Campfire Eclairs

These easy campfire treats are fun to make and eat!  Fire cooked dough, stuffed with pudding and topped with frosting just can't be beat!

Beer Can Chicken

Chicken on a beer can...how many jokes can you come up with about that one?  Well this is no joke, this grilled chicken is out-of-this-world delicious!

Buffalo Chicken & Grilled Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Grilled summer vegetables with buffalo chicken and quinoa come together in this delicious and healthy salad.

Grilled Corn {Flashback Friday}

Grilling brings out the juices, enhances the natural sweetness, and gives so much extra flavor to an ear of corn.  It's my favorite way to enjoy this summer vegetable!

Grilled corn on the cob is one of my favorite summer foods.  It's so easy to do, and tastes so much better than boiling or microwaving corn!

I should note that I no longer wrap my corn in foil before putting it on the grill.  I found that it was actually an unnecessary step, and leaving the corn unwrapped gives it so much more flavor.

Get the recipe: Grilled Corn

Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

I promised a vegetable recipe this week and I aim to please! These Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs are perfect for summer grilling, and great for helping you get swimsuit ready.

I have about 15 pounds of baby weight left to lose, so I recently signed up for the 21 Day Fix through BeachBody (I'm now a coach too!).  Basically it's 21 days of clean eating, reasonable portion sizes, and effective workouts.  The results people get are incredible and I'm looking forward to starting.  My official first day is this coming Monday!

After I signed up for the challenge, I figured that there was no reason for me to wait to start eating better.  There's no better day than today!  I went shopping and bought an incredible amount of fruit and vegetables.  I love them anyway, so I knew it wouldn't be an issue for me to be able to eat them all.

Not too long ago we were at our friend's house and they served kabobs for dinner.  Mike and I really enjoyed them and wondered why I don't make them more often.  With all the delicious vegetables in the house, this was the perfect time to make some kabobs.  The great thing about these is how customizable they are!  I don't care for mushrooms and Mike doesn't like zucchini, so we traded vegetables.  You could make kabobs for each person based on what everyone likes too.  Or, get the family involved and have them make their own kabobs!

Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

Makes 8, about 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 zucchini
1 onion
2 potatoes
1 pint of mushrooms

1.  Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces.

2.  Mix the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper together to form a marinade.  Add the chicken and stir to coat.  Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 8 hours.

3.  While the chicken is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water.  This will help prevent them from burning.  You can also use metal skewers if you have them.

4.  Cut pepper, zucchini, onion, and potatoes into large chunks.  Cut mushrooms in half.

5.  Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating as desired.

6.  Place on a hot grill and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 5 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Serve hot.

Bacon Cheeseburgers {Flashback Friday}

These bacon cheeseburgers have a surprise--the bacon and cheese is in the burger! They're the perfect cook-out meal!

Is there anything better than a nice big juicy cheeseburger? No?  I don't think so either!  This version of bacon cheeseburgers is a favorite in our household and when I make homemade burgers, this is the recipe I always make!  When you find something this good, there's no reason to make anything else!

Get the recipe:  Bacon Cheeseburgers

Grilled Peaches

Grilling peaches brings out the flavor and juices of the fruit.  These grilled peaches are sure to be a hit at your next cook-out!

I asked on Facebook last night if you would rather see a fruit or a vegetable recipe posted this morning.  Surprisingly, the results were split 50/50.  I really thought there would be a stronger preference for one or the other, but that's okay!  I promise you would love either recipe that I posted.  If you were hoping for the vegetable recipe, don't worry, I have a couple coming your way and the first will be posted next week!

On to these peaches...

I love grilling food, but grilling fruit is a relatively new idea to me.  I've grilled peaches a few times now and each time I am so impressed with the flavor.  Using a grill imparts a little bit of smokiness to the fruit, but it also enhances the fruit's natural flavors and draws out the delicious juices.  You only want to grill peaches for a few minutes, just long enough to warm them up and add some pretty grill marks.

After the peaches are grilled you can enjoy them plain, drizzled with a bit of honey, sprinkled with cinnamon, or with a scoop of ice-cream on top.  It's a delicious and healthy way to enjoy fruit, and I'd say it's good enough to count as dessert!

Grilled Peaches

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 peaches
honey, optional
cinnamon, optional
vanilla ice-cream, optional

1.  Cut peaches in half and remove the pit.

2.  Lay peaches flesh side down on a hot grill.

3.  Grill for approximately 5 minutes, until the fruit is warmed and softened.

4.  Remove from grill and drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon, or top with ice-cream.  Serve warm.

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Rub

The weather has finally caught up with the calendars here in Michigan!  I could not be happier!  After an early spring last year, it felt like winter was dragging on this year.  Then last week, the temperatures soared into the 70's and have stayed there ever since.  I'm so thankful for the warm weather--spring is finally here!

One of my favorite parts about spring is that it is finally warm enough to pull out the grill.  I love grilling food, and when the weather is nice, most of our food is cooked outside.  This year, I was so excited to start grilling that I even went and got a new propane tank (instead of asking Mike to do it).  A big thanks to the kind worker who helped the pregnant lady out so I didn't have to carry the heavy tank.  Something about pregnancy brings out the nicest people :)

Anyway, this chicken rub is delicious!  I made it first a few weeks ago when we had our small group over for dinner.  At that time, the weather was not cooperating, so I cooked the chicken in the oven.  Everyone commented on how flavorful the chicken was.  I knew it was a winner because Mike didn't put barbecue sauce on his chicken, and typically he won't eat chicken without a dipping sauce!  This time, I grilled the chicken.  I love the added flavor from the grill.  The sugar will caramelize on the chicken and leave you with a nice crunchy exterior.  I think I've found my go-to chicken recipe!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Rub

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 chicken breasts

1.  In a large ziploc bag, combine the brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, salt, and chili powder.

2.  One at a time, add the chicken breasts to the bag and shake to coat thoroughly with the seasonings.

3.  Grill chicken about 7 minutes per side, until the interior temperature reaches 170 degrees.

Grilled Chicken Gyros

In December, Mike and I were in Toronto with my family and we stopped at a tiny restaurant for lunch.  I ordered a shawarma and I was immediately enthralled with the taste.  I couldn't stop thinking about them after we returned home and I told Mike that we needed to find a place nearby that we could get shawarmas.  I couldn't find a shawarma joint, but I was able to find a (tiny) restaurant that sells gyros.  There's a slight difference between a shawarma and a gyro, but I was thrilled to find a similar restaurant.  The food is incredible, and I've told a few people about this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that they must visit!  A couple weeks ago, a new Mediterranean restaurant opened up in my home town.  Mike and I ate there one day and were thrilled with the flavors of the gyros we enjoyed. 

I've been so obsessed with gyros lately that I decided I must try to make them at home.  When I selected my Secret Recipe Club recipe for June, I knew that I would use the Man'ooshe Lebanese Flatbread to make gyros.  I found a fabulous Tzatziki sauce and I knew I had the makings of a fabulous dinner. 

Mike and I invited some of our best friends over for supper (and a campfire in our new fire pit!) last Saturday night.  My friend, Alecia, visited Greece while studying abroad in college, and said she ate gyros everyday when she was there.  She took a bite out of her gyro and said that it tasted just like what she ate in Greece.  She said it brought back a lot of memories.  And then, she asked for my recipe.  I would say this recipe was a grand success!

Grilled Chicken Gyros

Serves 4-6

You will need:
4 large chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-6 flatbreads
Tzatziki sauce
diced tomatoes
sliced pickles
diced onions

1.  In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, curry powder, olive oil, salt, ground cumin, and garlic. 

2.  Place chicken strips in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over it.  Seal bag and toss to coat.

3.  Refrigerate chicken in marinade for 3-4 hours (the longer the better!).  Remove chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling. 

4.  Place chicken strips on a pre-heated grill.  (You can skewer the chicken strips, or use a grilling basket, if desired). 

5.  Grill chicken for 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is fully cooked.

6.  Top each flatbread with a scoop of Tzatziki sauce, then top with grilled chicken, tomatoes, pickles, and onions.

Grilling Recipes

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope that you take time today to remember the sacrifices made for our freedom here in America.  When Mike and I were in Hawaii, we had the chance to visit Pearl Harbor.  The memorials there rendered us speechless; it was surreal to think that we were standing in a place where so many men sacrificed their lives for us.

A Memorial honoring the 52 submarines and more than 3,500 submariners lost during WWII.

Grave sites at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Thank you to those who are currently serving our country, and who have served in the past!

If you are celebrating Memorial Day with your family, I hope you get to spend some time outside, and grilling!  Here are some of my favorite grilling recipes to get you inspired.

Grilled Flatbread

Grilled BLT Pizza

Grilled Marinated Chicken

Grilled Asparagus

Grilled Corn

Grilled Marinated Steak

Grilled Flatbread

On Wednesday I posted a recipe for Herbed Dipping Oil and I promised that I would be sharing a recipe for the flatbread I made to dip in the oil.  I used my basic pizza dough to make the flatbreads.  Then I drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled garlic salt on top.  I think I could live off of the flatbread--there are so many possibilities for it.  You can cut it up and dip it in Herbed Dipping Oil like I did, cut it in half and make a sandwich out of it, or roll it up and make a wrap.  Any way you eat it, it's guaranteed to be delicious!

Grilled Flatbread

Makes 4 large flatbreads

2-1/4 teaspoons yeast
1-3/8 cups water, 110 degrees
4 Tablespoons light olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons garlic salt

1.  Sprinkle yeast into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and pour water over it.  Allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes, until yeast begins to bubble.

2.  Stir in 3 Tablespoons light olive oil, salt, and flour and mix until a dough forms.

3.  Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes by hand.  You can also use your stand mixer, it will take about 6 minutes.

4. Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1.5 to 2 hours.*

5. Deflate dough by punching down and knead for about 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest before dividing it into 4 pieces.

6.  Place the dough on a floured surface and form the flatbread.  Remember that you're grilling the flatbread, so you don't wait it to be so thin it will burn right away or so large that you can't easily move it.  

7.  Drizzle light olive oil over each flatbread and sprinkle with garlic salt.

8.  Place on heated grill (about 350 degrees), greased with Pure Olive Oil, and grill for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Detailed instructions can be found here. If you prefer not to grill, you could also bake the flatbread in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

9.  Remove from grill and cut into bite-sized pieces with a pizza cutter.  Serve warm, with Herbed Dipping Oil. 

*I would like to note here that after the dough has risen I'll often put it in a ziploc bag and store it in the fridge for a few days (up to a month) before using it.  Mike and I both think the flavor is much better after the dough sits for a while.

Disclosure – As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received Crisco Olive Oils to try with my family and write about it. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Grilled BLT Pizza

I'm not a huge sandwich eater, but one of my favorite sandwiches is a BLT.  There's just something about the crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce that I love.  And, you all know how much I love my pizza!  When I saw this recipe, I knew it would be the perfect topping for my grilled pizza.  I hope you'll check out my "How-To" that I posted yesterday, I know you'll love grilling pizza as much as I do!

You will need:
4 individual pizza crusts, grilled
4 cups lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 large tomato, diced
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup Bacon Ranch dressing (you can substitute regular ranch dressing if needed)
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, shredded

1.  In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomato, bacon, dressing, and cheese.

2.  Spoon topping onto freshly grilled pizza crusts.

3.  Slice pizza and serve.

What could be better than a BLT salad on top of pizza?

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

 

How To Grill Pizza

How many of you have heard of grilled pizza?  Quite a few recipes have been floating around the blogosphere lately and I decided it was high time to jump on the wagon.  And I'm glad I did!  Grilling the pizza dough takes it to the next level--this was the best pizza dough I've ever made!

I've seen 2 ways to grill pizza; I'll share both of them with you, really they're quite similar.  However, I prefer the results of one way over the other.  You'll need a stiffer dough for grilling, as the dough doesn't go on a pan.  My go-to dough recipe was perfect.

You will need:
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast
1-3/8 cups water, 110 degrees
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour

1.  Sprinkle yeast into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and pour water over it.  Allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes, until yeast begins to bubble.

2.  Stir in olive oil, salt, and flour and mix until a dough forms.

3.  Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes by hand.  You can also use your stand mixer, it will take about 6 minutes.

4. Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1.5 to 2 hours.*

5. Deflate dough by punching down and knead for about 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest before dividing it into 2 pieces (or 4 if you're making personal size pizzas).*

6.  Place the dough on a floured surface and form the pizza crust.  Remember that you're grilling the pizza crust, so you don't wait it to be so thin it will burn right away or so large that you can't easily move it.  

Now it's time to grill!

First prepare your grill:  

I always turn the flames to high to get it hot and then when I put the dough on, I lower the heat to medium.  Our grill has a thermometer so I let it get up to 350 degrees.  Before grilling, grease the grates of your grill using a vegetable oil soaked paper towel.

Next, place each pizza round on the grill.  Cover the grill and let the dough cook for about 3 minutes.  

Open the grill and your pizza dough should be bubbled up and look something like this:

Now this is where you can choose which route to take.  If you'd like, you can flip your pizza dough over and cook the other side.  Or, you can choose to just grill one side of the pizza.

If you choose to flip the dough, flip let the other side cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Remove from grill and add  your choice of toppings.  Return to the grill, cover, and cook on lower heat until the toppings are warmed (about 2 more minutes).

If you decide not to flip the dough, after the original 3 minutes of cooking, reduce the grill heat to low and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.  Add your toppings and return to the grill until the toppings are warmed through, another 2 minutes.  Keep a close eye on your dough so it doesn't burn!

I prefer to grill both sides of the pizza as it really infuses both sides of the crust with the delicious grilled flavor. I found that grilling just one side of the crust led to burned crust in order to cook the dough all the way through.  Though grilling both sides causes you to lose the puffy edges created by grilling just one side (the air bubbles pop when you flip it over), which may lead to more spilled toppings, I've found the added flavor is totally worth it!

*I would like to note here that after the dough has risen I'll often put it in a ziploc bag and store it in the fridge for a few days (up to a month) before using it.  Mike and I both think the flavor is much better after the dough sits for a while.  Or, we quite often make personal sized pizzas by dividing the dough into 4 balls.  We'll use 2 that night and save the rest in the fridge for another time.

Come back tomorrow for one of my favorite ways to top a grilled pizza!

Grillin' Season -- Grilled Marinated Chicken

Do you love grilling as much as I do?  If I could, I would do nothing but grill all summer, but I think we'd miss a lot of the non-grilling food I make too much.  Instead we grill a couple times a week.  Grilling is just so simple and I love not having to use my stove or oven and heating up the house!  This chicken is one of our favorite items to grill.

You will need:
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. vinegar
1 T. dijon mustard
1 T. honey
1 t. garlic powder
4 chicken breasts

1.  Combine lemon juice, vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, and garlic powder in a large ziploc bag.  Squish around to combine marinade.

2.  Place chicken breasts in marinade and seal bag.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours (over night is even better!).

3.  Remove chicken from marinade and discard remaining marinade.  Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes per side, until juices run clear.

Check out the other great recipes in my Grillin' Season! Series:

Grilled Marinated Steak

Grilled Corn

Grilled Asparagus

Grillin' Season! -- Grilled Corn

I love corn, but especially corn on the cob!  To me, it just screams summer, so it had to be included in my Grillin' Season series.  Grilling the corn brings out the sweetness, and gives it so much flavor.  You can grill your corn longer than I did if you'd like it more charred.  I would have left mine a little longer, but I actually ran out of propane 3/4 of the way through grilling this meal so I had to make do with the heat left in the grill.  Note to self:  buy a propane gauge!

You will need:
Corn
Margarine/Butter, melted
Garlic salt (or minced garlic, I like both)
Foil

1.  Husk corn and remove all the strings.

2.  Rip a piece of foil big enough to wrap the corn in (1 piece per ear of corn).

3.  Place each ear of corn onto foil and brush with melted margarine.

4.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.  (I really like garlic, but you could also use salt, pepper, season salt, or other seasonings of your choice.)

5.  Wrap corn in foil.  Grill on medium-high heat for about 30 minutes, turning every 7-10 minutes. I prefer my corn to not be blackened, but you can leave it on longer if you'd like!  Serve hot.

Check out the other great recipes in my Grillin' Season! Series:

Grilled Marinated Steak

Grilled Marinated Chicken

Grilled Asparagus