Grilled Sausage and Fig Pizza

Who knew leftovers could be so good? With the purchase of just a couple extra ingredients the previous day's salad was turned into a delicious pizza. I first discovered how delightful figs on pizza can be a couple of years ago and ever since, I've really enjoyed adding interesting fruit to pizzas.



This pizza is really best when you use the toppings sparingly unlike the pictures above. The first one I made was a bit too heavy because I really loaded the ingredients on, but the second pizza came out just right. I was also thrilled that I was able to make the pizza on my grill pan since my oven has been moody lately (probably from lack of use this summer).





Grilled Sausage and Fig Pizza
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2010)

Makes 2 pizzas

1 pound fresh pizza dough (I used whole wheat)
4-5 tablespoons Pomegranate-Cumin dressing
1 cup coarsely grated Fontina cheese
Mixed greens or arugula
2 grilled sausages, sliced 1/4-inch thick
6-8 figs, quartered
2 thin red onion slices, rings separated
Crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)


Preheat a barbecue or grill pan over medium high heat. Halve the dough and roll each round into desired thinness. Brush the tops of the dough with some of the dressing.


Grill pizzas, seasoned side down until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the pizzas over. Top with the Fontina, greens, sausages, figs and red onion slices. Drizzle with more dressing. Cover and grill until the Fontina melts, about another 4 minutes. Top with feta or goat cheese if desired and cook for another minute or until the cheese softens.


Printable Recipe

Grilled Asian Chicken with Bok Choy and Onions and Ginger-Cilantro Rice

After my great success with the shrimp and sausage skewers, I was anxious to try other recipes in the June issue of Bon Appetit. I'm embarrassed that it's taken me nearly two months to share these recipes with you because they are truly easy and outstanding, but summer isn't over so you still have time to get your grill on. 



This was one of the rare occasions when I made the full recipe because I was eager to try the accompanying recipe for the leftovers. I promise I won't take two months to share that one with you.  I only made a few changes to the recipe. To kick up the spice factor, I used a spicy mango chutney. Also, I left out the mushrooms and peppers because those are not vegetables I consume in great (or any) quantities. Lastly, in the rice, I switched out brown rice for the white. Even with the cooking time of the rice, this is a pretty quick dinner so it's nice to have for a weeknight or a weekend get together.



Grilled Asian Chicken with Bok Choy and Onions
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2010)

Makes 4 servings plus leftovers

8 1/2-inch thick rounds red onion
4 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
1 1/4 cups mango-sesame dressing (recipe below)
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Nonstick vegetable spray

Arrange the vegetables on a large, foil lined baking sheet. Brush the vegetables lightly on both sides with 1/3 cup of the mango-sesame dressing and sprinkle with salt and pepper. On a separate foil lined baking sheet, arrange the chicken and brush on both sides with an additional 1/3 cup of dressing. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.

Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat and spray with a bit of cooking spray. Grill the vegetables until just tender, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Return the vegetables to the same baking sheet.

Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve the chicken on a platter with the vegetables. Serve with some of the remaining dressing.

Printable Recipe

Mango-Sesame Dressing
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2010)

Makes about 2 cups of dressing

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup mango chutney (I used spicy mango chutney)
6 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, grated
6 3/4 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until the dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dressing can be made up to a week ahead of time and kept covered and chilled in the refrigerator.

Printable Recipe

Ginger-Cilantro Rice
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2010)

Makes 2 generous servings

1/2 cup brown rice
1 1-inch round peeled ginger plus 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the rice and ginger rounds in a large saucepan. Add the broth and sprinkle with salt. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the chipped cilantro, green onion, grated ginger, both oils, and the rice vinegar in a small food processor. Blend until almost smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the rice to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Remove the ginger rounds. Toss the rice with the cilantro oil and serve.

Printable Recipe

Grilled Shrimp and Sausage Skewers with Smoky Paprika Glaze

I've never understood why people say that Memorial Day weekend is the start of summer and the start of grilling season. Summer doesn't start (officially) until late June and in southern California, it's almost always grilling season. However, I like many others took the opportunity to have a beach cookout with friends this past weekend and of course we got our grill on. When I received the June edition of Bon Appetit in the mail last week, I was immediately tantalized by the cover photo and eagerly tore through the pages to find the recipe. These were so good that I made them not once, but twice over the weekend. The spicy chicken andouille I picked up was a perfect compliment to the smoky glaze and that glaze added amazing flavor to the shrimp, tomatoes, and onion and the tomatoes were bursting with juicy warmth. Doing these on the outdoor grill gave them even more smoky flavor, but doing them inside in a grill pan still yields excellent results. There were many recipes in this month's magazine that I want to try, but I have a feeling this is going to made again very, very soon.



Grilled Shrimp and Sausage Skewers with Smoky Paprika Glaze
(Slightly Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2010)



Makes 6 servings

3/4 cup olive oil
4-5 large garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
5 teaspoons smoked paprika
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
12 uncooked extra-large shrimp
12 1-inch-long pieces chicken andouille sausage
12 cherry tomatoes
12 2-layer sections of red onion wedges

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, thyme, paprika, vinegar, salt, and both peppers. Transfer half of the glaze to a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Alternately thread pieces of shrimp, sausage, tomato, and onion onto the skewers. Brush skewers on both sides with glaze from one bowl. Grill 6-8 minutes until the shrimp are opaque, turning every couple of minutes and brushing occasionally with more glaze.

Arrange skewers on a platter and serve with the remaining bowl of glaze.

Printable Recipe

Tangy, Spicy, Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs

Since my work life is starting to get a little busier, I am always on the lookout for meals that will make a lot of leftovers so I can have an easy lunch or dinner at a moment's notice. This recipe is written for summer grilling, but it works perfectly indoors as well. I have been smitten with boneless, skinless chicken thighs of late. They are fast cooking, inexpensive, and remain tender even when reheating. This recipe is just what the title says... tangy, and spicy, but not overwhelmingly spicy. My first serving of this was with some kale (a whole head) sauteed with a little garlic and olive oil. My second two servings were with arugula tossed with lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. Both pairings were great and perfectly portable for my work lunch. I did have to make one change to the recipe by adding a bit of oil to the marinade, because the water wasn't getting it quite to the consistency I wanted with just water. The good news is that if you use olive oil and cook on a nonstick grill pan, you won't need to add any more oil. I let the chicken marinate overnight so the flavor was in every bite. This is definitely a recipe that I will be making often.

Tangy, Spicy, Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs
(Adapted from The Kitchn)



Makes 3-5 servings

5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 4 pounds
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon water
Extra-virgin olive oil as needed

Toss the chicken thighs with the salt and pepper in a large bowl.

In a small food processor, add the cumin, coriander, smashed garlic, chopped ginger and peppers, lemon zest, tomato paste, and water. Pulse the mixture until it is liquid and goopy. Add a bit of olive oil if necessary. Toss thoroughly with the chicken. Refrigerate up to 24 hours, or cook immediately.

Heat the grill or grill pan to high. When hot, cook the chicken 4 minutes on each side.

Printable Recipe

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp

Talk about a ridiculously awesome recipe for not a lot of effort. This is a wonderful recipe to have for a party and a real crowd-pleaser. You don't have to worry about the lack of seasoning on the shrimp because the proscitutto adds it's nice saltiness and the smoky grill flavor is all you need to make this complete. Of course after the fact, I noticed Jen's suggestion of a balsamic drizzle would probably kick these up, but they were lovely as they were.

Today is the big move!! Luckily, I have some posts planned while I am getting settled in to my new digs. I am also planning a quickie (but hopefully fruitful) farmers market trip. It's the 15th anniversary of my beloved Beverly Hills farmers market! Have a great Sunday everyone.


Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp
(From Use Real Butter)

48 medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
12 thin slices prosciutto

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Slice the prosciutto lengthwise into four strips per slice to get 48 strips in total. Pat the shrimp dry and wrap a strip of prosciutto around the midsection of a shrimp. Secure (skewer) with a bamboo or metal skewer. Repeat for all of the shrimp. Grill over high heat for 1-2 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

Kafta Beef Kabobs

Alright, so the beef kabobs won as the first recipe featured from my 24, 24, 24 dinner. It is easy to see why. Although it can be hard to want to taste all your food after all that prep, I couldn't resist trying a bite of these because they just smelled so good. As you will come to see over the next few days, many (or maybe all) of my recipes for this dinner were from fellow food bloggers. I tend to trust bloggers more than what the recipe sites say and another benefit is that they usually include step-by-step instructions and/or photos. I am hoping that once I get settled in to my new place, I will be able to show more step-by-step pictures of my cooking. Anyway, on to the kabobs. This recipe will easily feed about 20 people depending on how you roll them and though it takes some time (for me, it was a 2am prep), they are super simple to make. One of the keys to making this easier is to wet your hands every two or three times you roll a kabob. The flavor is outstanding. I was definitely generous in my amounts of spices and I think it paid off. This is definitely something you should taste as you go so my recommendation would be to break off a bit of the meat and cook it and see if it has the flavors you want before cooking up the rest of the batch. I spent quite a bit of time researching recipes I wanted to make for my party, but I am curious to know what some of your favorite party appetizers are. Leave them in the comments!


Kafta Beef Kabobs
(From My Last Bite and Simply Heaven)

2 pounds ground beef
1 bunch of parsley finely chopped washed and well drained
1 onion finely chopped
4-5 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (you can use cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Mix all ingredients, work it like dough. Roll out and make sure press a little tight so it can stick to the skewer. Wet your hands in between rolling. Grill on a preheated grill until cooked through.

Printable Recipe

Pork Souvlaki

Ever since I made that shrimp saganaki a couple of weeks ago, I have been thinking about more Greek food. Souvlaki and gyros were some of my favorite things we ate in Greece (especially after a night of drinking and dancing), but I haven't had it too many times here in the US and I have certainly never made it before. This recipe for pork souvlaki is really good and I think the marinade would work well with chicken or lamb as well. I let my meat marinate for 24 hours so the flavors went all through it. Of course since I am a garlic fiend, I kicked up the amount of garlic, but if you have someone to kiss, you may want to reduce the amount if you try it yourself. I used whole wheat pitas to make it a little healthier and grilling them in the pan after the souvlaki gave them a nice texture and flavor. I was a little lazy about taking the cover off my outdoor grill so I made these on the grill pan and was pleased with the grill marks and flavor.




Pork Souvlaki
(Adapted from Serious Eats)

Makes 8 skewers (2 servings)

For the marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Greek oregano
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound pork tenderloin
Tzatziki
Pocketless pitas or flatbread

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Place pork cubes in a plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and toss to coat pork evenly with the marinade, then open the bag and reseal, removing as much air as possible. Place the pork in the refrigerator for at least two hours to overnight.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. While the grill is heating, thread the pork cubes onto the skewers.

Grill the pork skewers until they browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes, turning once during cooking. Remove the skewers to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes. While the pork rests, grill the pita until lightly browned on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove the pita from the grill and served topped with the pork and tzatziki.

So as I briefly mentioned the other day, my friends and I made our way to UCLA to go see Giada at the Festival of Books (we just missed the hotness of Curtis Stone). Barbara Fairchild of Bon Appetit interviewed Giada about her inspiration, influences, and thoughts about Italian cooking. In all honesty, it was a bit boring especially if you have ever caught her "Chefography" on FN, but it was really nice to be outside in the sun forgetting about my recent troubles. Afterwords there was a meet and greet where people could get copies of her new book autographed. We opted to skip the long ass line for that. Here are a couple of pics from the event.

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Butternut Squash Puree and Sauteed Spinach

Welcome to butternut squash season. For the next 6 months be prepared to see an immense amount of butternut squash recipes from me. Growing up I was never a squash fan (notice how I didn't feature any zucchini recipes during the summer?), but last year (pre-food blogging) I discovered butternut squash and I can't get enough. I love everything about it, the texture, the flavor, and the fact that it even with it's sweetness, it can be used in sweet and savory recipes. In fact, one of my first food blogging entries was about baking with butternut squash. I just can't get enough of the stuff. I may like it even more than figs!! Can you imagine?! You know how I feel about figs! The thing is, even though it is officially fall and we are heading into a season with some of the most amazing fruits and vegetables, it is becoming the hottest time of the year here in So Cal. The Santa Ana winds are approaching and 90 degree dry weather in October is about to make it's mark. I'm so jealous of my fellow food bloggers that get to experience the changing leaves and cooler temperatures of this time of year, so this is my attempt to bridge that gap. Grilled chicken because let's face it, I need to use my grill more and keep that summer flair, and a recipe using the beginnings of the best of locally grown produce. It's so strange, the smell of sage makes me slightly nauseous, but I think it does a magical thing when combined with butter and/or butternut squash. I totally love it. I thought about using a brown butter for the puree, but I wanted to keep it light given the current climate. If you're not a fan of raw garlic, cook it in a little bit of olive oil or reduce the amount to mellow out the taste. I recently discovered these individually wrapped organic chicken breasts at Trader Joe's which I bought and stuck in the freezer. I know I could do this on my own, but I don't and I am willing to spend the extra cost to have this little pre-wrapped beauties to take out of the freezer whenever I need them. I also added a little spinach to this, mostly to use up some spinach I had left from the farmers market, but also to add a little green to the dish. The puree can be done ahead of time, making this an easy and quick dinner to throw together any night of the week. Simplicity in one of it's finest forms.


Grilled Chicken

Chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash Puree
(By Esi)

1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 or 5 sage leaves, roughly chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup chicken broth and/or water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauteed Spinach
2 big handfuls baby spinach
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel, and dice the squash into 1/2 inch chunks. In a large bowl toss together the squash and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Turn squash onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Turn squash over and roast until soft and golden brown, about another 15-20 minutes.

In a blender or food processor combine roasted squash, sage, garlic, and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Puree until smooth adding chicken broth and/or water as necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat a grill. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through.

To make the spinach, heat oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Saute until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

Grilled Steak with Cebolitas

When I was in my second year of college, I discovered Food Network and more importantly, Emeril Lagasse. I was obsessed with his shows. I literally used to make sure my classes were done by 5PM so I could race home and catch his shows. It wasn't just Emeril. At this time, I discovered Julia Child (who's repeats they used to show at around 2AM just when I was returning home from fraternity parties), Two Fat Ladies (who's dvds are coming out soon!), Bobby Flay, Tyler Florence, and Wolfgang Puck (who I saw at the farmers market a few months ago and almost crapped my pants!!!). Anyway, last year before I started food blogging, I found this great recipe of Emeril's for a grilled flank steak. I am not the hugest steak eater, but I love this marinade so much. It is so flavorful and the steak can be used in so many dishes it is definitely a keeper. I always make sure to marinate the steak overnight to get as much of the flavor into the meat as possible. I had a little mishap when I was making this and spilled my original batch of marinade all over my kitchen. I didn't have enough limes to use the second time around, so I replaced one of them with a lemon and it still turned out great.

PS, Totally un-food related, check out this clip of the lovely and insanely talented Adele on Conan. I had the greatest pleasure of seeing her perform back in May and I am hoping to see her again next month although there may be a scheduling conflict. She is really an artist that everyone should get to know and love.

Grilled Steak with Cebolitas
(From Emeril Lagasse)

1 Angus beef boneless Sirloin fillet
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus kosher salt, for seasoning

1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bunch green onions, plus 1/4 cup chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Lime wedges, for serving

Combine flank steak, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, 2 tablespoons lime juice, cilantro, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup chopped green onions in a large zip-top plastic bag. Allow steak to marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Alternatively, marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Remove steak from marinade bag and remove as much of the marinade as possible. Discard remaining marinade. Place the steak on the preheated grill and cook steak for 2 1/2 minutes, then rotate on same side 45 degrees (to create grill marks) and grill for another 2 1/2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for an additional 5 minutes on the other side, rotating 45 degrees after 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from grill pan and allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes under a foil tent.

Meanwhile, trim the root ends of the green onions and toss with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and salt, to season. Place the green onions on the grill and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, (depending on the size of the onions), or until softened and slightly charred. Remove the onions from the grill and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
Slice the steak against the grain as thinly as possible and divide evenly between 4 plates. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Top each steak with several grilled onions. Garnish each plate with fresh cilantro sprigs and a lime wedge.

Grilled Shrimp with Nam Prik

I saw this recipe on Mark Bittman's blog the other day and I knew I wanted to try it because it seemed so simple and fast. It basically just took as long as cooking the shrimp on the grill. The shrimp came out well, but I had to make a few adjustments to the dipping sauce because it was a little to fish sauce tasting at first for my taste. Once I did that, I really enjoyed it and I think I would have this again. It's a great simple meal when you're in a hurry and you can use the dipping sauce with so many foods. I am really excited about my trip to San Francisco tomorrow for Slow Food Nation. I am going to try my hand at live blogging, but can't make any promises that my Blackberry won't crap out on me so I am bringing my camera to take many many pictures and I promise to share them with you when I get back!

Grilled Shrimp with Nam Prik
(Adapted from Mark Bittman)

Makes 2 servings

10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tails on
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons honey
1 very small red chili, minced
Juice from 1ime
1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
Salt

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Lightly season shrimp with salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, chili, lime juice and nam pla. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Grill shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side. Serve alongside nam prik.

Barefoot Bloggers: Butterflied Chicken

I have said many times, I don't really follow recipes exactly unless I am baking. This Barefoot Bloggers entry was no exception. It was chosen for us by Stephany of Proceed with Caution. I was totally wary of this because 1) I have never butterflied a chicken before and 2) What the heck is single ole me gonna do with a whole chicken?? After reading some musings and reviews, I had settled on just doing a couple of chicken breasts. Of course, once I was at the store I changed my mind and bought a whole roasting chicken. I figured I could use the leftovers for salads or something. I vaguely remember watching the episode where Ina prepared this, but I realized once I got to home that I had no clue how to butterfly the thing. A friend tried to explain it to me, but I still didn't get it so I just chopped the chicken into 8 serving pieces. I left the skin on while cooking to keep the chicken moist which did the job, but made it a little messy to eat. This is easily one of the best chicken dishes I have ever made. Since I let it marinate overnight the flavor was present in every bite and the chicken was nice and moist. I sliced a couple of lemons and grilled those up too and the concentrated flavor was amazing. Want to see how the other Barefoot Bloggers fared with their chicken? Click here.


Butterflied Chicken
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

1 organic, free-range roasting chicken
1/4 cup organic, extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, thinly sliced

Chop the chicken into 8 to 10 serving pieces and place in a shallow container. In a medium bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn the chicken to make sure it is well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

If marinating overnight, remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for 8 to 10 minutes per side until cooked through.

Add the lemon slices to the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Saturday + the birthday celebration of my dear friends = One hungover girl on Sunday. I got up just long enough to crawl to the farmer's market and then came back home and got back into bed. I finally managed to get my butt into gear and get cooking. I was really in the mood for some greasy spoon, but I didn't want to go anywhere and I thought I should be kinder to my waistline and do a healthy twist on a burger and fries. Enjoyed with a prickly pear mimosa and The Breakfast Club, it was a great end to the weekend.





Stuffed Turkey Burger
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger)

1/2 lb lean, ground turkey
4 sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced
2 tablespoons shredded, part skim mozzarella, divided
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl mix together turkey, salt and pepper until well combined. Divided the meat into four equal rounds. Form each round into equal sized patties. Sprinkle two patties with sundried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of cheese. Top with the other patties and work the edges to seal.

Grill each burger for 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Grilled Barbecue Chicken Pizza

There is just something about the weekend and pizza. I'm obsessed with my little grill lately and had some dough left in my freezer so I decided to make a California original. I have tons of grilled chicken and I used a bottled sauce so this recipe came together super fast which was good because I was starving! I'm not including measurements so you adapt it to your own tastes.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Store-bought pizza dough
Grilled chicken, chopped
Red onion, thinly sliced
Shredded mozzarella
Bottled barbecue sauce
Olive oil or garlic oil for brushing
Cilantro, roughly chopped for garnish (optional)


On a lightly floured board roll out dough to desired thin-ness. Brush one side of the dough with olive oil and place the oiled side of the dough onto a hot grill. Grill for one minute and flip.

Spoon barbecue sauce on top of the pizza and spread the cheese over the sauce. Top with onions, chicken, and more cheese. Close the cover of the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the toppings are warmed through. Remove the pizza from the grill and garnish with cilantro if desired.

Barefoot Bloggers Bonus Recipe: Grilled California Pizzas

The August bonus recipe for Barefoot Bloggers was chosen by Rebecca from Ezra Pound Cake. I knew immediately that I wanted to make this because I had tried a grilled pizza a while ago and I was thinking about making another. This past weekend was very lazy one where I had no plans and only left the house to go to the farmer's market. Don't judge me! It's been a busy summer! I cheated a little on the pizzas and went with store bought dough, just to make things a little easier. Ina suggests a bunch of toppings and then says to pick eight. I only made a couple of pizzas so I decided to go with mozzarella, chicken sausage, tomato, red onion, and red pepper flakes. This was so flavorful with the garlic oil (4 cloves of garlic heated over low heat with 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil) and I grilled the sausage for even more grilled flavor. To see how the other Barefoot Bloggers did on their pizzas, visit here.

Grilled California Pizzas
(From Ina Garten)

For the dough:
1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110 degrees F) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the toppings (select 8):
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, grated
1/2 pound Italian Fontina, grated
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
1/4 pound prosciutto, thinly sliced and julienned
1 bunch arugula, cleaned and dried
6 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 pork or turkey sausages, cooked and sliced
1 bunch basil leaves, cleaned and dried
4 garlic cloves, roasted
Crushed red pepper flakes

For prep:
1/2 cup good olive oil

For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 cups flour, then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature. Roll and stretch each ball into a rough 8-inch circle and place them all on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. (You will be able to fit 2 pizzas on each 18 by 13-inch baking sheet.)

Light your grill and wait until it's hot.

Place the pizzas directly onto the grill and cook on 1 side for 1 minute. Turn the pizzas over and brush with olive oil or garlic oil.

Top the pizzas with any toppings you wish, piling them high. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the lid on your grill and cook for 5 minutes more, until the crust is crisp and the toppings are cooked.

Grilled Chicken and Aspargus with Arugula Pesto

Not wanting to be a wasteful person, I decided to use my pesto in a quick dinner. I'm so glad I did. It was so tasty and the whole thing came together in less than 20 minutes (take THAT Rachael Ray!!). I decided to add some asparagus to the grill even though I was less than thrilled with my last attempt at grilled asparagus. The spritz of lemon added a great freshness to the smokiness of the asparagus. I am now in love with grilled asparagus and trying to think of other ways I can use it.

Grilled Chicken with Asparagus and Arugula Pesto

3 organic, free-range chicken tenders
8 or so asparagus stalks, trimmed
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
approx 2 tbsp organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 spoonful arugula pesto
spritz of lemon juice

Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Toss asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on a grill and cook for about 4 minutes on one side. When you are ready to flip the chicken, add the asparagus to the grill. Cook the chicken for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Cook the asparagus for about 2 minutes on each side, tossing with tongs. Serve the asparagus alongside the chicken and top the chicken with the pesto. Spritz the asparagus with lemon and serve immediately.


I also decided to use the pesto for a fun take on breakfast. I have always seen recipes for "green eggs" so why not try it with my green? Even though the picture doesn't look like the most appetizing food stuff, it tasted really good. Since the pesto had so much salt, I decided to omit salt from the eggs.

Scrambled Eggs with Arugula Pesto

2 organic, free-range eggs
1 spoonful arugula pesto

Scramble the eggs over medium heat in a small saucepan. Top with a spoonful of pesto.

Grilled Sausage with Arugula Pesto

I've said it before, but those peeps over at The Kitchn always seem to know what I am in the mood for. Friday was an especially slow day at work (I blame Comic Con) so I spent the entire day reading food blogs and looking for interesting new recipes. I love pesto, but I have never tried making it myself because I didn't have a food processor...until now. I was so glad this was an arugula pesto because I already had all of the ingredients at home and I am trying to be kinder to my wallet and make fewer trips to the grocery store. (Why do I have to live on a street with TWO grocery stores about 50 steps aways?!?!) Anyway, this was really simple and came together quickly. I made the pesto a couple of days early and plan on using the leftovers with chicken or fish sometime this week. I decided to use chicken sausage instead of pork, because that is just what I prefer. I found a really great one at the farmer's market. One note, the recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp of salt, but I thought it was a little too salty. You may want to try using 1 tsp or less if you decide to make this yourself.

Grilled Sausage with Arugula Pesto
(from Martha Stewart Living)

4 oz organic baby arugula
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (I used 5 cause I loves me some garlic!)
1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp kosher flake salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 c organic extra-virgin olive oil
4 Italian sausages (can use both hot and/or sweet)

Make the pesto: Place the arugula and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides if necessary. Add cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil and puree until smooth and well combined.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Prick sausages with a fork to allow any excess fat to drip. Grill until cooked through. Serve pesto over the grilled sausages.

I served this with a simple spinach salad with a lemon vinaigrette, but if you want to do the full menu, check out the suggested Minestrone Salad.

Grilled Pizza with Arugula and Prosciutto

I have been wanting to try a grilled pizza for a while. I picked up some plain pizza dough at Trader Joe's yesterday so I decided to give it a go. For the sauce, I just used a jarred arrabiata sauce that I made extra spicy with a few extra red pepper flakes and some arugula and prosciutto that I had on hand. This turned out really well. I like really thin, crispy crusts so next time I will either roll the dough out thinner or cook it for a little longer on each side.

Grilled Pizza with Arugula and Prosciutto
(By Esi)

1/3 lb pizza dough
flour for dusting
1 tbsp organic olive oil
handful organic arugula
1 tbsp arrabiata sauce
2 slices prosciutto, torn into strips
dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 c organic shredded mozzarella

Turn the dough onto a floured board. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Heat a grill on medium high. Brush one side of the dough with olive oil. Place the oiled side down on the grill and then brush the other side of the dough with oil. Cook dough for about 4 minutes on one side, flip and cook for one minute. Spread sauce over the top of the dough and top with cheese. Close the lid of the grill and cook until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Remove pizza from the grill and top with arugula and prosciutto.

Blood Orange and Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Tomato Black Bean Salsa

Oh Sunday. While I look forward to spending the day at the Farmer's Market and preparing my lunches for the week, this particular Sunday also marks the end of my super long holiday weekend. It was a great weekend of friends, food, cocktails, and the beach! Besides the cornbread I will be posting about on Thursday, I didn't make much over the weekend so I wanted to make something fresh that also highlighted the tastes of summer. I had been wanting to make homemade tortillas for a while and I thought I could combine that with some grilled shrimp since I am loving the grill right now. I had a little chipotle sauce left over and I snatched up the last of the blood oranges (of the season) at the Farmers Market. I made the salsa for a little extra freshness.

Blood Orange and Chipotle Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Tomato Black Bean Salsa

8 shrimp peeled and de-veined
1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped plus extra for garnish
juice from one blood orange
splash of canola oil

Combine all ingredients and let the shrimp marinate for about 20 minutes. Grill shrimp over high heat for about 2 minutes on each side.

Tomato Black Bean Salsa

1 organic beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
8 oz organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 white onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, minced
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Homemade flour Tortillas
(adapted from Epicurious)

2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp canola oil
6 oz warm water

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and 1/2 of the water. Mix together with your hands and continue adding water into the dough until it forms a solid ball, but is not too sticky. If necessary, add additional flour or water as needed. Knead the dough on a floured board for 5 minutes. Cut the dough in half and then in half again. Roll each piece into a ball, place them on a lightly floured surface, and cover with a damp towel. Heat a grill to medium heat. Roll out the dough, one piece at a time to about 1/4 inch thickness. Place one round of dough on the grill and cook on each side for about 30 seconds. Continue the process with the remaining portions of dough.

Warm Grilled Chicken and Arugula Salad

I love long weekends!!!! Today, I am celebrating the fact that it's almost the Fourth by relaxing and doing things around the house. The weather is perfect, warm and breezy and my grill is just itching to be used. OK, I can't tell what my grill is thinking, but if it could talk I am sure it would say "turn me on", so I did. Last night I was perusing my Nigella books and found a simple salad from the book Forever Summer. Using that as inspiration I came up with the following. I had some amazing arugula and red onions from the Farmer's Market and this is what I put together.

Warm Chicken and Arugula Salad
(Inspired by Chicken Salad with Spinach and Bacon in Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson)

1 heaping handful arugula
1/4 small red onion, sliced
3 slices center cut bacon, sliced*
1 chicken breast pounded think with a mallet or a small saucepan
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Place chicken breast in a large plastic bag and pound until 1/4 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper and grill over medium high heat for 4 minutes on each side until cooked all the way through. Remove chicken from the grill, slice into chunks and set aside.

Add bacon to a fry pan and cook over medium until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve the fat in the pan. Add onions and cook until soft and slightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add vinegar to the pan and make sure to scrape up any drippings. Remove from heat, taste and season with pepper and salt if necessary. Add bacon back into the dressing.

Place arugula on a medium plate. Top with grilled chicken and then bacon and onion dressing.

*Center cut bacon does not release as much fat as regular bacon so if desired, add a little bit of olive oil to the dressing.

This was incredible! I loved the combination of the spicy arugula with the sweetness of the onions and the salty bacon. Hooray for summer!

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

I had some asparagus left over so I decided to try it grilled with some prosciutto. I have seen recipes for prosciutto wrapped asparagus, but since July 1st kicks off grilling season, I thought I would try a little somethin' on the grill. To be quite honest, I didn't love this. I'm not quite sure why, I think maybe it needed a little something extra like a splash of lemon juice for freshness. For now, I will just stick with my roasted asparagus.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

5 asparagus stalks
5 slices prosciutto

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for two minutes. Remove asparagus and pat dry. Wrap each piece of asparagus in a slice of prosciutto. Place on a medium-high grill and grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.