Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Chutney

I have a great friend named Lindsey. Lindsey is great for many reasons, but one of them is that she likes me and my kids to come over to her house so that my kids can mess her house up and she can feed me food. It's a pretty sweet deal. One time, between bites of a white bean soup, Van spilled her tomato seedlings she was sprouting for her spring garden. Lindsey demanded that I sit down and just enjoy my soup and not clean up after Van. Okay lady, you don't gotta tell me twice.

Last summer, Lindsey had the most amazing peaches at her house. Juicy, sweet and tart and buxom. One day, Lindsey made the children some sandwiches for lunch and she cut up a bunch of peaches for the kids. And then I ate them all. While the children dined on their PB and Js, I went to check on them frequently, each time taking peaches from their little plates.

Unappreciative children don't need peaches of that caliber, I do.

They don't appreciate the perfect balance of firm and soft nor the amount of juice dripping down their hands.

They don't need a peach so perfectly sweet, I do. So I did.


If you had a box of peaches of that stature, I would hope they wouldn't end up in this chutney. It's true, I hope you just eat them. In this cruel world, there are more good peaches than there are superior peaches. Use your good peaches in this. This chutney is sweet and savory at the same time. Honey helps create a thick, sweet texture and Worcestershire adds that tang only Worcestershire can add. Pork always pairs well with fruit, so that is what I did. The pork chops are marinated in an apple cider vinegar marinade to aid in tenderizing and it does just that.




For the marinade:
1 1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
1/2 tsp Montreal steak seasoning
A few bone-in pork chops

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, pepper and steak seasoning. Whisk well to combine. Add pork chops, being sure to coat each one in marinade. Cover and put into the refrigerator and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.

Heat grill to medium high heat. Remove pork chops from the marinade and discard the marinade. Grill each pork chop for 3 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Serve eat pork chop with a spoonful of the peach chutney on top.

For the chutney:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups diced peaches, about 5 small peaches
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Splash of hot sauce
1 lemon, zested

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the shallot and garlic. Saute until the shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add the diced peaches and saute for 1 minute more. Pour in the honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire, ginger, salt and hot sauce. Stir well to combine and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the peaches are broken down a bit. Remove from heat and add lemon zest. Pour chutney into a small bowl and set aside until serving.

Yields enough chutney for 6 pork chops.

Rookie's Notes: Let me remind you that the most tender pork is going to still be pink inside. Pork isn't like chicken. When it is cooked through, it is still slightly pink.

Also, if you want to quickly peel the peaches, do this. Set a pot of water on to boil. Once boiling, add the peaches. Let them bob around in the boiling water for about a minute. While you wait for them, get a big bowl and add some ice cubes and cold water. Once the peaches have been in the boiling water for 1 minute, take them out with a slotted spoon and put them directly into the ice water. Now, all you have to do is slip off the peach peel. It should slide off really easily.

If you are a frequent reader of this here blog, you know that this is my third recipe for putting pork and some kind of fruit sauce together. Yes, I also have developed recipes for Grilled Pork Chops with Apricot Onion Sauce and Pork with Pear Chutney. I promise I am done indulging myself. Will you be the one to stop me from putting pork and fruit together? Sometimes I need someone to slap my hands and tell me no. Like my friend Donna is in charge of making sure Ethan and I don't get anymore cats. We have killed too many of them. But that is a different story for a different day. But I will say that it is very true that antifreeze kills cats.


HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS RECIPE OR ANYTHING ELSE? Click here.

Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Aioli: A really easy, delicious sauce that is often thought of as intimidating. At least it was for me. But it isn't hard at all, especially if you have a food processor. This aioli recipe is quite flexible. You can change out the red peppers for something else, like roasted garlic or basil, for example. And you can also change the vinegar. One thing I want to play with is adding horseradish. I can see that as being really delicious.

This was a dish I made a few weeks before I had the baby. It is one of the few things that came from my kitchen and it killed me. For some reason, the last few weeks before having Violet were really difficult. My body was just "done". The muscles in my thighs throbbed, my hips were weak and my back ached all the time. It was especially frustrating for me because I have had two other pregnancies that have been easy. But boy was Violet's a different story. Once delivery came, I welcomed it wholeheartedly. When I did cook before I had Violet, it would knock me out for the rest of the day. Luckily, I have a husband that can cook and he made sure the boys and I didn't eat Cheerios and buttered toast with honey all the time.

For the aioli:
1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 garlic clove
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup safflower oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted red peppers, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, garlic, egg and egg yolk. Process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the oil. The aioli will thicken. Scrape aioli into a small bowl and refrigerate until serving. Serve aioli along side grilled asparagus.

For the asparagus:
1 bunch asparagus, touch ends trimmed off
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper

Set grill to medium heat.

In a large bowl, toss asparagus with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus for 8-10 minutes, rolling over once, until lightly charred and tender.

Serve with roasted red pepper aioli.

Rookie's Notes: You will have leftover aioli. But it won't be hard to use. You can serve it over roasted potatoes or steamed vegetables. With my leftovers, I transferred all of it to a squeeze bottle and put it on a pastrami sandwich. Holy aioli delicious.

When a recipe says to trim off the tough ends of the asparagus, this is what I do. Hold one of the pieces on each end and bend it until it breaks. Where it breaks will be where the tender part meets the tough part. Use that piece to measure the others and cut them all the same length as the first one.


HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS RECIPE OR ANYTHING ELSE? Click here.

Ethan's Grilled Artichokes with Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Have I ever told you about my husband? Yeah, you know he is funny and a good dad, but the poor guy has it harder than most. He has a rare foot deformity that causes him a lot of pain. It's gotten worse and worse over the years and now he has had to quit his favorite past time- golf. And it's a real crime because in his prime, he was a scratch golfer. Eventually he will be in a wheelchair and the thought of that is heartbreaking. But we have cried the necessary tears over it and we are pressing forward. Fresh courage take, right?


While he might not be able to walk much, he can still cook like the dickens. Here is one of his specialties. I swear they taste better every time he makes them.

When I pulled these off the grill, Ethan asked how they looked. I told him, "Dead sexy".

For the artichokes:
6 artichokes
1 Tbsp garlic salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp Tabasco
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds ground pepper

Put the artichokes in a large pot. Cover with water and sprinkle on the garlic salt and add the 2 Tbsp olive oil. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 45 minutes, until a middle leaf pulls of easily. Drain water and set artichokes aside until cool enough to handle.

Once cooled, cut artichokes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the choke (click here for a diagram of an artichoke to know what the choke is). Put into a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, sesame oil, Tabasco, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Pour over artichokes and let marinate for up to an hour.

Set grill to medium high. Grill artichoke halves on each side for 3 minutes. Serve with chipotle dipping sauce.

For the sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Cover and keep refrigerated until serving time.

Jon's Bacon Burger

The greatest things in the world happened last week. My new little niece, Addison, came into this world. On my Ingram side, I am an aunt 12 times, almost 13. But on my Peterson side, this is my first time being an aunt. I couldn't be more thrilled. Same with my little Jack. Before I left to go to the hospital to be around for the action, I bathed my boys and put them to bed. When I was bathing Jack, I asked him if he was excited to hold his new cousin the next day. He said, and I quote, "I promise that I will cover my eyes when the baby comes out of Aunt Haley's penis." He's quite the gentleman.

In honor of new baby Addie, I am posting her daddy Jon's recipe for bacon burgers. Most bacon burgers claim to be bacon burgers by putting bacon ON the burger. My brother in-law Jon says, "Yeah right". For a burger to be considered one of the bacon variety, it needs bacon IN it. Yes, actual chunks of bacon and the grease it was cooked in. THAT is a bacon burger.

Am I a burger officianato? No, but we have made a whole bunch of burgers and have learned a thing or two along the way. Things like having the meat at room temperature. Things like putting an egg in the mix to hold things together. And don't handle the meat too much. Oh yeah, and the obvious, don't flatten the burger on the grill. It doesn't matter what you put into a burger unless you are able to prepare it correctly and give it the love it needs.

What's on my burger?
Yellow mustard, ketchup, tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, onion rings and pickles.
Mmmm mmmm sexy.

3 thick slices bacon, diced (preferably apple wood smoked)
4 lbs ground beef, at room temperature (preferably 80/2o)
1 egg, lightly beaten
A few pinches kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

In a medium skillet over medium high heat, add the bacon. Cook until soft, but not crisp. Remove pan from heat and allow bacon to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, Montreal, cayenne and Worcestershire. Using a rubber scraper, pour the bacon onto the ground beef, being sure to scrape all of the bacon grease on as well. Using your hands, mix all ingredients together just until combined. Do not overmix the meat.

Heat the grill to medium high heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape the ground beef into 8 even patties. Set each patty on the parchment. Instead of stacking the patties, add another piece of parchment on top of the first layer and then put the patties on top.

Grill the hamburgers on each side for 3-4 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with condiments of your choice.

Yields 8 hamburger patties.

Served with this: green salad, onion rings and Paula Deen's radical peach cobbler for dessert.

Lime-marinated Flank Steak with Pineapple Salsa

My brother in-law came to town. He had a hankering for some family time. His wife was going to be out of town for the week on business and he would be at home alone with the dog. So him and Sophelia the Yorkie packed up and came for a visit. Before he came, he called me and asked if I would make him food. Since it's kind of my thing, I obliged. I have had this recipe simmering in the back of my mind for a while and I figured my brother in-law would be a good excuse to give it a go. It turned out to be a success. Simple ingredients, bold flavors and quick prep. The only problem was trying to get Van to stop throwing his little bits of flank steak at Sophie.


Megan, confession, your sweet canine had all sorts of bad food. Bacon, both raw and cooked, pulled pork, turkey pastrami and flank steak. She probably came home with a chubby middle.

I like my steak medium rare- but more on the rare side.

1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 limes, juiced
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
1 lb flank steak

In a plastic bag, combine the olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lime juice, white vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Squish the bag around to combine. Add the steak and marinate in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight. Put marinade bag out on the counter an hour before grilling to bring the steak to room temperature.

Heat grill to medium high. Add the meat to the grill. Cook on each side for about 5-7 minutes for medium rare. Remove steak from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. When slicing, cut against the grain. Serve with pineapple salsa.

For the salsa:
1 pineapple, peeled and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely minced
1 lime, juiced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Let sit in the fridge for a few hours, so the flavors develop.

Yields 4 flank steak servings.

Served with this: grilled nectarines, green salad

Rookie's Notes: Make the marinade and the salsa at the same time. Then when meal time comes, all you have to do is make a simple side. Plus, the pineapple salsa will get a chance to get friendly and delicious. But whatever you do, don't taste the pineapple salsa before you serve it. It might not make it to the table, especially if there happen to be any tortilla chips lying around.

Grilled Salmon with Cajun Rub

What is more important: Grilling up some delicious salmon or bailing your husband out of the slammer? Grilling salmon for sure. This was great stuff. The rub was simple and made the most delicious crisp crust on it. But grilling salmon can be a little tricky because it can stick. Wait, are you wondering about the bailing-husband-out part? Oh yeah, I did that too. Why? Because the jail bird forgot to go to court for his speeding ticket. What a crying shame. If one is going to be cuffed and sent to the big house, let it be for something thrilling and daring, like grand theft auto or robbing a freaking bank. But no! My criminal gets arrested for missing a court date on a speeding ticket. What a novice.

I could have dropped everything and bounded right over to the big house, but what about my salmon? I didn't want to let it sit in the fridge until the next day. I had to get that grilled and get dinner on the table before I bailed out my convict. So when my honey called me after he was booked, I very snottily replied, "I will not be inconvenienced. I will come fetch you after I have made dinner and bathed the boys." So the salmon went on the grill, the boys had baths and Jack even got his fingernails clipped. About two hours later, I cruised into Sonic for a Route 44 and then picked up my jail bird. Think Frau and Dr. Evil in "Goldmember". That's hot.

So dear husband, what have we learned? Yes darling, make sure you go to court on the day they want you there. I love you :)

Aren't you glad you read Rookie Cookie? Where else are you going to get a food blogger/mommy blogger/Mormon mommy of two with an inmate husband? It's too bad he didn't leave with any mementos, like a tattoo or cornrows.



2 Tbsp mustard powder
2 Tbsp ground cumin
4 tsp celery seeds
3 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salmon fillet

In a small bowl, combine the mustard powder, cumin, celery seeds, pepper, salt, brown sugar and cayenne. Stir to combine. Rub mixture onto both sides of the salmon, pressing so that it will adhere. Put salmon into a large baking dish and cover. Put into the fridge and let sit for up to 6 hours.

Heat grill to medium high. Remove salmon fillet from baking dish. Slice salmon crosswise into portions. Brush grill with olive oil and grill salmon for about 5 minutes on each side.

Yields as many salmon portions as you want.

How Son One prefers me to photograph food.
Maybe I will start doing this more often.

Rookie's Notes: Considering renaming this "Jail Bird Salmon".

Served with this: plain ol' green salad, blueberry crumb bars for dessert via Smitten Kitchen

Grilled Lemon Pepper Shrimp

These little shrimpies are lemony delicious. I made them as a snack/experiment. Experiment was a success. When I make this again, I will probably have them as a dinner main dish with a green salad and some type of rice.



3/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of two lemons
1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Small handful chopped fresh basil

In a plastic container, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, zest, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine. Add the shrimp and toss well to combine. Cover the container and put in the fridge. Let the shrimp marinate for up to 4 hours.

Heat grill to medium high. Add the shrimp in batches, cooking on each side for about 2 minutes, or until the shrimp is just barely cooked through.

Transfer shrimp to a serving platter. Sprinkle on chopped fresh basil and serve with lemon wedges.

Yields 4 servings.

Barbecue Pork and Vegetable Grill Packets

I see this being convenient like a slow cooker meal would be. You can prepare this in the morning or even the day before. At the end of the day, turn on the grill and throw the grill packet on and dinner is done.

The pork chop is hidden under all those veggies.

5 thin-cut, bone-in pork chops
Kosher salt and ground pepper
4 ears of corn, cut into 3 pieces
5 potatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
1 lb bag baby carrots
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Barbecue sauce, homemade or prepared

Cut 5 pieces of aluminum foil, each about 12 inches long. Spray each sheet of foil with non-stick spray. Lay down one pork chop on each sheet. Season each pork chop with salt and pepper. Evenly divide the corn, potatoes, carrots and green onions and place on top of the pork chops. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the vegetables. Pour barbecue sauce on top, about 1/2 cup.

Cut 5 more pieces of foil to be the same size as the others. Top each foil packet with another piece of foil and fold the edges, sealing very well.

When ready to cook, set the grill to medium. Place the packets on the grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. To serve, cut a a big X across the tops of the foil packets. Either pour the contents onto a plate or serve in the foil.

Yields 5 grill packets.

Rookie's Notes: In the picture, you will see that I cut the potatoes in chunks. They weren't as cooked as I would have liked, so in the recipe, I wrote to slice the potatoes thinly. They will cook quicker that way.

Moroccan Chicken Kebabs with Hummus and Naan

This dish is something I have had at the Glendora Farmer's Market a bunch of times. There is this guy that sells lamb and chicken kababs with hummus and fresh naan. He marinates the kababs and slow roasts them. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

>
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch chunks
Hummus, click here for the recipe
Store-bought naan

Combine oil, green onions, parsley, cilantro, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a ziploc bag and add chicken. Rub the mixture all over the chicken and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Once ready to grill, skewer chicken onto skewers, whether bamboo or metal. If using bamboo, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes before adding the chicken.

Heat the grill to medium. Grill chicken kabobs for about 5 minutes on each side, or until done.

Serve chicken kebabs with a dollop of hummus and some naan. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley.

Yields 4 servings. Here is a tip, when figuring out portions for this, think one chicken breast per person.

Grilled Sausage and Peppers Pizza with Basil Vinaigrette

I got my pizza dough at Fresh and Easy. 16 oz for a few bucks. Actually, I got everything for this pizza at Fresh and Easy. I beg of you to make the vinaigrette. It adds such a nice zing. And zing isn't a typo. It really is that good.

And hey Sweet Pea, I saw you guys are having grilled pizza this week, so you have no excuse to not make this vinaigrette:)




For the pizza:
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1 recipe favorite pizza dough, rolled into 4 rounds
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
10 basil leaves, rolled and chopped

Grill the sausage on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side. Remove the sausage from the grill and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Heat your broiler and heat your grill to high. Brush dough with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill only one side for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the grill and place on a flat surface (uncooked side down). On the grilled side, divide the mozzarella cheese among the 4 pizza rounds. Divide the sausage, onions and peppers over the cheese. Place the pizza on the grill, close the cover and grill until the other side of the pizza is cooked through.

Transfer the pizzas to a baking sheet and place in the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese is browned.

When serving, drizzle basil vinaigrette over the pizza and sprinkle the fresh basil over that.

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Yields 4 pizzas.

Orange and Thyme Grilled Shrimp

I love a grocery delivery like I love Christmas morning. I find that I sigh with approval as I open the produce bags. The veggies and fruit have to know I love them by how thoughtfully I place them in the fridge. Fuji apples, watermelon, yellow bell peppers, raspberries and avocados- all are almost kissed when they come to my house. But then I eat them to show them how much I really love them.

The oranges were really loved today. So loved that I stripped off all their fragrant zest and reamed the crap out of them to steal all their juices. I hope they know they are appreciated.

1 lb large shrimp (about 24), peeled and deveined, tails left on
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for grates
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped off
Kosher salt and ground pepper

In a shallow dish, combine shrimp, zest, juice, garlic, oil, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours). Soak eight 8-inch wooden skewers in water 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat grill to medium and lightly oil grates. Thread shrimp onto skewers, and grill, turning once, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes.

Yields 8 skewers.

Served with this: watermelon and corn on the cob.

Rookie's Notes: Couldn't buy shrimp already peeled and deveined? Don't know how to do it yourself? Click here for some great instructions.

Orzo with Grilled Shrimp, Summer Vegetables and Pesto Vinaigrette

I love shrimp, but I am not too familiar with preparing it. I think I am always too afraid I will overcook it. And everyone knows, overcooked shrimp can be a huge disappointment. Grilling seems to be a safe method because you can keep a good eye on it.

And yes, I can eat shrimp when I am pregnant. But only about once a week. We don’t want Son Two coming out with a giant, over-sized brain now do we?



8 oz orzo (about 1 1/3 cups)
6 ½ Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar, divided
2 medium zucchini or summer squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 red or yellow bell pepper, quartered
3 Tbsp purchased pesto
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 lb uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large tomatoes, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook orzo until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.

Heat barbecue to medium-high heat. Whisk 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl. Brush zucchini and bell pepper with oil mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk pesto, lime juice, remaining 3 ½ tablespoons oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl for pesto vinaigrette. Place shrimp in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons pesto vinaigrette; toss to coat.

Grill zucchini and bell pepper until crisp tender, about 3 minutes per side for zucchini and 4 minutes per side for bell pepper. Transfer to work surface. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and grill until charred and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place shrimp in bowl with orzo. Chop zucchini and bell pepper and add to bowl with orzo. Add remaining vinaigrette, tomatoes, and sliced basil. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with basil leaves and serve cold or at room temperature.

Yields 6 servings.

Grilled Teriyaki Vegetable and Kielbasa Kebabs

This is the love child of a Polish man and a Japanese woman. You would never think that kielbasa is good with teriyaki sauce. But I am here to tell you it is.

I think my favorite thing on these is the pineapple, and the onions, and the bell peppers and the tomatoes too. All of it is good. Want your 3 year old to eat a lot of veggies, especially mushrooms? Make this. Your 3 year old will also like the kielbasa and he will think they are hot dogs and then he will start singing that song from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse". If you have a 3 year old, you know exactly what I am talking about. The husband loves these too. But he doesn't sing.


12 wooden skewers
1 pineapple, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 8 oz package mushrooms
1 12 oz package cherry tomatoes
1 Polish kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 12 oz bottle teriyaki marinade

Soak the skewers in water for 15 minutes (this prevents too much burning on the grill). Skewer the veggies and meat onto the skewers. Pour teriyaki sauce into a bowl and brush the kababs with teriyaki sauce.

Heat grill to medium. Place the kababs on the grill and brush kebabs with more teriyaki sauce. When charred, flip over using tongs. Baste the kababs with more teriyaki sauce. Grill until desired doneness (the kilbasa is already cooked so you don't have to worry about anything being raw).

Yields 12 skewers, enough for 6 full servings.

Rookie's Notes: When skewering, make sure a pineapple is in the middle. This will make it easier to flip the kababs on the grill. Put onions on each end because it holds everything on. Also, these can be assembled a few days ahead. Just skewer everything, cover them in plastic and keep them in the fridge. Don't grill these until right before eating them. They just aren't as good. But the leftovers are delightful with some steamed rice and soy sauce.

I would recommend using the Trader Joe's Soyaki teriyaki sauce. Thick marinades work really good too because they stick to the food easier.

Sesame Marinated Pork Tenderloin

More pork- with an Asian-style flavor. Sorry if you feel like it is too monotonous. But I just love Asian flavors and I have a lot of pork in my freezer. So please endure this. Or try it. You will like it. I promise.



1-2 lb pork tenderloin
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced

Score pork with a fork, place in a ziploc bag and set aside. In medium bowl combine all ingredients and stir. Pour over tenderloin, seal the top and place in the fridge. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes and no more than 6 hours.

Heat grill to medium. Remove tenderloin from marinade and place on grill . Grill, turning once, for 10-15 minutes or until an inserted thermometer reaches 160 degrees.

Let rest for 10 minutes and then slice into medallions.

Yields4-6 serving, depending on the size of the tenderloin.

Bruschetta Pesto Burgers

This is all Ethan's. But he wanted to make sure I got a picture of it and posted it. He had a similar burger at Applebee’s, which I'm still surprised about because he hates Applebee’s. He told me all about this mysterious and delicious burger and he wanted to recreate it at home. According to him, it was better than Applestink’s.




For the bruschetta:
4 tomatoes, seeded and diced as small as possible
20 basil leaves, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
Olive oil

Combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic and salt. Stir to combine. Drizzle in olive oil until everything is well coated. Set aside until serving.

For the pesto:
2 cups basil leaves
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves
A few pinches of kosher salt
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Olive oil

For the pesto, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and Parmesan cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. While machine is running, stream in olive oil until desired consistency (thin enough to spread on the bread). Scrape out of food processor bowl with a rubber scraper into a medium bowl. Set aside until serving.

For the burgers:
1 lb ground beef sirloin
1 egg
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1 ball of buffalo mozzarella, sliced
Mayonnaise, for spreading
4 focaccia rolls, sliced in half

Heat the grill to medium high. Mix the ground sirloin and egg together with your hands. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 patties and set aside.

Grill the hamburgers, on both sides, until desired doneness (ours took about 15 minutes).

To assemble the burgers, spread a small amount of mayonnaise on each side of the focaccia rolls. To the bottom, add a slice of buffalo mozzarella, top with warm hamburger and then top with a generous scoop of bruschetta. Spread a layer of pesto on the top bun and set that on top of the bruschetta. Enjoy!

Yields 4 burgers.

Rookie's Notes: To thinly slice your basil, stack all the basil leaves on top of each other. Then roll them up like a cigar. Run your knife through the "basil cigar", making little ribbons.

Balsami-Worcester-Soy Skirt Steak

The other day, I realized I have completely forgotten about my barbecue. I forgot that there is almost zero clean up and everything that comes off those smoking hot grates tastes delicious. So I have definitely jumped back onto the barbecue train. Gosh, where have I been? Hallelujah!



1/3 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sugar
Skirt steak, however many ounces you want

Combine all ingredients in a ziploc bag. Seal the top and squish the bag around to thoroughly combine everything. Put in the fridge and let sit for at least 6 hours or longer.

Fifteen minutes before grilling, take the meat out of the fridge to allow to come to room temperature. Heat the grill to medium high heat. Grill meat for about 5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove from grill, cover with foil and let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes, so that the juices redistribute.

Served with this: Roasted Roma tomatoes and Caesar salad.

Rookie's Notes: Here is a funny trick that works. Rub the cut side of a potato on your grill gratesright before you grill. It creates a temporary non-stick surface.