
Shuck and wash as many ears of corn as you'd like
Using softened UNSALTED butter, lightly coat each corn cob and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Place on a hot grill and turn occasionally -- cooks fast if grill is hot. In NO time, you'll have one of the BEST side dishes on the planet! Let it get brown in some areas - not burnt - but it just makes the taste richer and summer-y!!
This is one of our favorites!!!
These aren't fancy but I promise you, if you like fresh veggies -- you'll love both of these!
Until tomorrow...be blessed not stressed!! Bon Appetit! Amy
Verse of the Day: Genesis 1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
Today is Kitchen Tuesday so you know what that means -- recipes and tips from the kitchen! YAY!! I had some fun grilling out over the weekend. There's just something about this beautiful weather that makes me want to turn on the grill -- how about you?
Today, I think I'm going to give you a few grilling secrets and maybe a couple of easy recipes for side dishes -- but these tips have come in handy for me so I think I'll just pass them along.
First one: Be sure that your grill is really hot before you add anything to it. If you can count to 10 with your hand held over the grill -- it's not hot enough -- wait it out and you will have a non-stick surface.
Second one: Don't overturn your meat. If you will be patient your meat will tell you when it's ready to be turned. How so? It will easily lift off the grill. If it's trying to stick -- it's not ready to turn. This is especially true with chicken, steak and hamburgers. Fish and shellfish should be brushed with olive oil before adding to the grill or you'll never get it turned -- and end up with a MESS!
Third one: If you want to smoke your meat - use the lid -- if you want to grill your meat -- leave it off (or open).
Last one: Cleaning your grill is much easier if you do so when the grill grate is warm. If you wait until it is cold, you'll have a lot of char stuck on the grill. Don't clean it while it's hot, but wait until it's touchable and clean it -- you'll eliminate any residue - and if you use an indoor grill doing this will get rid of lingering odor. Try to use a cleaner like baking soda or salt that is abrasive but won't affect the taste of your food.
Ok -- now for recipes: Grilled Fresh Asparagus Salad
1 bunch of fresh asparagus (washed and snipped at break point (to find this hold 1 piece of asparagus with your fingers and bend it until it snaps -- this is your break point - cut the remaining asparagus at this length and you should have tender stalks)
1 1/2 T. Olive Oil (place in a small bowl)
pinch of salt and pepper
pinch of garlic powder
1 or 2 Fresh Tomatoes
2 t. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic chopped finely
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sliced olives for garnish (optional)
Lay asparagus in a shallow dish or pan and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place on hot grill. Watch carefully and turn as stalks begin to get grill marks. Remove when tender and bright green...but keep warm.
Wash and slice tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix Vinegar with remaining olive oil and add garlic to this mixture.
Assembling Salad:
In a pretty oval or narrow rectangular platter, arrange sliced tomatoes in 2 rows. Place asparagus down the middle of these two rows and sprinkle olives randomly over both. Pour vinaigrette over this to coat but not soak the vegetables. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all as if sprinkling fresh snow.
Serve at room temperature.
This salad is great with anything - a fancy grilled salmon or tilapia with rice or as a side dish for a great burger and some grilled corn or potato salad.
Wish I had a picture for y'all....you'll have to just make it to see just how pretty and delicious this is!
Here's one more easy side dish: Grilled Fresh Corn
Shuck and wash as many ears of corn as you'd like
Using softened UNSALTED butter, lightly coat each corn cob and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Place on a hot grill and turn occasionally -- cooks fast if grill is hot. In NO time, you'll have one of the BEST side dishes on the planet! Let it get brown in some areas - not burnt - but it just makes the taste richer and summer-y!!
This is one of our favorites!!!
These aren't fancy but I promise you, if you like fresh veggies -- you'll love both of these!
Until tomorrow...be blessed not stressed!! Bon Appetit! Amy
Verse of the Day: Genesis 1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
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