New Grill - Nexgrill Evolution Infrared Plus

Brian and I have been talking about getting a new grill for several months now. Even though our BHG grill is only two years old, the burner brackets have already completely rusted out and the diffusion plates are about to disintegrate. It is borderline dangerous to use, which really annoys me considering how much we paid for it. Rather than throw good money after bad by replacing the ruined parts, we decided to buy a completely new grill. After talking to friends who had also bought new grills recently, we decided on the Nexgrill Evolution Infrared Plus. It's a multi-configuration 5 burner (plus one on the side) model that I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with.

I had already invited some family and friends for dinner over the weekend, and in a fortunate turn of events, the new grill arrived just in time. I was more than happy to take it for a test drive!

Who wants to use the oven when we can use the grill! Cheese and artichoke stuffed mushrooms, anyone?

Trader Joe's Carolina Gold BBQ sauce is DA BOMB, by the way!

Everything was DEEEEEEELICIOUS, of course!

Apple Ale Quick Bread

Hot on the heels of last nights success with the cheddar beer bread, I woke up with the idea of an apple ale bread, since I knew we had some. Using my basic quick bread recipe, I came up with this. It was fantastic!

3 C. all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

1 t. kosher salt

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1 apple, diced (about 2 C)

1/4 C. vegetable oil

1 - 12 oz. apple ale (you can use hard cider, but you might want to reduce the sugar in the rest of the recipe. I used Redd's Apple Ale)

topping-

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375° and grease loaf pan.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for topping; set aside.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine first five ingredients. Add apples and toss until evenly distributed. Add oil and ale; stir until no dry flour is visible (lumps are okay). Spread dough into loaf pan. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the dough. Bake for 50 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack (about 1 hour). Slice and serve.

Cheddar Beer Bread with Scallions and Rosemary

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy"

Although it has been proven that Benjamin Franklin never actually said this, I believe it is nonetheless true. Beer is one of my favorite things to drink, cook, and bake with, and tonight's dinner involved two out of the three (we went out last night, so I'm giving my liver a break today). I decided to make beef stew, so naturally I dumped a bottle of Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA into the cooking liquid. Then, I thought we should have some sort of bread-like thing to sop up the lovely gravy. Did I mention we went out last night and I'm feeling particularly lazy today? At first I thought dumplings... then drop biscuits... but even those seemed like too much work. Then it hit me... why not a loaf of savory quick bread? Perfect!! I whipped this up while the stew was stewing and all was right with the world.

Cheddar Beer Bread with Scallions and Rosemary

(because scallions sound fancier than green onions, right?)

3 C. all-purpose flour

1 t. kosher salt

1 T. baking powder

1 1/4 C. shredded sharp cheddar, divided 

1/4 C. chopped scallions

1 t. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 T. honey

1 bottle (12 oz) beer... pretty much anything you have on hand, although a super hoppy IPA might be a little bitter for this. I used Riding Solo single hop pale ale by 10 Barrels Brewing. I think a stout or amber would be good also. I'd save the Bud or Coors for doing beer can chicken though (we never have that in the house anyway... lol!).

Preheat oven to 375° and grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add 1 C. of cheese (reserving 1/4 C.), scallions, and rosemary, tossing well until evenly distributed. Add honey and beer, stirring until no dry flour is visible (lumps are okay).

Spread dough into loaf pan, smoothing the top until dough fills pan to the edges. Bake for 25 minutes, then top with reserved 1/4 C. of cheese. Return to oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

Great Summer Potluck Salads

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, I thought it would be a good time to post some of my favorite summer salad recipes. Some are old family favorites... some are recipes I have adapted over the years... all of them are perfect to take along to your next potluck or picnic!

Aunt Lotus's Bean Salad 

1 (24 oz.) can pork and beans, salt pork removed 

1 (15 oz. ) can kidney beans, drained 

1 bunch (about 8) radishes, sliced 

1 bunch (about 8) green onions, sliced 

pepper 

1-2 T. red wine vinegar 

Combine all ingredients, adding vinegar to taste. Cover and chill about 1 hour. Yeah I know this SOUNDS gross, but it's really wonderful. Just try it. 

Couscous and Bean Salad 

1 (6 1/2 oz.) box plain couscous, prepared as package directs and cooled for 20 min. 

1 small cucumber, coarsley chopped 

3/4 C. green or yellow bell pepper, coarsley chopped 

1/4 C. green onions, sliced 

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped 

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 

1/3 C. feta cheese, crumbled 

dressing- 

1 T. chopped fresh basil 

1 t. chopped fresh oregano 

1 clove garlic, mashed 

1/4 t. salt 

2 T. balsamic vinegar 

2 T. extra virgin olive oil 

In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Blend well, and set aside. In large bowl, combine couscous with all salad ingredients except cheese. Pour dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to blend flavors. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese. 

Favorite Fruit Salad 

1 (15 1/2 oz.) can pineapple chunks 

1 small package vanilla instant pudding mix 

assorted fresh fruit of your choice 

In large bowl, combine prepared fruit. Drain juice from pineapple into small bowl; add pineapple to other fruit. Combine pudding mix and juice; whisk until smooth and very thick. Pour over fruit and mix very well. Cover and chill, stirring occasionally, until dressing is saucy consistency, about 2 hours. 

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Olives and Herbs 

1 C. dried garbanzo beans 

4 T. red wine vinegar 

6 T. extra-virgin olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, mashed 

3 t. minced fresh mint 

3 t. minced fresh basil 

1 t. minced fresh thyme 

1 t. minced fresh rosemary 

1 t. minced fresh oregano 

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 

4 T. Nicoise or Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped 

4 T. green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped 

1/2 C. thinly sliced green onions, including tops 

Sort and rinse garbanzo beans. In large saucepan or Dutch oven, cover with cold water by 1". Bring to full boil. Boil for 2 minutes; cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 1 hour; drain. Return to pan and cover with fresh water by 2". Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until tender, 60-75 minutes. Drain and let cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, garlic, all the herbs, and salt and pepper. Add the cooled beans, olives, and onions; mix well. Serve at room temperature. 

German Potato Salad 

1/2 pound bacon 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1/2 cup chopped celery 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

1/2 cup vinegar 

6 cups sliced cooked potatoes 

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced 

Chopped parsley, pimento, and bacon bits 

Cook bacon till crisp; drain and crumble, reserving 1/4 cup fat. Cook onion and celery in reserved fat until tender. Blend in flour, sugar, salt, and dash of pepper; add vinegar and 1 cup water; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add bacon, potatoes and eggs; heat thoroughly, tossing lightly. Garnish with parsley, pimiento, and bacon bits. Serve warm.

Ranch Tortellini Salad 

2 (16-19 oz.) packages frozen cheese tortellini 

2 C. ranch dressing 

1 1/2 C. julienned ham 

1 1/2 C. frozen peas 

8 oz. Swiss cheese, cubed 

1/4 C. green onions, chopped 

1 T. dried parsley or 2 T. fresh snipped 

Place frozen peas in colander you will be draining pasta in. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Pour over peas and drain both; rinse with cold water and drain well. Combine tortellini and peas with remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir well before serving, adding more ranch, if necessary. 

(just noticed I forgot to put the parsley in before I took the photo. whoops)

Red Potato Salad 

3 lbs. red potatoes, cooked and cut into chunks 

1/2 C. bottled Italian salad dressing 

1 C. mayonnaise 

1/2 C. green onions, sliced 

1 t. dried dill 

1 T Dijon mustard 

In large bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients except potatoes. Toss with warm potatoes. Refrigerate uncovered, stirring occasionally until thoroughly chilled. Cover until serving.

Wild Chicken Salad 

4 1/4 C. chicken broth 

2 (6 oz.) boxes long grain and wild rice mix 

3 C. cubed cooked chicken 

4 green onions, bias cut about 1/4" 

1/2 C. sliced almonds 

1 small can water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped 

1 stalk celery, chopped 

1/2 C. mayonnaise 

1 T. soy sauce 

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained 

In large saucepan, combine chicken broth, rice mix, and ONE seasoning packet from rice mix. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes (or time recommended on package). In large bowl, combine next five ingredients; mix well. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise and soy sauce until well blended. Add hot rice mix to large bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Add mandarin oranges and toss lightly. Serve warm as main dish or chill and serve on lettuce leaves as salad. 

Spiced Steak Salad

We really should be eating more salads, but it seems like once I get dinner preparation under way, I just can't get motivated to chop up a bunch of stuff to make one. The exception is when I'm making a salad FOR dinner! It's also a great excuse to clean out the crisper drawer (aka the vegetable rotter)!

1 1/2 lbs. your favorite steak (flank, skirt, ribeye, sirloin... pretty much anything will work)

1 lime, cut in half

Rub-

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 t. kosher salt

2 t. paprika

2 t. cumin

2 t. coriander

1 t. coarse ground black pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil (more or less)

In a small bowl, combine all rub ingredients except oil. Gradually add oil until you have a thick paste. Rub mixture liberally onto both sides of meat, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at least one hour. Grill to desired doneness. Transfer steak to platter, squeeze juice of half a lime over, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly just before serving.

Dressing -

1 T. Dijon mustard

juice of remaining lime half

1/2 t. sugar

1/4 t. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 C. olive oil

1 large green onion, thinly sliced

Whisk together all ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Your favorite salad ingredients -

Mixed greens (iceberg, romaine, baby spinach, arugula, baby greens, etc.)

diced avocado

halved cherry tomatoes (or diced beefsteak/roma)

sliced radishes

chopped celery

diced cucumber

grated carrots

sliced mushrooms

thinly sliced red onion

whatever else looks good in your crisper drawer... you get the idea

Place salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Pile onto individual serving plates and top with steak slices.

Jambalaya

This is one of my favorite dishes. Don't let the long list of ingredients deter you. Once you get everything all chopped up and ready to go, it's just a matter of throwing it all in the pot and lettin' er rip. Serve with your favorite cornbread recipe.

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb.), trimmed of visible fat, cut into 1" chunks

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

2 tablespoons oil

1 lb. kielbasa, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large stalks celery, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small yellow bell pepper, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 t. dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup raw long-grain rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 can (16-ounce) diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained

3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat oil in Dutch oven.  Add chicken, kielbasa, vegetables and seasonings.  Cook, stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.  Stir in rice, chicken broth and tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until rice is done, about 25 minutes.  Add shrimp and simmer until cooked through, about another 6 minutes. 

Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche

I love quiche. It's one of the most adaptable dishes around. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime between... hot, cold, warm, or room temperature. You can put just about anything in it, and it will be delicious. Have bits and pieces of meats, veggies, and/or cheeses sitting around in the fridge? Make a quiche! If you are proficient in making pie crust from scratch, go for it! I am not, so I use the store-bought refrigerated stuff. Works just fine.

For this recipe, I like to par-bake the crust before adding the filling. If you are unfamiliar with this technique, here is a great tutorial from The Kitchn (you want to follow the directions for a crust that is NOT fully baked before filling).

CLICK HERE FOR TUTORIAL

1 Pillsbury pie crust 

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled 

1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed as dry as possible 

3 green onions, sliced 

1/4 C. grated Asiago cheese (Parmesan or any other hard, dry cheese would work as well)

4 large eggs 

1 C. milk 

1/2 t. salt 

heaping 1/4 t. ground nutmeg 

heaping 1/4 t. cayenne 

ground black pepper to taste 

about 2 oz. fresh goat cheese (chevre) 

Blind bake pie crust. Turn oven down to 325°. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add milk, spinach, green onions, Asiago, and seasonings; mix well. Sprinkle cooked bacon in bottom of pie crust. Carefully pour spinach mixture over, distributing evenly. Crumble goat cheese on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until filling is set. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.