Those Fabulous Greek-Style Ribs

I've posted about these delicious ribs before  it one of my favorite recipes for baby back pork ribs. (I don't post pictures of them each time I make them because we do have them rather frequently.)  :0)

As I explained in my previous post about these succulent rib, I got the recipe from my friend Ann of Thibeault's Table --if you click the link you can get the recipe.



The method is quite simple ~ you make a rub of salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, olive oil and lemon zest, rub it into the baby back pork ribs and allow them to rest in the refrigerator. If I have planned ahead I do this the day before I am going to grill them, but if you only have a few hours, that will do.
Shortly before grilling, squeeze lemon juice over the ribs (don't do this part very far in advance or the acid in the lemon juice will alter the texture of the rib meat.)

Another thing that I always do to any ribs I am going to prepare is to remove the tough membrane from the bone side of the ribs. This allows the rub/marinade to penetrate the meat more throughly, and the membrane is not pleasant to eat anyway.


In this image I've already removed it ---  it can be stubborn, but if you begin at one edge and  get it started it usually will peel off in one sheet. (You can use a dry kitchen cloth or paper towel to assist in getting a good grip on the membrane.)


Then just grill as directed in the recipe~ you can also bake them in a 375º to 400º(F) oven. (I like them best when grilled, but in a pinch . . .)



This time I served them with a Greek-style pasta salad; Pasta, Feta cheese, Cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives,  orange bell pepper, roasted eggplant, cucumber, purple onion and parsley, tossed with a red wine vinegar vinaigrette. I can make a meal out of the salad alone (sometimes I add some grilled shrimp to the salad and serve it as a main course.)



I also made some Greek bread to go with the meal, very good. The kind that's usually served at the Greek Festivals I've attended. Soft, but not like 'bubble gum' bread. The sesame seeds are optional but I always make one loaf with, and one without. It's also good as sandwich bread and is marvelous toasted, too.   I'll share that recipe in the next few days.



The rub/marinade is also really good on prawns, fish and chicken, you only need to allow those to marinade for 20 minutes to an hour before adding the lemon juice.

Thanks for stopping by ~ Bon Appetit!
~~mari

Garden Vegetables and Italian Sausage Spiedini

If you planted a vegetable garden this year you might find, as the season winds down, that you are left with odds and ends, maybe not quite enough of any one thing to make a recipe.
One of the things that we like to do is cube up the vegetables, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast them off until done to our liking. At this point you can cool, place the veggies in a bowl, add a little wine vinegar (or your favorite) and toss with some fresh herbs, additional raw tomatoes, peppers, etc.
It's delicious as a accompaniment alongside the main course; excellent with meat, poultry or fish, or tossed with some cooked pasta; served hot or room temperature.



The other thing I like to do when I have just a few remnants from the garden, is cut or slice into appropriate size for grilling, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill. Most recently I had some Japanese eggplant, zucchini, Italian peppers, and Bell peppers. I also had some cherry tomatoes (which were oven roasted earlier-- I had set some aside from making another dish) and ripe yellow tomatoes.



I wanted to assemble it all into Spiedini. You probably know that Spiedini are the Italian equivalent of Shish Kebabs (a Turkish meal on a stick.)
I sliced some partially boiled* and cooled Italian Sausage into 1 1/2-inch pieces and skewered them; alternating with red onion pieces and Italian Peppers, brushed them with olive oil and set on the grill. You will want to turn them every few minutes for even grilling.
*Well, not actually "boiled"; I just place the whole sausages in a skillet with about 1 to 1-1/2 inches of cool water, bring to a gentle simmer over medium to medium high heat. You can pierce the sausage casings with a toothpick or tip of a sharp knife to allow some of the fat to escape and to prevent the  casing from bursting. I allow them to just barely simmer for a couple of minutes, turning once. Cook just enough for the sausage to lose the pink,  as they will finish cooking on the grill. Allow them to cool a bit before slicing into portions (as they will slice in a neater fashion when cooled.)



Alongside the skewers on the grill, I placed some Japanese eggplant  and zucchini-- sliced diagonally (to make a larger suface area)  about 1/2-inch thick, and brushed with olive oil,  and sprinkled with salt)  then grilled until tender.

When it comes time to serve you can either serve the grilled skewers (everything left on the skewer) accompanied by the eggplant, roasted cherry tomatoes, and diced fresh tomato and sprinkle  with fresh herbs if desired.  
This time I served appetizer-size portions on small plates.   If you have access to really good Italian sausages, and happily I do-- I like to serve this as is ~ because it's really flavorful.   You can also serve with a squeeze of lemon or drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. 
Good for a party or get together as you can assemble and prepare ahead, then just grill everything when you're ready.




Other summer squash would work well in this preparation, just cut to shape/size that you can skewer securely.
Cubes of chicken, beef, pork, seafood or prawns are fabulous served this way too.




I do love Fall, however I am sad to see Summer winding down (but I do not think any of us will miss the forest fires.)
I hope you are having a good week~
~mari  xoxo

Bismarck Pizza (with no knead dough crust)

When you raise chickens, it's a given that you'll search for ways to use their fresh eggs, and this is one way that we accomplish that.

There is an authentic Italian pizza that is similar to this one ~ and a knock off here in the states that is named The Bismarck (I'm not sure where that name originated), but I just call it that pizza with an egg on top. :o)

This time I used the "Artisan Bread in 5-minutes a Day" olive-oil dough for the crust (it's a no knead crust.) You can find the recipe here. But you can use any favorite dough for the crust.

Aside from the egg, the other ingredients that sets this apart from any other pizza I've made (or have eaten), this one includes salt and pepper on the pizza dough, topped with homemade garlic butter ~ those two ingredients really add a nice flavor punch.
 

I baked these on a preheated pizza stone on the outdoor gas grill, but you can also bake them in the oven on your pizza stone.

If someone you know is allergic to eggs, you can just omit ~ but I hope you will try the technique of sprinkling salt and freshly ground pepper on the crust, and definitely try the garlic butter method!

For additional details and the printable recipe you'll find it here on my recipe blog. Have a wonderful day everyone! xo~mari

Succulent Grilled Garlic-Chili-Vinegar Chicken

Spring!
As usual, for this time of year in the Pacific Northwest, we've been teased with a few days of sparkling, warm, clear weather interspersed among the chilly, damp ones.
Grilling always seems more enticing when the weather turns warm, and we were gifted with one perfectly warm day recently. 

The grill was begging to be fired up, and there was a chicken in the fridge.  But there was no time for a leisurely marinade so I knew the basting ingredients would have to be assertive in order to give that chicken inviting flavor.
This baste works to add delicious flavor to the grilled food in a fraction of the time.
Just salt and pepper the chicken halves or pieces generously on all sides.
Mix the basting sauce in a small non-reactive container:
Apple cider vinegar Crushed fresh garlic (I like lots) Add as much or as little as you like of the following:  Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce  or Sambal Oelek Chili Paste A splash or two of vegetable oil  A couple of dashes of salt
It's one of my favorite simple basting sauces for the grill (good on shrimp and beef as well.) You can use chicken pieces instead of halves as I did.
The key to juicy succulent chicken from the grill is to cook it over indirect heat*, slowly, while turning and basting throughout the cooking time.
Place the chicken over indirect heat, brush it frequently with basting sauce, while turning chicken over several times while it cooks.  Continue cooking until the skin of the chicken is beautifully browned and meat reads about 160-165 degrees (F) at the thickest part using an instant read thermometer.
This method is so simple, but the results are stellar providing you cook the chicken rather slowly over indirect heat, baste and turn frequently, and keep an eye on the grill to avoid  flame flare ups.

*Indirect grilling directions from BBQ/Grill expert Steven Raichlen:
Click HERE.


If you give this method a try, I hope you love it too!
Come join us at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday by clicking this link.

Happy weekend everyone.   Blessings ~ m. xo

Spicy Smokey Chicken Sandwiches & Flavorful Give Away!

Ciao!
Recently I was given the opportunity to sample a set of natural herb seasoning blends offered by  the Ariosto Spa Buccinasco company in Italy.
And the exciting news is that the kind people from this fine company have invited me to have a drawing for the same gift pack to two of my followers!






Here is the generous gift two winners will receive ~ full size containers of a variety of herb seasonings, specially blended, using all natural herbs and sea salt, sent to you directly from Italy!
I've been having fun in the kitchen using the seasonings ~ they are perfect for adding unique and delicious flavors to grilled, roasted, or sauteed meats, poultry, vegetables as well as eggs and stews.
Most recently I made these  Smokey-Spicy grilled chicken breast sandwiches.




Just brush or spoon the marinade ~ (recipe below) over boneless/skinless chicken breasts, (sliced in half lengthwise, to make them thinner.) Allow to marinate while your grill is heating up. 
You can grill them outdoors, or inside on a stove-top grill.  They only take a few minutes to cook ~ and during that time you can mix up the simple Lemon-Aioli for the sandwiches.
Ingredients for Sandwich:
For two servings:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise  to make 4 thin cutlets.
Marinade:
In a container large enough to hold the sliced chicken,  mix together: 1 teaspoon Aristo meat poultry seasoning  1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 tablespoon good olive oil Spread/brush mixture on both sides of chicken slices.
2 Sandwich Rolls Lettuce, washed and chilled  Tomatoes, sliced
Lemon Aioli:
Blend together 1/4 cup good mayonnaise, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until thoroughly blended.
Grill the chicken, mix aioli, toast sandwich rolls if desired. (While chicken is on the grill mix aioli.)  Spread 1/2 of the aioli on the base of  each sandwich bun, top with 2 chicken slices, lettuce, sliced tomatoes ~ and enjoy! 
These received high praise here ~ and that always makes me happy.

This recipe was adapted from Donna Hay ~ I must say, the additional herb blend from Ariosto Spa Buccinasco truly put the flavor over-the-top!


~*~*~*~*~ The Drawing Details 
Open to the continental USA and CANADA! :)
1.) Be a Google Follower of my blog (upper right column) and  leave a comment here just saying you want to be a part of this drawing.
2. Another chance to win ~ if you are a member of facebook click "like" on
Ariosto Spa Buccinasco's page
and mention it in your comment here on my blog.
3. One MORE chance to win ~ spread the word on your blog and/or facebook about this give-away, and mention it in your comment here for another chance to win.
Entries will be accepted from Tuesday, October 23rd until October 30th, 2012 @ 9PM (Pacific Time).
Winner will be announced here on November 1, 2012.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a pleasure to be given the Herb Sampler Library  and the opportunity to review these products from Ariosto Spa Buccinasco.

Thank you for stopping by and best of luck to all who enter!  
~ Mari 

Tequila-Lime Grilled Chicken

We're savoring the last bit of the warm weather of the year,  so the outdoor grill is getting quite a workout.  Actually we grill year round (when it's not raining),  but honestly, for me,  it's a lot more enjoyable when  the weather is warm. :)
I made this a few nights ago ~ I think this is the second or third time I've made this chicken recipe  (from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa). Ina suggests using boneless, skin on chicken ~ I had boneless-skinless so that's what I used, and just cut the grilling time so they would still be moist. 
The marinade is also wonderful for grilled shrimp, too which I've done before. But I  happened to have a few uncooked shrimp from the previous  evenings meal so I marinated those, threaded them on skewers  and placed them on the grill a few minutes before the  chicken was done. (Cluck and Surf, anyone?)


Usually if I'm using black beans in a salad for example,  I'll just use canned, but The Pioneer woman recently shared this recipe for Refried Black Beans, cooked from scratch,  as well as the one for the Mexican-Style Rice Casserole  and they are actually quite good. However,  I didn't "refry" the beans, just served them  out of the pot.  
I tweaked the rice recipe by cutting some fresh corn off the cob  and stirred it in, just because I love corn in Mexican-style rice...  it's a textural thing!  (A little bit of turmeric gives the rice a nice  golden yellow color.) The recipe makes 12 servings, so it would be good for a large family or gathering. I reduced the recipe by a third, and there was enough to accompany another meal for the two of us.
Of course you can just scoop the rice onto the plate; this time I lined a couple of oval ramekins with plastic wrap (with a little extra wrap hanging over the rim all the way around, filled the ramekins with the warm rice, pressing down gently, flipped the filled ramekins over onto the plates the removed the plastic wrap ~ it makes a neat presentation and takes only moments if you have just a few plates to serve. 



If you click the links above, they will take you to the recipes  on Food Network.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit today!
~m.

Grilled Burgers with Roasted Green Chile Aioli

For the Labor Day holiday (here in the US) on Monday I grilled   burgers using roasted Hatch New Mexican Chiles in two ways;  as a spread as well as adding a few strips tucked beneath the burger.  Yum!
A vendor at our local Farmer's Market sells a variety of  fresh peppers and they also roast peppers on site in a large,  expanded metal, rotating drum fired with a propane burner. I love the fragrance of the chiles roasting ~ sensory pleasure!! 
This past weekend I was happy to find they had  Hatch New Mexican Chiles, warm and freshly roasted. :) (You could use any mild, roasted green chile  if you cannot find Hatch Chiles.) This sauce/spread is also good served with slices  of roasted pork, grilled chicken, shrimp, as well as a spread on BLT sandwiches, and in chicken or egg salad.
Here's all you need to make the flavorful Green Chile Aioli:

A cup of mayo, the chiles, roasted garlic, and a little fresh lime juice.

Simply mince the peeled and cleaned chiles, and stir into the  remaining ingredients.  I opted to mix it up in the  small food processor instead, giving it just a couple of pulses.


Besides the Chile Aioli and chile strips, I served the burgers on  crispy La Brea Bakery Torta sandwich rolls, a slice of  Monterey Jack cheese (added a few minutes before removing  the burgers from the grill), ripe garden tomato slices and fresh greens.
Oh, and I highly recommend McCormick's Grill Mates Hamburger Seasoning (no compensation from the company ~ I just love this seasoning for burgers!)

These were voted right up there among the best burgers we  ever have had.  They were very good ~ I hope you'll give them a try!

For a printable copy of the Green Chile Aioli recipe click here.

Thanks for coming by today!
Blessings,  Mari xo

Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)

Corn season is in full swing where I live. Although we didn't grow corn  in our garden this year we're fortunate to live right nearby  a number of farms which grow it every year.   Nothing like sweet, juicy just-picked corn on the cob! I understand this method of preparation originated in Oaxaca, Mexico,  where it is offered by street vendors.  It's absolutely delicious ~  and of the ways I've served the abundance of corn this  summer, I'm sure I've prepared it this way more than any other.    It's THAT good.

Preparation is straightforward enough ~ shuck and clean silk  from corn, grill on a medium hot charcoal or gas grill,  turning occasionally until corn is hot and has developed  char marks here and there.





Remove corn from grill and roll or brush with softened  (or melted) butter. Sprinkle cobs with salt.  Spread an even layer of good mayonnaise like Best Foods/Hellmann's  (not salad dressing) on the cob ~ sprinkle with crumbled or  grated fresh cheese such as Cotija or Queso Fresco,  (if you cannot find either of those, I have also used crumbled  Feta cheese in a pinch,  it works ~ however,  I prefer the Mexican-type cheeses.)
I usually place some or all of the following optional condiments  on the table so each one can add what they like, if desired:

lime wedges  ground Cayenne pepper or ground Chipotle Chile Pepper a couple of tablespoons chopped cilantro Cholula® brand hot sauce
Best served piping hot (although we've been known to  eat them at room temperature as well.) 
Make plenty ~ everybody seems to love corn prepared this way.


If you would like a printable copy of the recipe click HERE.
 

Antipasto Chicken ~ Healthy!

Antipasto Chicken
Yes, there is a grilled chicken breast under there ~ can you see it?


While looking for interesting & healthy recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts I came across this one on the Food Network website. I changed it a bit by grilling the chicken rather than cooking it in a skillet, I also changed up the ingredients in the antipasto relish topping; and instead of cooking the antipasto ingredients I just stirred the ingredients together and spooned it over the grilled & plated chicken hot off the grill.
Trust me when I tell you no recipe is needed for this one ~ just grill or pan sear the chicken until done. While the chicken is cooking stir together the antipasto topping in a small bowl. Plate up the chicken and spoon the antipasto over the top and enjoy.
I served a lightly dressed (lemon juice, drizzle of olive oil & salt and pepper) arugula salad alongside.



The ingredients I used for the antipasto mix ~
Peperoncini, minced parsley, marinated artichoke hearts (including some of the marinade), chopped bell pepper ~any color, and grape (cherry tomatoes, or diced ripe tomatoes would work too.) The recipe called for canned, sliced black ripe olives but I had the tiny French Niçoise olives on hand so I used those, and added a few cocktail onions, cut in half. After spooning the antipasto mix over the chicken I crumbled a couple of tiny cubes of feta cheese over all.  Though I didn't include them I think capers would also be a great addition.  Of course, you can omit or add any ingredients according to your own taste.
Because the antipasto mix is salty, I didn't sprinkle salt on the chicken prior to grilling, I just brushed it with a little olive oil mixed with some crushed dried oregano (or basil) and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper prior to grilling. 


So easy to put together ~ low in calories/fat, too.  
I really liked this combination and would definitely make it again ~ It would be fabulous during warm weather served at room temperature as well.


If you give it a try I hope you enjoy it too.Have a delicious day! ~m.