Tuesday's Tip of the Day ~Taking your Grilled Burgers to the Next Level

Everyone loves Hamburgers on the Grill.

Instead of the plain white burger buns,

serve your burgers on a Focaccia loaf.

This one is Olive Oil and Rosemary.

Or on this Ciabatta loaf.

They are "take and bake".

Then, you can slice the loaf into individual portions.

Brush a little olive oil on top.

Bake according to package directions,

and it is a beautiful golden brown.

(It's usually about 8 minutes)

Look for this or a similar brand at your supermarket.

I put the bread in the oven...

when hubby takes our hamburgers out to the grill.

Cook hamburger until desired degree of doneness.

We prefer medium rare.

This one is topped with shredded Swiss cheese.

Our favorite is provolone with sauteed mushrooms,

on the Olive Oil & Rosemary Focaccia.

Enjoy!

Honey Lime Chicken

Honey Lime Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 TBS honey

1 TBS vegetable oil

Juice of 1 lime

2 tsp hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha sauce

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 TBS cilantro (or parsley), chopped

3-4 skewers (metal or wooden)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, lime juice, hot chili sauce, garlic and cilantro. Stir to combine.

In a large gallon sized plastic zipper bag, add the chicken pieces to the bag along with the marinade. Zip the bag closed, removing the air from the bag as you close it. Gently knead the marinade and chicken together until chicken is coated completely.

Place the marinating chicken in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.

Remove the chicken from the bag, discard any marinade left in the bag. Thread 8 to 9 pieces of chicken onto each skewer. (If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 15 minutes prior to skewering the chicken.)

Grill over medium heat, 7 to 8 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked.

Serve with a fresh garden salad and wedges of lime.

Serves 3-4

Tuesday's Tip of the Day

When preparing a recipe that calls for a liquid fat and a sticky ingredient,

such as honey or corn syrup...

...measure the oil first. 

Swirl it around a bit in your liquid measuring cup.

Then measure your honey or syrup.

You will find that the sticky liquid 

just slips right out of the measuring cup!

I used this tip recently when preparing the marinade for these

tasty Beef Kabobs, featured a couple weeks ago.

(click on Beef Kabobs, in case you missed the recipe for the marinade)

Corn on the Cob ~ On the Grill

Fresh Sweet Corn is at Peak Season.

Purchase at least one ear per person,

plus an extra ear or two.

Pull back the husks, but do not remove.

Clean away as much silk as possible.

 Pull the husk back to cover the corn.

I tied them in place with pieces of husk that had come loose.

Fill your sink with enough water to cover the ears of corn, 

and allow them to soak for 10 minutes or longer.

Drip drain to eliminate excess water.

Place the ears on the grill and close the lid.

Cook the corn for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Serve with butter, salt and pepper,

or a seasoned butter of your choice.

Beef Kabobs on the Grill

Beef Kabobs and Vegetables on the Grill

For the Marinade

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup wine vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/8 tsp. ginger

Mix ingredients in your blender. 

To the blender, add

1 clove garlic

2 green onions

Use precut beef cubes or cut your own.

I purchased a boneless chuck roast on sale.

Marinate the meat, in the refrigerator, 

for several hours or overnight.

Alternate beef cubes with the vegetables of your choice on skewers.

(Remember, if using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water)

Grill for 8-10 minutes, depending on how hot your grill,

and your desired degree of doneness.

Using Wooden Skewers on the Grill

We are still in the height of "grilling season" and shish kebab cooking is quick and easy. If making kebabs with chicken or meat, you will want to make sure that you cut uniform pieces of 1-2" and refrigerate in your favorite marinade following your favorite recipe directions.

Wooden kebab skewers can be found in any grocery store. Before using on the grill, you MUST soak them in water BEFORE skewering your meats and/or vegetables to prevent the wood from burning on the grill. You can even cover the tips of the wooden skewers with small pieces of aluminum foil.

If you do a lot of grilling this way, consider investing in stainless steel skewers. They may cost a little more initially, but they can be used over and over again.

How To Grill Corn

Ahhhh - grilled corn!!! True summer fare! Want to get that smoky sweet flavor that only fresh corn can get when it's grilled?

First, you will need to pull back the husks from the corn. (Make sure you leave them attached at the stem.) Remove and discard the silk.

Once the silk has been removed, pull the husks back up around the corn. After the husks are pulled back, you want to soak the corn in water for about 15 minutes to prevent the husks from burning on the grill. You can simply soak them in a roasting pan or a large bowl.

Have your grill preheated at medium heat. Put the ears on the grill, turn often about 8 to 10 minutes or until the kernels are tends and the husks are lightly charred.

Can't you just taste it?!?