It feels like summer here today so it felt appropriate to share the most summer-worthy recipe of this year’s Lenten series!
When most people think of grilling, they think meat – steaks, burgers, etc. – but fruit and veggies are also also fabulous grilled.
This beautiful grilled skewers are simple, packed with flavor – and plant based. Chunks of eggplant and pineapple and grilled and glazed with a quick homemade teriyaki sauce. This is the perfect vegan option for your next cookout!
These beef skewers are one of my favorite prep-ahead meals during the summer. I’ll prep them the night before along with some cold salads and then have dinner on the (picnic) table in only fifteen minutes.
They’re sweet and tender and the long marinade time makes them burst with flavor. Whether you’re hosting company or just trying to feed your own family fast, these will be a hit.
In all honesty, I don’t mind cooking dinner every night during quarantine. Cooking calms me – and making dinner is part of my regular routine anyway.
What I do mind? All the dishes. I swear quarantine has tripled the number of dishes that need to washed. So, my new policy for summer to to just throw everything on the grill whenever humanly possible.
This dish is the perfect summer dinner because it’s cooked entirely on the grill and then tossed with a simple sauce. It’s done in less than a half hour, and the dishes are minimal.
Disclosure: I received these products complimentary in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
If you’ve been thinking about packing away your grill for the winter – think again! I mean, I get it. It’s now dark at 5 pm and the days are getting chillier, but if you’re planning a holiday meal – especially for a crowd – you should at least consider utilizing the grill.
Cooking your main dish – like a ham or turkey – on the grill will free up your oven for so many other sides and desserts!
Cave Tools sent me their Rib Roast Rack to try out and it’s beautifully simply. This sturdy rack is the perfect way to roast a chicken, turkey or ham on your grill. It’s big enough for a large bird – the one shown below clocked in at 20 pounds! – but the bars are close enough together to easily hold a smaller piece of meat. I’ve never used something like this before, and in my head, I’d have to worry about the rack legs slipping through the grill grates – but that wasn’t the case at all. This was totally stable on our grill.
It’s also lightweight – which is a huge plus when you’re hauling an already-heavy chunk of meat out the grill. When flipped over, the it can also be used as a rib rack and will hold up to five racks of ribs!
I’m still on the hunt for the perfect grilled turkey recipe (while the rack did not fail us, the recipe I attempted definitely did!) – but I can’t wait to use this for my favorite Grilled Ham with a Wine-Pineapple-Honey Glaze. I’m also imagining a nice, smoky pork loin or a chicken covered with olive oil and Herbs de Provence. Oh, the possibilities!
And, something that always seals the deal for me – cleanup was a breeze. Like many other Cave Tools products, this rack is dishwasher safe.
The Rib Roast Rack can be purchased from the Cave Tools website – use code RIBROAST15 to take 15% off. They can also be found on Amazon.
Disclaimer: I received free product in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.
I never really considered macaroni and cheese a cookout food – until I had kids. Now, macaroni and cheese is an all-the-time food. I’ve been dreaming up an on-the-grill version for a while and I knew Cookout Week was the perfect opportunity.
It was also a great chance to try out Smokin O’s. Smokin O’s is one of our Cookout Week sponsors and they sent us a sampler pack to try out. Smokin O’s are a great way to add smoked flavor on a gas grill – this recipe features an Applewood Smokin O.
And this makes a creamy, delicious, smoky mac and cheese with almost no effort. It’s a perfect cookout dish!
Smoked Macaroni and Cheese on the Grill with Smokin O’s (a Kate’s Recipe Box original)
2 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
2 Tbsp. melted butter
3 cups milk
2 cups half and half
16 oz. shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 Applewood Smokin O
Green onions, for topping
Chopped bacon, for topping
Spray a disposable 9×11″ pan with non-stick spray. Pour in the elbow macaroni. Pour the melted butter, milk, and half and half into the pan an stir to combine. Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, mustard and paprika.
Place the pan on the grill over indirect heat with the cover closed. Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes to two hours – stirring every 10 minutes for the first 40 minutes.
When cooked, top with green onions and chopped bacon before serving.
The weather is getting better! The snow piles from the nor’easter are nearly gone and we’ve had a few evenings where it’s not frigid by dinner time – so we’re starting to fire up the grill.
Cave Tools recently sent me a pepper grill rack to try out (you can see my review here) and we finally busted it out to make these delicious little peppers. I think most people automatically think jalapenos stuffed with cheese and bacon for something like this, but I wanted to make something that felt light and fresh – and that was more toddler-friendly.
These were perfect! I can’t wait to make them again once we have lots of fresh herbs in the garden.
Grilled Stuffed Mini Peppers (a Kate’s Recipe Box original) Makes 12
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, dill, basil, green onions, garlic, and lemon zest until well combined. Stuff peppers with cream cheese mixture.
Using a rack, grill over medium heat until the peppers are softened and the cream cheese puffs slightly. Serve immediately.
Grilling season is waning here. We’re getting that chill in the morning and I actually wore pants all day yesterday. Pants! So now, of course, I’m regretting all of the grilling I didn’t do all summer long.
We cooked these up while watching the football game. I always try to make something fun in case the game is lackluster – and in this case, the food was the highlight. If you’ve still got some hatch chilies around, this is a great way to use them!
Hatch Chili Chicken Burgers
(adapted from MJ + Hungryman)
Makes 6
4 hatch chilies – roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1 lb. ground chicken
½. tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
Garlic mayonnaise
6 slices pepper jack cheese
6 hamburger buns
In a small bowl, toss together first 4 ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the ground chicken, salt, pepper, cumin, egg and breadcrumbs until thoroughly combined. Divide into 6 equal servings and form into patties. Chill for a half hour then grill over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side.
Top patties with cheese and let melt. Serve burgers on buns topped with the hatch chili relish.
I’m kind of in denial that June is already here. My husband and I are both turning thirty this month. Next month we’ll be celebrating our sixth anniversary and Jake’s first birthday. I mean, how is that really possible? Add to that two planned trips, out of town friends coming for a week, 4th of July and our calendar is filling up really, really fast. I’m already getting anxious that the summer is going to get away from me.
The only way I’m combatting my anxiety, so far, is by starting early. We’ve had the baby pool set up for a few weeks and I’m plowing through my folder of grilling recipes. We’ve already made my beloved grilled pizza a few times so it was time to move onto another favorite – meat on sticks.
Beef, prosciutto, provolone and Italian spices all wrapped up and grilled – how could this not be a winner?
In a small bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients.
Butterfly the steak and pound out thin. Top with herb mixture, prosciutto and provolone. Roll up, hold together with toothpicks and cut into pinwheels.
Grill over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway, until steak reaches desired doneness.
