Grilled Brie and Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Avocado and Lime

Saturday was a good day of eats indeed.  From lunch to our appetizer to an amazing side dish (the best brussels ever), I “mmmm”-ed my way through the day.  Not too shabby of a Saturday, if you ask me.

While we were in the big city, we made our way to The Fresh Market to grab a few items I needed to make dinner happen.  Unfortunately, Fresh Market did not have brussels (apparently they’re out of season – something I knew – but refused to believe) and I almost had a nervous breakdown in the store.  Okay, not quite a nervous breakdown but it got me frazzled because brussels were on the list!  Being the great husband that Big Guy is, he took me the Whole Foods where I found myself some brussels.  Oh and ripe avocados (Fresh Market disappointed me Saturday – but that was the only disappointment of the day).

Having a Saturday at home is a reason to celebrate.  And so, we had “appy” hour with some grilled brie and an amazing jar of preserves from Fresh Market (okay, they weren’t a total disappointment).  The brie was found at Whole Foods and was a local wheel.  Sooooooo good.

my grill master

If you have never grilled brie, please try it!

appy hour

I served the brie with some (gluten-free) bagel bites (glutino brand – super delicious).  This wheel of brie had no chance with us.

And for dinner, steaks with avocado, bacon and lime brussels.  I tried a new steak marinade and it was good, but not my favorite – it didn’t let the steak get a crust and I love a good herb crust on the outside of my steak.

But the brussels.  Oh the brussels.  I’ve made a lot of brussels in the past few years and I can honestly say this is my new favorite recipe.  Avocado was made for brussels.  In a weird, “I-would-have-never-thought-of-that” kind of way.  I pinned the recipe a while back because I was intrigued and now I’m annoyed it took me so long to prepare the dish.

brussels

I’m seriously obsessed with the combination now.

Now go and find you some brussels (I stumbled across some at Walmart of all places Sunday) and add some avocado.  And lime.  And bacon.  Please add bacon.

 

Grilled Pork Chops with Nectarines

Summertime = grilling.  Simple as that.  When I ask Big Guy what he wants for dinner on the weekends, his response is usually something along the lines of “Anything I can grill.”

So if you or anyone else in your household enjoys grilling, this recipe is for you.  Not only is the pork grilled but so are the nectarines.  Oh and it doesn’t hurt that the salad dressing is made with bacon drippings.  Muahahaha.

The pork (bone-in, please) is simply marinated in olive oil, garlic, rosemary (recipe called for thyme), salt and pepper for about 10 minutes (or more if you have the time) and then grilled to perfection.  The nectarines (or peaches, like I used) are also grilled after being sprinkled with sugar, cumin and ground red pepper.  I love a sweet and salty combo.  The nectarines are served with a dollop of cream cheese sweetened with a drizzle of honey.  Such a lovely combo.  And the salad.  Oh, the salad.  It’s super simple and starts with cooking 2 slices of center cut bacon.  Once the bacon is crisped, remove from pan and pour the bacon goodness into a bowl.  Sherry vinegar, mustard, honey, pepper and salt are added to make a simple salad dressing.

grilled to perfection

A dinner that is worthy of eating any day of the week (and only takes about 40 minutes to prepare).

grilled pork chop, bacon-herb salad, grilled peach

Get your grill on.

Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

If a recipe makes it to the front cover of Cooking Light it probably means it’s delicious.  And pretty.

June 2013 cover

I knew that I had two ears of corn that needed to be used and I also knew that I wanted chicken.  Big Guy demanded that he use the grill.  With those requirements, I went on a recipe search.  Final selection:  Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad.  

And a good selection it was.  I headed to the fancy Harris Teeter (I say this because HTs are my favorite and the one in my town is not “fancy” – aka it’s the size of a shoebox) to find some pretty tomatoes.  I found a gorgeous heirloom red tomato and some cute little yellow tomatoes.  Thankfully there was also a perfectly ripe avocado that I grabbed.

This recipe will also keep the kitchen cool – all the work (the hot work) is done outside on the grill (you could totally make this inside, but Big Guy loves to grill).

 

so fresh

The chicken paired with a bite of avocado and the homemade dressing was my favorite.  I followed the recipe precisely with the only change being I used chicken thighs over the chicken breast and in the dressing I left out the shallot and doubled the garlic.  Oh – and I used rosemary instead of thyme because that’s what is growing in my herb garden. (I guess I did make a few alterations.) You have no idea how much I love not having to pay for herbs!

dinner al fresco

The weather was so nice Sunday evening that we took dinner out doors.  Even the bugs were at a minimum!

delicious dinner

Such a satisfying dinner.  And we were close to having every color on the plate…yellow, red, purple, green…

A summer Sunday dinner at it’s finest.  And freshest.

Friday Favorites

Today is the last day of May!  Can you believe it?  I can’t.  May flew by.  And I’m sure the rest of summer will, too.  So I’m going to try and soak up each and every moment.  Especially the weekend moments.  Those are the best.

Favorite Party Idea:  Big Guy loves a Low Country Boil.  And guess what?  We’re having one this weekend.  We’re jointly hosting a little birthday boil with a few friends.  Shall be a grand time.  My best friend Kat told me earlier this week she had never been to a LCB.  Say what?  I’m not sure we can be friends any more.  That’s a lie.  But seriously?!?!?!

LCB

Favorite No-Bake Pie:  I made this White Chocolate Key Lime Pie last weekend at the beach.  It was a huge hit.  Don’t tell anyone it’s so easy to make.  Just remember to make it ahead of time – it needs atleast 8 hours in the fridge.

white chocolate key lime pie

Favorite Small Bite:  This will most definitely be happening as soon as my cherry tomatoes start growing.  Home grown tomatoes along with home grown herbs can only mean deliciousness.

marinated cherry tomatoes with whipped ricotta

Favorite Side Dish:  I personally believe that these Bacon Bourbon Baked Beans would go perfectly with almost anything that comes off a hot grill.  Hamburgers.  Ribs.  Chicken thighs.  You name it, you can eat baked beans with it.  Well, maybe not pizza….or maybe.

bacon bourbon baked beans

Favorite Dip:  Pair this Guacamole with Goat Cheese, Jalapeno and Pepitas with a margarita and I’d be set.  I might even call it dinner.

guac

Favorite Bling:  This is one of my favorite colors.  And well, I simply adore these little studs.

coral studs

Favorite Sip:  Weekends require cocktails.  It’s a rule.  A Strawberry Riesling Slushie sounds like quite the thirst quencher.

strawberry riesling slushie

Now…let the sun shine and the laughter last all weekend long!

Beer Queso and Margarita Chicken

The evening started with margaritas.  The creamsicle margaritas.  But the night only got more delicious from there.

Beer Queso

Warning:  This cheese dip is highly addictive.  It may cause people to eat all the chips that are in the house.  It also will cause everyone to request the recipe.

cheese dip +margaritas = perfection

The original recipe calls for chorizo (which I couldn’t find) but I used spicy breakfast sausage instead.  I think that the sausage makes it less “greasy” – not that chorizo grease is a bad thing.  I also left out the black beans since we had a full meal still headed our way.  The cheese is thin – but it thickens up as it cools (if people can wait that long).  I used Corona Light but I think that any Mexican beer would be fantastic – perhaps Modelo!  Happy dipping!

Margarita chicken

This chicken has been on my mind since I saw the recipe!  And the best part, the recipe is super easy.  We marinated the chicken all afternoon and I cannot tell you how tender and delicious it turned out.  I recommend using chicken thighs over chicken breasts to maximize flavor and juiciness.  Trust me.  A simply marinade of tequila (we used white tequila), lime and orange zest, lime and orange juice, agave, olive oil, salt and pepper results in super flavorful chicken dinner.  I served the chicken over cilantro-lime rice.  Simply white long-grain rice with a shot of lime juice and a handful of chopped cilantro.  So good!  I plopped a large dollop of guacamole on top of my chicken. I mean, guac makes everything better.

From the first sip to the last bite of chicken, this meal was a keeper!  I tripled the chicken recipe to feed 8 (including 4 men) and the cheese dip makes a TON!  No need to double or triple unless you want to eat that much dip (which is possible – but don’t blame me for a tummy ache).

Charlotte, Baby Haines and Fruit Salsa

Like that for a title?  Well that’s pretty much what consumed my Saturday.  I woke up bright and early on Saturday morning, squeezed in a trip to the gym and then headed to Charlotte.  As much as I need a weekend at home, I can’t turn down a weekend with my parents and my sister plus brother-in-law and baby Haines.  Can I just say, Baby Haines isn’t much of a baby any more.  She’s growing and becoming so stinkin’ smart.

she’s a mess!

I love that little girl so much my heart could explode!  She’s so full of personality and really understands a lot.  She’s also rather vocal.  When she says “yes” or “no” – everyone in the room knows her answer.

Despite the rain on Saturday, we were able to grill.  We also had a cider tasting.  I had a pear cider a few months ago and it was one of the most delicious things ever.  I was determined to find “it” so that my Momma could try it since she’s obsessed with pear jelly belly’s.

three strikes, I’m out.

I bought every pear cider I could get my hands on and none of those are “the one.”  Boo hiss.  Oh well, we had fun tasting.

grill masters

Maggie and Brad were in charge of the grilling.  Momma had brought over some chicken thighs that had marinated in a mojito lime marinade from McCormick.  You could taste notes of mint and lime but it wasn’t overpowering at all!  And it paired perfectly with a fruit salsa that Momma had whipped up.  I don’t think she followed a recipe but I know that there were strawberries, red onion, lime juice, cilantro and a smidge of EVOO in the mix.

my plate

On the side, grilled asparagus and red onion.  Maggie also made some crock-pot mac ‘n cheese that I heard was awesome…it’s her new “go-to” dish as decided by Brad.

Such a great evening with the family!  I can’t wait to see my sweet family again this weekend.

sweet girl

Pork and Sweet Pepper Kebabs

One word I can never spell right:  ”kebabs” – I always want to make it “keBOBS.”  Moving on…this dinner recipe from the most recent Cooking Light magazine is not only delicious and easy but it’s easy on the wallet, too. You probably have everything on hand except the pork tenderloin and bell peppers.  Or you may have it all tucked away in your fridge.  I’m sure you could substitute in any protein (beef or chicken) but I really loved the pork since it’s not something I eat and/or cook every week.

The pork was cut into 1-inch pieces about an an hour before I wanted to eat and marinated in a super delicious soy-based mixture.  Other ingredients:  lemon juice, ketchup, brown sugar, crushed red pepper and lots of garlic.  When I was ready to eat – we simply arranged the pork on skewers and threaded the veggies on separate skewers.  I used regular ole bell peppers – taste the same – and I added in some red onion that I needed to use.  I kept it simple with the veggies, just a sprinkling of salt.

kebabs

The pork was cooked perfectly (way to go, Big Guy!) and was perfectly paired with the grilled veggies on top of rice.  The rice soaked up the flavor of the pork – the bites with rice were my favorite.

Simple, healthy and delicious.  Can’t beat that!

Mura and Mushrooms

We checked another restaurant off our list!  On Saturday we headed back to Raleigh (seriously – I think we should just move there sometimes) to run a few errands and try a new-to-us restaurant.  Our list of super long but sushi peaked both of our interests!  (If you had asked me 5 years ago if Big Guy would be eating sushi with me, I would have laughed.)  A lot of sushi places are closed during lunch hours but Mura at North Hills is not (except on Sundays).

We decided to sit at the bar to keep the meal low-key.

http://www.muranorthhills.com

I was really tempted to try the Murjito but the bartender actually talked me out of it.  A classic mojito with an Asian flair, we muddle mint and cucumber together then mix it with Absoult Mango vodka and simple syrup then topped off with soda water. Served on the rocks.

I stuck with a glass of the Primal Roots (a white blend).  So refreshing and actually perfect with sushi.

We started the meal with an order of edamame.

And for the main meal – I went with the Mura Roll.

Tuna, yellowtail, salmon, crab
meat, wasabi, chives, cilanto
and masago, wrapped with
nori and thinly peeled daikon

And Big Guy ordered the Piano (which was super delicious – I had a bite…or two):

Tempura shrimp, spicy crab salad,
wrapped with thinly sliced avocado.
Topped with eel sauce
and wasabi sauce.

And the Surf and Turf:

Tempura shrimp, crab salad,
cream cheese, chives, wasabi, sliced
let mignon with teriyaki sauce.

We both left pleasantly full and decided that it’s a place we would visit again.

That’s the “Mura” part – now to the “mushrooms”…

I pinned a recipe on Pinterest and I finally got around to making Red Wine and Garlic Mushrooms.  I’m serious when I say these may be the best mushrooms to ever come out of my kitchen!  It didn’t hurt using a good red wine either.

My picture doesn’t do these ‘shrooms justice.  Butter, olive oil, red wine and garlic make for the most perfect mushroom ever.  Instead of parsley, I topped the ‘shrooms with chives.  The sauce!  I can’t even describe!

So there you have it, Mura and Mushrooms.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mustard-Thyme Sauce

This dinner is worthy of a glass of wine.  So go ahead, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio (or whatever you glass of choice may be for dinner) and prepare to have dinner on the table in 40 minutes.

I honestly think that chicken thighs are underused.  Personally I like to buy my chicken thighs at Trader Joe’s.  They don’t have too much fat on them and they’re the perfect size.

The roasted chicken thighs with mustard-thyme sauce starts by simply seasoning the thighs with salt and pepper and searing them on the stove top until lightly browned.  While the chicken thighs are cooking, prep the green beans.  Simply toss green beans with sliced garlic, salt and pepper.  Those will roast at 425 degrees.

Once the thighs are browned, place them in a oven-safe baking dish and place them in the oven with the green beans.  Now it’s time to make the sauce!  Add butter to the pan that you used for the chicken and saute the onions and thyme.  Instead of flour, I used cornstarch to thicken the chicken stock.  The stock is added to the sauteed onions – make sure to scrap off all the yummy “bits” on the bottom of the pan.  Allow this to cook until thickened.  Once the chicken and beans are finished – remove the sauce from the heat and add in the mustard.  Serve the sauce on top of the chicken thighs along with the green beans.

 

The chicken thighs were super tender but so flavorful from the onion and the thyme-mustard sauce.  The sauce was seriously better than I ever imagined.  And the green beans – you simply can’t go wrong with green beans roasted with garlic.

Super simple, super delicious and super healthy.

Friday Favorites, the last of February.

Can you believe that next Friday will be March 1st?  March!?!?!  Where did February go?  Enjoy these last Friday Favorites for February (triple “F” right there).

Favorite Kitchen Upgrade:  Butcher block counter tops!  Though I’m not so sure about white cabinets after having to wipe them down constantly.  Maybe I just need to work on being cleaner in the kitchen…

Favorite Truth:  It doesn’t happen as often as it used to but seriously!  And I’ll tattle on myself – I’m pretty addicted to Instagram on the weekends.

Favorite Day Dream:  I think most everyone is day dreaming of Spring.  Bring on the warm weather.  But I’m totally guilty of dreaming of my 9 day honeymoon.  And I’m not ashamed.

Favorite Bauble or Bangle:  I’m seeing chunky jewelry all over the place!  (And I love it!) But I love the delicate look of this mint and gold necklace.

Favorite Tip:  Who knew you could clean a cast iron skillet with salt?  Not me.

Favorite Dinner to Serve Momma:  Momma will be visiting quite a few times in the next couple of months.  I think I’ll whip up this salad for her on one of those visits.

Favorite Side:  I’m pretty sure these little shrooms will be accompanying steak on Saturday night.

I hope you all enjoy your last weekend of February!  I know I will – soaking up all the calmness before the wedding storm happens!!!!