Grilled Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Herb Butter Recipe

This went over very well with the family…

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, basil, chives or other herb
• 4 bone-in chicken breasts
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• Lemon wedges for serving.

Directions

1. Prepare charcoal or gas grill; heat should be medium-high and rack about 6 inches from fire; keep part of grill cool for indirect cooking. In a small bowl, use a spoon or fork to combine butter and herbs, or use a mini food processor.
2. With sharp-bladed knife, cut a 2- to 3-inch slit in deepest part of chicken. Fill with as much herb butter as possible; rub some under skin as well. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brush with oil.
3. When grill is ready, put chicken skin-side up on cool side of grill. After some fat has been rendered, turn chicken; if it flares up, move to an even cooler part of fire or turn so skin side is up again. When skin has lost its raw look and most of the fat has been rendered, after 20 minutes or so, move chicken directly over fire. Cook, turning now and then, until both sides are browned and flesh is firm and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.

Source: The New York Times via

Toasted Steak Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound of top round steak
• 2 tbsp lemon juice.
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• butter for spreading
• 10 slices toasted bread
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced.  Have a little oil on hand as well.
• Steak sauce of choice.

Directions

1. Cut the steak into 4 or 5 pieces and pound with a meal mallet unti thin.  Place in a non-metallic container.  Mix the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil together and pour over the steaks.  Turn to coat both sides and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator.
2. Soften the butter and spread and spread a think coating on both sides of the bread if desired, mix a little garlic into the butter.
3. Heat barbecue and grilling rack until hot.  Place onions on a griddle, toss and drizzle with a little oil as they cook.  When beginning to soften, push to one side and turn occasionally with tongs.  Place toast on hotplate and cook until golden on both sides.  Place steaks on grilled rack and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
4. Assemble sandwiches while food cooks: place steak and ions on one slice of toast.  Top with a squirt of steak sauce and close with a second slice of toast.

Variation

You can also adapt this recipe to make a good Philly Cheesesteak sandwich.  Grill equal amounts of mushrooms, green bell peppers and tomatoes with onions.  Then combine vegetables with grilled meat.  Spit a fresh Italian roll and fill with the mixture, topping steak with American or provolone cheese and garnish with pizza sauce instead of steak sauce), hot or sweet peppers or pickles.

Source: Now You’re Cookin’: Barbecue

Decking…

I love this concrete blocks as a wooden deck alternative.  The idea comes from This Old House.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Garlic clove, minced.
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large red pepper, quartered
• 1 large yellow pepper, quartered
• 1 medium red onion, quartered
• 4 Whole-wheat flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 chopped green onion

Directions

1. Preheat gas barbecue to medium-high.  Combine first six ingredients in small bowl.
2. Arrange next four ingredients on greased grill.  Brush with olive oil mixture.  Cook for about 12 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with remaining oil mixture, until peppers and onions are softened and internal temperature of chicken reaches 170 degrees Celsius.  Transfer to plate.  Cover with foil and let stand for 5 minutes.  Cut chicken, peppers, and onions into strips.  Transfer to bowl.
3. Arrange chicken and vegetables down center of each tortilla.  Add remaining three ingredients.  Fold up bottoms.  Fold in sides, leave top ends open.  Serves 4.

Source: 30 Minute Diabetic Cooking by Jean Pare

The Summer in Photos

A collection of photosets of our summer so far.

• Last week at Arlington Beach.  Wendy and Mark also tackled a climbing wall.
• We also headed out to Duval, Saskatchewan to check out our friend Jeff Taylor’s pottery studio, New School Arts.
• A previous weekend trip out the cabin.  You know, the one where Wendy lost the dog in Watrous.