Honey Ginger Glazed and Grilled Chicken

If you're looking for a unique and light alternative to barbecue sauce, try this one!  I'm always looking for ways to introduce those "healing" plants and herbs into my cooking.  Rosemary, garlic and ginger goes well into this basting sauce for chicken, fish or maybe even steak or ribs.  It will be a welcome addition to your 4th of July barbecue!

Marinade:

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (or in a jar)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp roasted garlic flavor rice vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

Mix the above and set aside.  Grill the chicken pieces.  (I use thighs.)  During the last 10 minutes, start to baste the chicken, turning a few times to cover both sides.  So good!

No Dishes - Grilled Veggies

Buy a mattress and get a free barbecue grill!  Enticing enough...especially since we needed a new mattress, anyway.  It might have been even better if the grill came assembled.  After several hours and a few glitches with instructions and parts, hubby and I high fived each other.  We probably should have toasted with a drink instead.

The next evening we tried out our new grill.  It's nothing spectacular, but to us, it's kind of nice.  No charcoal or lighter fluid to mess with, so I'll be doing more grilling myself.  And with that future kitchen remodel on the horizon,  this will be our main means of meal prep.

I love roasted veggies, so my first side dish was a simple grilled vegetable medley which was cooked in a packet of foil.  Very basic and no dishes!

On a large piece of foil arrange:

2 baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise

2 carrots, sliced

5 cloves of garlic, or more, leave whole

1/2 cup red onion, sliced or in chunks

5 Tbsp margarine

drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

I also had trimmings from the garden which I added.  Fresh parsley, spinach, beet and radish leaves.  Use your imagination.

Lay the veggies on the foil, add the margarine, salt & pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  Fold the top and ends loosely so that it steams.  Place onto the grill for about 20-25 minutes.  Serve.  It doesn't get any easier than that!  Enjoy..

My First Summer Salad

This last week I had my first Summer salad with fixings from my garden!  The butter lettuce has been flourishing along with the spinach and radishes.  I'm loving the taste of fresh picked veggies!  There is nothing like it!  Even going to the farmer's market doesn't compare when you can walk right out the door and start gathering.

My hops vine reaching for the sun - Beer anyone?

The night before,  I made my maple glazed salmon in foil packets on our new grill.  I had leftover chunks of salmon  so into the salad it went with a drizzle of FF honey mustard and a sprinkle of goat cheese.  All my favorites!

Simple salmon and butter lettuce salad

The next night I sauteed the "first pick" of the swiss chard in olive oil and garlic.  Yum!   I've been making use of the fresh parsley and lemon verbena before a hungry rabbit demolishes it.  The war of the garden has begun with all the critters so most of my garden is extremely "raised" or double fenced!

Resting and digesting after a meal of parsley and lemon verbena

  Hopefully, this year the harvest will be plentiful, enough for all.  I'll keep you posted.

From Sorrento with Amore - Pasta of the Month

Do you ever travel in your daydreams?  One of the scenes in my mind is to rise one morning, throw open the rustic wooden shutters and find myself staring into the deep blue waters of the Tyrrenian Sea.  The morning sun climbs higher and sparkles across the sea like small diamonds.   The intoxicating lemon scented air surrounds me.  Throwing on some clothes, I wander down to the street where I will be greeted with a warm cup of espresso.

The fishermen are beginning to dock and unload their catch.  When I finish my "wake up" beverage, I begin my ritual at the pasticerria.  I buy some creme filled cannolis for later, as well as a just baked loaf of bread encrusted with rosemary and olives.  This will go nicely with my lemon infused pasta.  I continue down the trellised path surrounded by magenta colored bougainvillea.  Bright terracotta urns filled with hot red geraniums line the street.  Each step beholds a beautiful sight.

It's just a dream, but I know dreams do come true!  I've only been to Sorrento through pictures and travel brochures, but I'm sure its as beautiful as they say.  I will visit someday! 

As June is rapidly coming to an end, my pasta of the month is a lemon infused angel hair pasta.  So lemony but light, and simple to make.  You don't have to be in Sorrento to enjoy the bounty of the region.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1/2 box angel hair pasta

olive oil

1/2 shallot or onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

a handful of parsley, basil and lemon verbena, roughly chopped

1/2 lemon, juice squeezed

2 ladles of pasta water

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp lemon zest

In a large pot boil water for pasta and cook according to directions.  Reserve at least 2 ladles of the pasta water before draining.  In a large skillet, cover the bottom with olive oil.  Add the shallot, garlic, parsley, basil and lemon verbena.  (If you don't have verbena you can use a little more lemon zest, juice or lemon thyme might be an interesting variation.)  Cook on medium only until shallots soften.  Add the lemon juice, drained pasta and ladles of pasta water to moisten.  Mix thoroughly, garnish with Parmesan and lemon zest and serve immediately.  Hopefully, this will transport you to the villa in Sorrento...

Lemon Pecan Loaf with Amaretto Glaze

For Father's Day I was assigned the task of creating dessert.  Most of the men in our family love strawberries, and they are certainly in their peak right now.  (Strawberries, that is!)  Instead of a traditional shortcake or pound cake for a strawberry shortcake, I came up with this lemon bread inspired by Betty Crocker.

I made a few adjustments to it, ingredients and altitude, and the result was a nice light, lemony success to accompany some perfectly ripe and sweet strawberries!  Of course,  scoops of vanilla bean ice cream topped it off in lieu of heavy whipped cream.  It also makes a perfect "stand alone" snack or breakfast cake.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup milk (low altitude increase to 1 1/4 c)

1 Tbsp lemon zest

3 Tbsp oil

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp amaretto

Preheat oven to 375 (350 for lower altitude).  Grease the bottom of a loaf pan (9x5).  Place all the ingredient in a large bowl,  through the egg, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds.  Pour into the pan and bake for approximately 55 -60 minutes.  If a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it's done.  Remove and poke holes every one inch,  using a long toothpick. 

 In a small bowl, mix the sugar, lemon juice and amaretto, and drizzle over the top.  Cool the bread for 10 minutes, remove from the pan and continue to cool on a rack.  Try to wait before slicing it.  About an hour will do.  Eat it plain, with coffee, milk or as a shortcake.  Enjoy!

I sliced it!  It had to be tested.