Recipe: Grilled Peaches a la Rosemary over Arugula Endive Salad

This delicious recipe combines the sweet and smoky flavor of grilled ripe peaches, with rosemary and tangy endive and arugula for a gourmet salad treat you won't soon forget!

Grilled Peaches a la Rosemary Over Arugula Endive Salad
(Makes 4 individual salads.)

Ingredients:

Grilled Peaches (Photo credit: mccun934)

2 ripe, but still firm, peaches, wash and cut in half (remove stone)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 small Belgian endive, washed and each leaf removed whole
2 cups arugula
4 fresh mozzarella balls
drizzle good balsamic vinaigrette (or olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix)
dash kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

•  Prepare a grilling pan (or grates) by spraying with non-stick grilling oil, then set grill to medium heat.
• Put peach halves in bowl with olive oil, rosemary and kosher salt, and toss to coat.
• When grill is preheated, put the peaches on, cut side down, and grill for 4 to 5 minutes, until charred lightly, then flip and grill 3 to 4 more minutes until softened slightly and charred. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
• Prepare individual salads by arranging endive leaves between 4 salad plates, then top each plate with 1/2 cup arugula, place one grilled peach half on top of the arugula, tear one mozzarella ball in half (for each salad) and place on top, then drizzle with a little balsamic vinaigrette and sprinkle a dash of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately.

Recipe: Grilled Skirt Steak In Sweet Balsamic Marinade

Sweet and tangy flavors accent this delicious steak for a fast and easy grilled meal that will wow you tastebuds - and your guests! Spice it up with a few red pepper flakes if you like, or serve with grilled onions or shitake mushrooms for a gourmet twist. Either way, you can't go wrong with this simple and versatile recipe.

We hope you've enjoyed the past month of learning and grilling great meals! Be sure to stay tuned throughout the summer for more delicious, fast, fresh and easy summer cooking tips and from-scratch recipes.

Grilled Skirt Steak In Sweet Balsamic Marinade(Serves 2-4.)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large glass bowl, whisk together the balsamic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and garlic.
2. Add the skirt steak to the mixture, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 25 minutes at room temperature. Turn the meat in the bowl several times during the marinating process.
3. Prepare grill to medium-high heat and oil the grate or prepare a grilling pan for the steak.
4. Remove steak from the bowl and discard marinade.
5. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper, then place steak on grill, close lid, and cook for just 3 minutes, flip and cook another 3 minutes or until done to your liking.
6. Remove steak from grill and let the steak stand at room temperature for 5 minutes; cover loosely with a foil tent, but do not close tight.
7. Cut steaks into very thin slices on the diagonal and serve immediately.

Recipe: Grilled Sweet Bourbon Tenderloin Steaks

Nothing says American like bourbon and beef! This 4th of July, fire up the grill for this super-simple and incredibly tasty recipe that is soon to become a favorite in your household. The recipe below serves 2, but is easily adjusted for your 4th of July barbecue needs. Once you've tried it, you'll want to repeat it soon as a romantic one-on-one summer evening dinner as well!

Grilled Sweet Bourbon Tenderloin Steaks
(Serves 2.)

Ingredients:

2 beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2 inch thick
2 Tbsp Bourbon
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the bourbon, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and pour over steaks in a glass dish.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Place steaks on preheated grill and cook for approximately 13 minutes for rare, 17 for medium, or 20 for well done, turning once during cooking time.
4. Remove to a plate and let rest for 3 minutes before cutting.

Recipe: Grilled Gorgonzola Fig Melts

These may be sandwiches, but there's nothing boring about them! If you're tired of the same-old, this recipe will perk up your tastebuds with an exciting combination of tangy cheese and sweet figs, all combined with the smoky flavor of the grill. This one will impress even the pickiest gourmand, and it's a great and easy way to dress up a summer dinner with company.

Grilled Gorgonzola Fig Melts
(Makes 4 sandwiches.)

Ingredients:

Gorgonzola (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
6 ripe but slightly firm figs, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise (the large pale green kind work well)
8 slices crusty Italian bread
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Melt 1 tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet.
2. Add figs to skillet cut side down and saute about 2 minutes until golden around the edges and soft to the touch. Turn and cook for an additional minute, then transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
3. Brush grill rack with oil and preheat the grill to medium-high.
4. Assemble sandwiches by buttering one side of each slice of bread with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. 
5. Put 4 slices of bread on a work surface, buttered side down, and spread the cheese evenly over all slices, followed by the figs. 
6. Put the remaining 4 bread slices on top, buttered side up.
7. Put sandwiches on the grill and cook for 2 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. 
8. Turn sandwiches with a spatula, pressing firmly to flatten them slightly. 
9. Cook for 1 minute, or until the undersides of bread are golden brown. 
10. Turn the sandwiches once more, press with the spatula, and cook for 30 seconds, or until the cheese melts completely. Serve immediately. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Recipe: Grilled Sausage Stuffed Poblanos

Go Southwestern on the grill with this deliciously unique recipe featuring sausage and peppers in a new way that is sure to please those who love the spice! Grilling brings out the rich flavor of the poblano peppers (watch out - they're hot!), and when combined with the staple rice, black beans and cheese, you have a whole new twist on the stuffed pepper. Yum!

Grilled Sausage Stuffed Poblanos
(Makes 6 servings.)

Ingredients:

Poblano peppers. (Photo credit: jalapenokitten)

1 lb package spicy breakfast sausage
6 large poblano peppers
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
optional toppings of salsa and sour cream

Directions:

1. Start by cooking the sausage in a skillet over medium high heat, stirring often, until sausage crumbles and browns; set aside.
2. Heat grill to medium and set whole poblano peppers on grates and grill, turning several times as they cook until they are charred all over. 
3. Remove poblanos from grill and put in a heat-resistant bowl, then cover tightly with plastic food wrap. Let poblanos stand for about 5 minutes to loosen the skin. Then remove the poblanos from the bowl and carefully peel off the charred skin and set the poblanos on a work surface.
4. Carefully cut a small slit lengthwise into each pepper, making sure you don't cut through the poblano and leave the top with the stem intact. This forms a pocket.
5. Carefully scoop out the seeds from inside the poblanos. 
6. In the skillet with the cooked sausage, add the rice, black beans, and cheese and stir to combine.
7. Spoon this mixture into poblanos, distributing evenly.
8. Arrange peppers on a grilling pan.  You can cover it in aluminum foil if you wish. 
9. Put pan on grill over medium to medium high heat, cover the grill, and cook for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts. 
10. Remove poblanos to plates and top with salsa and sour cream to serve if desired.

Recipe: Island Time Grilled Chicken

Dreaming of a tropical island? This fast and easy summer recipe will make you feel like you're there! Just pop it on the grill and then stretch out by the pool - and maybe have your honey rub a little coconut oil on you - and in no time you'll be ready for a relaxed dinner featuring the spicy sweetness of island cuisine.

Island Time Grilled Chicken
(Serves 4.)

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tbsp chopped hot peppers
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onions
chicken pieces, about 2 lbs.

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag.
• Add chicken pieces to bag, seal, and put in refrigerator overnight.
• When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium.
• Take chicken out of marinade and place, skin side down, on grill grates on indirect heat; close grill.  
• When the skin crisps, turn and grill until meat is cooked through; about 15 to 25 minutes depending on the cuts of chicken.

Recipe: Cheesy Grilled Chicken Cutlet Veggie Wraps

This fast and tasty grilled meal makes a great quick weeknight dinner, or a nice lunch for a lazy weekend afternoon. Simple and easy, just a few fresh ingredients make this a snap to prepare, and grilling in packets makes the cleanup just as easy - and it's low-carb too!

Cheesy Grilled Chicken Cutlet Veggie Wraps

(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

4 chicken cutlets, pounded thin
1/2 cup Italian Dressing
4 slices Provolone cheese
1 lb fresh cleaned asparagus
1 red bell pepper, cleaned and sliced into thin strips

Directions:

• Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
• Put cutlets into a bowl with Italian dressing and toss to coat well.
• Tear off 4 big sheets of aluminum foil and lay on work surface.
• Lay out a cutlet on each foil sheet; top with cheese slices, then divide asparagus and the red bell pepper pieces evenly between the packets.
• Roll the cutlets up like a burrito over the vegetables, then roll up in the foil and seal tightly.
• Put the foil bundles on the grill over indirect heat, close grill, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, turning over 2 to 3 times during the cooking time.
• Remove and let stand for several minutes, then unroll the foil and serve.

Recipe: Mini Pot Roast Packets On The Grill

Enjoy the rich flavors of pot roast, without having to heat up the house cooking for hours. Try this tasty and simple recipe on the grill for a quick dinner that is sure to please everyone - especially the person who normally has to scrub out the pot roast pan! This grilled meal offers great taste and minimal work, plus easy cleanup - it's a winner all around!

Mini Pot Roast Packets On The Grill
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 green onions, chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced small
1 regular carrot, diced small
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp water

Directions:

• Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.
• Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Divide the beef and all the vegetables evenly between the 4 sheets of foil; fold the sides up but leave unsealed for now.
• Whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, butter, and water, then pour carefully into the contents of the packets.  
• Fold up the sides and tightly seal into a packet, leaving a little air space at the top.
• Set on grill on indirect heat, close cover, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, spinning packets around once or twice during the cooking time.
• Cook until meat and vegetables are tender and cooked to your liking.
• Remove and let rest for a few minutes then carefully open packets and serve.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Fajita Dinner In A Pouch

This easy-peasy yummy dinner takes little prep time, so you can spend your time enjoying the great outdoors on a summer evening, instead of cooking away in the kitchen. Grilling food in foil packets makes it easy to cook a full meal at once, and clean up of course is a snap - you won't even get the grill dirty! Enjoy this tasty summer dinner for a picnic with friends, or just a lazy summer evening at home in the backyard.

Grilled Chicken Fajita Dinner In A Pouch
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4 teaspoons Mexican seasoning powder or chili powder
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 lbs chicken, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
2 bell peppers, diced small
2 onions, diced small
tortillas for serving (optional)

Directions:

• Mix Mexican seasoning and lime juice together in a bowl, then add the chicken and bell peppers, and cover with plastic wrap. Put in refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
• Make 4 pouches out of aluminum foil and spoon mixture (including the liquid) into the center of each pouch, dividing ingredients equally.
• Fold edges of pouches tightly and form envelopes, leaving a bit of room for hot air and expansion within the pouch.
• Put on grill set at medium-high and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning the pouches several times to cook evenly.
• Serve on tortillas with toppings such as sour cream or guacamole, if desired.  This meal may also be served over a salad.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Salsa Verde Burritos

From Asian to Mexican, grilling can bring many exotic flavors right to your own backyard. Today's recipe features spicy salsa verde and creamy avocado for a tasty and easy meal great for a quick lunch or dinner in a shady spot on a hot summer day!

Grilled Chicken Salsa Verde Burritos (Serves 4.)

Flour Tex-Mex tortillas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, skin and bones removed
olive oil for grilling
salt and pepper
1 cup salsa verde
8 small tortillas (corn or flour)
1 avocado, sliced thin
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Directions:

• Set your grill up for medium-high heat.
• Rub the chicken with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill, close cover, and cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Remove from grill and let rest on a cutting board for 3 minutes; then slice chicken into thin strips and place in large bowl.
• Add salsa verde to bowl with chicken and stir gently to combine; set aside
• Place tortillas on the grill just until grill marks appear, flip and do the same to the other side. Remove to working surface.
• Lay out tortillas and divide the chicken slices, avocado, and cheese evenly between all the tortillas and roll up into a burrito.
• Makes 8 small burritos.

Recipe: Grilled Teriyaki Pork Tenders

Mmm-mmm-mmm!  Go Asian with your grilling this week with this tasty twist on Teriyaki. This simple and easy recipe uses the fresh summer flavors of green onions and bell peppers, combined with spicy ginger and Teriyaki sauce for a delicious main dish in minutes. Great for a quick summer weeknight meal.

Grilled Teriyaki Pork Tenders(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. pork tenderloin
1 red bell pepper
4 green onions
4 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce
1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
4 tsp olive oil

Directions:

• Set your grill to medium-high heat and preheat.
• Put tenderloin on grill, cover grill, and cook for 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove and let rest on cutting board while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Clean the red bell pepper and cut into thin strips.
• Wash and trim the onions and cut each lengthwise in half.
• In a bowl whisk together the Teriyaki, ginger root, and olive oil.
• Cut the tenderloin into 1/2 inch thick slices, and separate into 4 equal portions.
• Place four large aluminum foil squares on a work surface.
• Arrange 1/4 of the pork on each square, then cover with 1/4 of the red bell peppers and 1/4 of the onion.
• Carefully pour the Teriyaki mixture over the meat and veggies and fold and seal the aluminum foil tight.  Teriyaki is quite salty so you may not need to salt the mixture, but taste and decide.
• Place the 4 packets on the medium-high heat grill, cover and allow to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until hot and steaming. Spin around once during this cooking time.
• Remove and let rest for 3 minutes before opening.

Recipe - Street Cart Hot Dog Stuffed Pitas

Happy 4th of July!!  If you're grilling out today, here's an interesting twist on the loaded hot-dog concept. Pitas make these less messy to eat, and you can use whole wheat if for more fiber - I like the taste of the whole wheat ones better anyway. Stuff your pitas full of goodness, and chow down - street-cart style!

Street Cart Hot Dog Stuffed Pitas
Ingredients:

1/2 lb hot dogs, cubed
1/2 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (2 oz) jar stuffed green olives, chopped
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 tsp mustard
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
4 pita rounds
Heavy duty aluminum foil

Instructions:

• Cut hot dogs lengthwise into fourths, then slice into small pieces and put in a bowl.
• To the bowl, add the cheese, olives, onions, chili sauce, mustard, eggs, and mayonnaise, and mix together until well combined.
• Cut pita rounds in half, open and fill them almost full (use up the filling.)
• Take heavy duty foil and tightly wrap each pita packet separately.
• Refrigerate until ready to grill.
• Set grill to hot, and place foil-wrapped pita pockets on grill, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once.
• Remove pitas from foil and continue grilling until crisp, about 10 minutes more.  Flip if you can, but be careful to keep filling inside.
• Serve with cold dipping sauces if desired.

Video - Grilled Beer Can Chicken

If our last post had you hankering for some barbecue, here is an easy recipe for grilled chicken that will have you drooling! (Seriously, I think I almost wet the front of my shirt just watching the video - it looks THAT good.) The chickens are grilled whole, so plan to let them grill for a couple of hours, but the ingredients and preparation are drop-dead simple. This would be a great one for a weekend grill-out with the neighbors, friends, or just the family.

Enjoy, but be prepared for some serious chicken cravings after watching this!

Beer Can Chicken Barbecue by the BBQ Pit Boys
The BBQ Pit Boys show you how to barbecue up two tender and juicy 4lb. chickens on the grill, Beer Can Chicken Style. And, it's real easy to do. All you need for this barbecue chicken recipe favorite is two cans of beer (or water if you must), salad ...


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