Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

Summertime is for grilling.

I was surfing the net one day (Do they even still use that term? "Surf the net?") and an article came up with this recipe from Once Upon a Chef. I'm always up for trying a great new recipe and I love, love, love kebabs. So I decided to dust off the cobwebs off my grill and give this recipe a try. And boy were these kebabs delicious. It tastes exactly like the kebabs I buy at many of the local Mediterranean/Armenian restaurants in our area. I normally eat kebabs with my homemade Tzatziki sauce, but these kebabs do not need any accompaniment because they are so good and so flavorful all by themselves. I did, however, serve it with my new found favorite Basmati Rice Pilaf and my Mediterranean meal was complete.

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (less if you don't like it spicy)
zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trimmed of any fat and cut into large pieces)
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
oil for greasing the grill
bamboo skewers, soaked in water for about an hour

1) In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, zest and juice of lemon, salt black pepper and garlic. Stir until thoroughly combined.

2) Thread chicken pieces onto the skewers, alternating occasionally with the red onion pieces. Be sure not to cram the skewers. Place the kebabs on a tray lined with aluminum foil. Brush or spoon the marinade all over the meat and onions coating well. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

3) Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grease the grill by dipping some paper towel in oil and wiping down the grill with it. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes on each side. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with rice and/or tzatziki sauce.

Huli-Huli Chicken

Huli-Huli is Hawaiian for "turn-turn." In this case, its all about turning the chicken over an open fire. As in rotisserie-style chicken. Of the many times I've been to Hawaii, I've never really had Huli-Huli chicken. Even hubby has never had it, and he has more ties to the islands than I do because his family lives there. Though we often see signs on the side of the road advertising the sale of this coveted Hawaiian dish, it never really occurred to us to give it a try. It is said that back in the day, Huli-Huli chicken is often made during fundraising events. Many Hawaiians often look to the newspaper for any advertisements for fundraisers serving Huli-Huli Chicken.

This recipe came up on Facebook from Hawaiian Food Online and was so simple to make. However, grilling chicken never really works out well for me. It always come out undercooked, which totally takes away from the enjoyment of eating a delicious meal. From this recipe, though, I learned that the chicken has to be cooked for about 20-30 minutes on each side over a low-medium flame. Because I've never really had Huli Huli chicken before this, I can't really compare it to anything. But it came out delicious. Once I get the kinks out of grilling a chicken, I'm definitely going to be make this again.

3 chickens, cut into quarters
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 inch piece of ginger root, finely minced
2 drops of Worcestershire sauce

1) Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a medium bowl. Brush sauce over chicken pieces. Cook chicken on a grill until done, about 20-30 minutes on each side. Brush sauce on chicken pieces repeatedly throughout the cooking process. Serve with steamed rice and Hawaiian-style Macaroni salad.

Juicy Lucy Burger

Happy Memorial Day! Let's not forget those who have lost their lives for this great country of ours. But did you know that its also National Hamburger Day? I didn't either. It just happened to pop up on my Facebook page from Betty Crocker (yeah, I'm fan of Betty Crocker on Facebook. Wut of it?). I had planned on making burgers today anyway. But what a great reason to make them.

I was looking for hamburger ideas to make for this weekend from What's Cookin' Chicago? and found this recipe for a Juicy Lucy. I've heard of a stuffed burger being called a Juicy Lucy before on the Food Network. I haven't made my Stuffed Burger in a while. And even then, I used ready-made hamburger patties. I've always wanted to make the burgers from scratch. So this recipe was perfect. This burger was dangerously delicious. Nice and juicy, with a surprise in the center. I've definitely found a new way to make stuffed burgers. So in honor of Memorial Day and National Hamburger Day, I now introduce you to the Juicy Lucy!

1 lb. ground beef (the more fat, the better)
1 large egg
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 cup shredded cheese
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Hamburger buns
sliced red onions
lettuce
sliced tomatoes

1) In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and all the seasonings. Mix well using your hands to thoroughly combine. Divide and shape into 4 patties. Set aside.

2) Take one patty and create a large well in the center. Fill the well with about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese. Top with 1/4 Tbsp. of the butter. Fold the meat over the cheese to completely cover the cheese. Re-shape into a patty. Repeat with the other patties.

3) Grill burgers to desired doneness. Try not to work the meat too much. Don't worry, some cheese may leak out. Place on hamburger buns and top with your favorite toppings.

Chicken Inasal (Filipino-style BBQ Chicken)

I've been missing the Philippines lately. Missing the families we left behind, missing the laid-back atmosphere, missing the food. I made a vow during my last post to try to replicate some of the great dishes we had during our recent trip. The first dish I wanted to attempt was Chicken Inasal, and the recipe I decided on was from Panlasang Pinoy, my go-to blog for all things Filipino.

Assembling was a cinch, but grilling was pretty tricky because you have to baste the chicken in a butter mixture. And everyone knows (but I happened to have forgotten) that oil and flame do not mix. So I charred some of the chicken. However, I was able to peel off the charred skin (because skin is too fattening anyway. ha!) and ended up with a delicious grilled chicken. Not quite the same as Bacolod Chicken Inasal that I had in the Philippines, but I think it'll do for now.

2 lbs. chicken, cut into serving pieces

Marinade
2 Tbsp. minced ginger
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup chopped lemon grass
1 cup coconut vinegar (or substitute with cider vinegar)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup lemon-lime soda
1/2 Tbsp. ground black pepper

Basting sauce
3 Tbsp. annatto oil (annatto seeds cooked in oil)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice

1) In a freezer bag or large bowl, combine chicken with all the ingredients for the marinade. Stir or shake ingredients until well incorporated. Allow to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

2) When ready, heat grill. While grill is heating, combine ingredients for the basting sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3) Grill chicken while basting with generous amounts of basting sauce. Continue grilling until juices run clear. Serve with steam rice and dip chicken in a mixture of soy sauce and a splash of lemon juice.

Barbecue Turkey Burgers

Leave it to Annie, from Annie's Eats, to provide me with a great Memorial Day menu. My folks are joining us today for a barbecue and I decided to make Annie's Barbecue Chicken Burgers and Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade as our beverage (more on that recipe for tomorrow's post).

I've been looking for another great chicken/turkey burger and I'm so glad I found this recipe. I decided to use ground turkey for this recipe because its all I had. And because turkey is such a lean meat, I added 3 tablespoons of olive oil so it wouldn't stick to the grill. Annie's recipe uses homemade barbecue sauce recipe. But I decided to use a store bought barbecue sauce. This was a great burger, which probably would be even better if I had pulled pork barbecue to top it with. I'll probably do that next time. Which means I'll definitely be making this dish again.

2 Tbsp. prepared barbecue sauce, plus more for garnish

1 lb. ground turkey

1/4 cup cornmeal (or 1/2 cup crumbled cornbread)

1 stalk green onion, minced

1 Tbsp. minced cilantro

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard (or 2 tsp. prepared mustard)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for cooking

pinch of cayenne pepper

2/3 cup chopped pulled pork (optional)

hamburger buns

sliced cheese

grilled red onion slices

1) In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, cornmeal, green onions, cilantro brown sugar and spices, 3 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Mix together gently until well combined. Form mixture into four equal patties. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until ready to grill.

2) Oil grates of the grill. Place patties on the heated grill and cook for 3-5 minutes. Flip the burgers and brush the cooked sides generously with barbecue sauce. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Flip the burgers again to brush the other cooked side with more barbecue sauce. Top with cheese slices and continue to grill until burgers are cooked through until cheese has melted. Place burger on toasted bun and top with a grilled onion slice and more barbecue sauce as desired.

Greek Turkey Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

This is a recipe I found from one of my Costco cookbooks. It was the NBA All-Star weekend yesterday and I was planning on grilling these. But it was a rainy weekend and, as much as I used to love cooking on my grill pan, I didn't want to do the cleaning for the grill pan. So I opted to make soup yesterday instead.

Well, I finally made these today and decided to fry them in a pan. Even though it was a beautiful day to barbecue. However you decided to cook these (whether you grill or fry them) these burgers will be delicious. It has so much flavor in it and its quite healthy. I'm definitely making these again.

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup feta cheese (I used shredded cheese because its all I had)

2 tsp. dry oregano leaves

1/2 tsp. dry thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

ground cumin

salt & pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 hamburger rolls, toasted

lettuce

tomato slices

cucumber slices

1) In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, cheese, oregano, thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Shape into 4 patties.

2) Heat oil in a frying pan (or heat grill). Cook patties for 4-5 minutes on each side or until burgers are cooked through and has an internal temperature of 165 deg F.

3) To prepare sauce, season yogurt to taste with cumin, salt and pepper.

4) Serve burgers on toasted rolls. Top each burger with 1 Tbsp. of the yogurt mixture. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber slices.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Ribs

Its Superbowl Sunday. I don't really watch American Football, but I like to use these types of events as an excuse to try new recipes. And this kind of event almost always calls for BBQ. I found this recipe for Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs from my new favorite blog, What's Cookin, Chicago? that I had been saving up. I haven't had BBQ since the summertime. And I haven't tried Crock Pot BBQ either. So I was really excited to try this recipe out.

I love my Crock Pot. Its always a life saver for a busy mom like me. And it didn't disappoint me this time either. The pork came out so tender that it fell off the bone. I wasn't too happy about the sauce I used though. I'll probably use my favorite bottled sauce until I find the right homemade sauce. But I'll definitely be making BBQ this way whenever I can't fire up the grill. And the next time I do this again, I'll put some kind of a liner in the pot. Because it was a pain cleaning up the caked-on, charred sauce on the bottom. What a mess to clean up.

2-3 lb. pork ribs

2 cups prepared BBQ sauce (I used my homemade sauce, or any of your favorite BBQ sauce)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1) Combine BBQ sauce, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Place ribs in Crock Pot. Pour sauce mixture over the ribs and cook on low for 6-8 hours, on on high for 4-5 hours.

BBQ Sauce

I've been wanting to make BBQ sauce from scratch for the longest time. But I haven't found a good recipe that caught my eye. Then I found this Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs recipe made of Homemade BBQ sauce, from What's Cookin, Chicago? which was adapted from the Neely's on the Food Network. So I had to give it a try.

It came out a little spicy, so I modified it and lessened the black pepper and added honey to the mix. I like sweet BBQ sauce. After using this on my pork ribs, however, I felt like it needed a lot of salt. I'm not sure if this is the BBQ sauce I'm looking for yet. I guess my search continues.

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 Tbsp. light brown sugar
5 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1) Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Korean Bulgogi Beef

Here's another great recipe for Bulgogi from What's Cookin, Chicago? It looked so yummy that I absolutely had to try it out. I love Korean BBQ, and I think I've made all kinds of different versions of it. From Korean BBQ Short Rib to Crockpot Korean Short Rib. So I guess this is another addition to my Korean BBQ repertoire.

Its been a while since we've eaten at a Korean BBQ restaurant. So I was really excited to make this. This came out so good. I served this wrapped in lettuce leaf and a side of white rice. It tastes just as good as what you'd find at a Korean restaurant. I am definitely making this again.

3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. sesame seed, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup pear nectar (like Kern's or Jumex)

1 lb. sirloin beef, thinly sliced

1 carrot, julienned

1 green onion, chopped into 1-2 inch length

1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced

1) In a large resealable plastic bag, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic (fresh and powder), onion powder, salt, black pepper and pear nectar. Add beef and let marinate for 3 hours to overnight.

2) In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Remove meat from marinade and place in hot skillet. Discard marinade. Brown beef on both sides and add carrots, green onions, and yellow onion. Cook until vegetables become tender but maintains a slight crunch. Garnish with more sesame seeds and serve over steamed white rice or lettuce leaves (to wrap like a burrito).

Grilled Salmon Burgers

I've been making these Salmon burgers for a while. I think I first started making them when hubby and I were on a diet kick and I was sick of just grilling our never-ending supply of Salmon that I bought at Costco. Well, I was at Costco the other day and came across some salmon. Hmmmm....I haven't made Salmon Burgers in a while, might as well grill some again.

This is a really quick and easy way to use up Salmon or any type of flaky fish that you might have. Yummy and healthy too.

2 1/2 cups flaked salmon (or a 14 3/4 oz canned salmon)

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard (I used regular mustard)

3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/2 cup sliced green onions

3 egg whites

salt & pepper to taste

1) Combine lemon juice and mustard. Blend together flaked salmon, breadcrumbs, green onions, and lemon juice with mustard mixture. Mix in egg whites until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2) Form mixture into patties and cook on a lightly oiled grill or saute in a skillet until golden brown on both sides. Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato slices, and condiments.

Tequila Lime Chicken

I decided that today was the day I'd break my Thai food streak and try something new. I had printed this recipe off the internet and had been saving this for quite some time and decided to do some grilling for dinner tonight.

Man oh man was this good. It reminds me of the chicken I would order at Baja Fresh or something. You can make this with chicken wings for a nice appetizer or boneless skinless chicken that you can cut up to use in a salad (which is what I made for hubby's lunch for tomorrow as pictured below) or in tacos/fajitas. Either way you make it, it'll definitely be delicious and flavorful.

4-5 lbs. chicken (boneless/skinless or chicken wings)

1/4 cup tequila

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup honey

1 jalapeno pepper (more if you like it spicy)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1 tsp. salt

1) Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a large ziploc freezer bag. Shake to fully incorporate. Add chicken and shake together, making sure to distribute the marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2) Preheat grill to medium heat. While grill heats up, let chicken stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Grease the grill with cooking spray or oil to prevent from sticking. Place chicken on grill and cook on each side for 5-7 minutes. (note: if chicken is sticking to grill when you turn it the first time, it probably isn't ready, so give another minute or so). Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Satay with Peanut sauce

Hubby introduced me to Thai food from our now-favorite Thai restaurant, Original Thai BBQ, when we first started dating almost 15 years ago. Not only did I fall in love with him, but I also fell in love with Thai food. Especially Satay. Whenever we order from them, we almost always order the same thing: S1 (BBQ Chicken plate), S8 (Beef or Chicken Satay plate), and Pad Thai or Pad See Ewe. I've learned how to make almost half of these items and so I was happy to find this easy Satay recipe in my Thai cookbook.

I knew I made a huge mistake by not using this awesome cookbook sooner. I've been on a Thai food kick lately since re-discovering this cookbook. And tonight, I was craving Satay. This turned out deliciously and hubby actually compared it to our favorite S8 plate. He says he felt like he was eating an S8 plate.

4 skinless boneless chicken

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 inch piece ginger root, finely grated

2 tsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. light soy sauce

1 Tbsp. honey

16 wooden skewers

Peanut sauce (recipe below)

1) Cut chicken into long strips. Place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce and honey until well incorporated. Pour over chicken and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While marinating, soak skewers in water (this will help so the sticks will not burn on the grill)

2) Thread chicken strips on skewers. Grill for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately with Peanut sauce.

Peanut sauce

6 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter

1 fresh thai chili, seeded and finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup coconut milk

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Adjust taste by adding more salt or lime juice.

Korean BBQ Short ribs

"I'LL NEVER BUY KOREAN BBQ SAUCE FROM A BOTTLE AGAIN!"

....screams my tastebuds. A couple of posts ago, I made the soup version of this dish and I said that it smelled exactly like the Korean BBQ sauce that I would buy from the store. So I decided to take the flavor of that broth and make it into my newfound homemade Korean BBQ sauce. Mmm-mmm good!

We just got home from a trip to Carlsbad, so we're pretty exhausted, to say the least. But I made this meal in a jiffy, and I didn't even have my bbq grill to cook it. Leave it again to my trusty grill pan to make another delicious meal.

2-3 lbs. boneless short ribs
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Korean red chili paste or sambal oelek (optional), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons dark (toasted) sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts, separated), thinly sliced

1) Rub 1/4 cup of sugar on the meat. Marinate for at least half an hour.

2)Combine 1/4 cup sugar and the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over the prepapred meat and marinate for at least 1 hour.

3) Grill meat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until medium to well done. Serve with rice.

Slow cooker BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich

Happy 4th of July everyone! I wanted to do a BBQ today, which is what I normally like to do for the 4th of July. But our BBQ grill has still been out of commission. And I still want to have some type of BBQ. So leave it to my trusty crockpot to save the day. We'll be watching some fireworks tonight, and I didn't want too much to clean up after lunch, so I slow cooked the pork overnight and prepared it with the BBQ sauce right before lunch. I served this with coleslaw on top and washed it all down with some Hawaiian Iced tea.

Dry rub
2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
4 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar

4 lb. pork butt
1/2 cup water
liquid smoke (optional)
2 cups BBQ sauce

1) Mix all the dry rub ingredients in a bowl.

2) Massage dry rub onto meat. Cover meat and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

3) Place roast in slow cooker. Pour water and a splash of liquid smoke on the bottom of the slow cooker pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

4) Remove roast from the pot and discard the liquid. Shred the meat with forks. Return the shredded meat into pot and toss in the bbq sauce. Heat on low for another hour. Serve on toasted buns with extra BBQ sauce.