roasted vegetable + brie grilled pizza- that's a mouthful

weird i know, but there's something so fantastic about roasted veggies. i had to throw 'em on a pizza. and since it's summer, grilling pizza is a must.  this pizza is fresh and hearty all in the same bite.
if you haven't grilled pizza before, you're in for a life changing experience. okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it's awesome. and super simple!

roasted vegetable + brie grilled pizza
store bought pizza dough (we use sciortino's bakery dough sold at sendik's)
olive oil
7 oz brie cheese, sliced in teeny 1/2" pieces
tomato sauce

roasted veggies
1/2 of a zucchini, sliced and cut in half
1/2 of a yellow squash, sliced and cut in half
2 tomatoes, cut in large chunks
6 asparagus, cut in 3" pieces
1/2 of a orange pepper, cut in 2" x 2" pieces
1/2 of a yellow pepper, cut in 2" x 2" pieces
1/8 c olive oil
1 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
salt & pepper to taste

1. let dough sit on your kitchen counter for 2 hours prior to using. this allows the dough to get a little stretchy and more workable.
2. line a baking sheet with foil. throw your chopped veggies on baking sheet and toss in olive oil, rosemary and salt & pepper. roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. once done, set aside.
3. heat up your grill to a very low temp.
4. put small amount of olive oil on another baking sheet. roll out the dough to your liking and place on cookie sheet. brush the top with olive oil.
5. place dough olive oil side down on grill. close the grill and cook on low for 5-10 minutes or until bottom is lightly brown and crispy.
6. brush the top with olive oil and flip over. top with tomato sauce, roasted vegetables and brie pieces. close the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy. turn off grill and let pizza sit for 3 minutes allowing cheese to set. (if the cheese isn't oozy enough for you at this point- throw in the oven on broil for a quick 3 minutes)

chipotle zucchini turkey burgers

always, always looking for ways to sneak veggies in my recipes. i thought zucchini would go well with turkey. and yes, my friends, it did. pair with some sweet potato fries and you have something spectacular. the addition of three tablespoons of olive oil may sound strange, but it really moistens the turkey. i promise it is worth it.
so here i thought i had something innovative, until i saw a similar recipe floating around pinterest by a very popular blogger. ugh. i'm going to pretend i didn't see it. don't make hers. make mine.

chipotle zucchini turkey burger
1 1/2 lb ground turkey
1 zucchini
1 tbs chipotle tobasco
1 tbl worcestershire
3 tbl olive oil
salt & pepper

1. chop zucchini into larger chunks and throw into a food processor. pulse a few times until finely chopped.
2. add ground turkey, zucchini, tobasco, worcestershire, olive oil and salt & pepper into a bowl. combine ingredients using your hands and form into four patties.
3. freeze patties for 20 minutes allowing burger to firm up a bit.
4. grill for 7-10 minutes on each side on medium heat.
5. serve on a toasted, crusty bun.

i heart thawk

my very best friend kailyn ann introduced me to her family's little cottage in tomahawk, wisconsin way back in 2000 i believe. i fell in love with tomahawk (we call it thawk) and lake nakomis way back then and am still in love with it now. it's what you would picture as "up north" complete with pine trees, an ice cold lake and bald eagles. what makes it even more special is the company. the smith family welcomes all their visitors with open arms.
i'm so beyond fortunate to be invited to to tomahawk to this day to experience the great north woods. bringing my baby girl brings a whole new dimension to our long weekends. watching her see it all for the very first time is unexplainable.
well memorial day weekend came and went. it was reagan's third time, but probably the first time she really "got" it. the weekend was simply fantastic. being the cooking fanatic i am, i volunteered to plan the grub for the weekend. we embarked on an all american (or should i say wisconsin-ian) fish fry, baked french toast, yogurt parfaits, a cajun pasta and some barbecued chicken complete with a homemade barbeque sauce. after consulting kailyn for some creative approaches to the bbq i chose mango as the surprise ingredient. it was lip smakin' good.
soooo... here's the funny part. i was looking at some pictures from way back when and came across an album from a summer weekend in tomahawk in 2006. this was us then. (p.s. there's a beer bong in the back).

 

and this is us now. bbq covered faces and all. as you can see it was a hit with all ages.

 

here's the recipe. throw it on anything. literally. anything. the mango adds a sweetness allowing for less use of sugar, which i'm always a fan of.

mango bbq sauce

1 1/2 c ketchup

1 c pureed mango

3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp liquid smoke

2 tbl molasses

cracked black pepper

1. combine ingredients in a saucepan. 

2. bring to a low boil. turn down heat and bring to slow simmer. cook for 30 minutes allowing flavors to develop.

teriyaki pork tenderloin kabobs

we broke out the grill. amen.
i read somewhere recently that pork being unhealthy is just a myth. i'm sure there was more to that, but i'm going to just go with it. i do like a pig. unless of course i can see it's cute face. then you can count me out.
this is a super simple weeknight recipe. i served with a side of brown & wild rice.

teriyaki pork tenderloin kabobs
1, 2 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 2"x 2"pieces
1 yellow squash, sliced thick
1 zucchini, sliced thick
1 red pepper, cut into 2" x 2" pieces
1 purple onion, cut into 2" x 2" pieces
teriyaki marinade (below)

teriyaki marinade
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs brown sugar
1/3 c soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbs olive oil

1. combine teriyaki marinade ingredients in a large plastic bag marinade pork tenderloin pieces in teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes.
2. place kabob ingredients on skewer alternating veggies with pork.
3. grill on medium heat for 7 minutes on each side or until cooked thru.

chicken & shrimp with pancetta chimichurri

this is by far the best summer dinner party main dish... it's a hit every time. (i'm still trying to pretend it's summer here folks, just go with it). my girlfriend, lisa, brought over spanish rice made with yellow and red cherry tomatoes from her garden. it was simply delicious.
do yourself a favor and make this for special friends.

chicken & shrimp with pancetta chimichurri

1 lb boneless chicken breast
1 lb jumbo shrimp
1/3 c fresh oregano

pancetta chimichurri
8 oz pancetta, 1/4 in cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c fresh parsley
1/2 c fresh oregano (or 2 tbl dried)
1/3 c red wine vinegar
3/4 c olive oil
3 tbl lemon juice

1. season chicken & shrimp with oregano, salt and pepper. drizzle with olive oil. grill chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side and shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side.
2. in small skillet, saute pancetta in 2 tbl olive oil until crispy (about 6 minutes). place on a paper towel to drain.
3. combine all other chimichurri ingredients in food processor streaming in olive oil in slowly.
4. serve chicken & shrimp with pancetta on top and drizzled with chimichurri.

teriyaki pork tenderloin 2 ways

teriyaki pork tenderloin 

1, 2 lb pork tenderloin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs brown sugar
1/3 c soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbs olive oil

1. combine garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, pepper & olive oil in a large plastic bag.
2. place pork tenderloin in bag marinading for for 30 minutes.
3. grill tenderloin on medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until cooked thru.
4. let sit for 5 minutes allowing juices to distribute before slicing.

 

teriyaki pork tenderloin & pineapple quesadillas

grilled teriyaki pork tenderloin (above recipe)
1 c fresh pineapple, chopped
1 c monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 multi-grain 8- in tortillas

1. spray large pan with non-stick spray and turn to low-medium heat.
2. place tortilla in pan topping with pork, pineapple and cheese. top with another tortilla.
3. cook for 5 minutes on each side. repeat with remaining ingredients.
4. allow quesadillas to sit for 5 minutes before cutting into triangles allowing cheese to settle.

andouille & chicken kebabs

the simplicity of a kabob is genius. the hardest part is trying to figure out what you want to put on the skewer. we tried andouille sausage & chicken which was quite a success. it's as easy as it gets. careful, andouille has a bite!

andouille & chicken kabobs

1 lb andouille sausage, chopped in 1 in slices
3 chicken breasts, cubed chopped in 2 in pieces
1 red pepper, chopped in 2 in pieces
1 purple onion, chopped in 2 in pieces
4 skewers

1. skewer all ingredients alternating sausage, pepper, chicken, onion and repeat.
2. grill on medium to high heat for 10 minutes. flip skewers and grill for another 10 minutes.

green apple turkey burgers

alright, alright, i admit i got inspired to make this while watching oprah. this is her favorite turkey burger. apparently she had it at trump's private club, mar-a-lago and asked the chef to make it on her show. so, here it is with just a few tweaks. it's pretty amazing.

green apple turkey burgers

1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 1/2 large green apples, peeled and diced (1/2 in dices)
1/4 c celery, finely chopped
1/4 c green onion, thinly sliced
3 tbl canola oil
3/4 tbl salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chipotle tobasco
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c major grey's chutney (available by condiments)

1. saute apples, celery and green onions in canola oil for 5-10 or until tender. cool.
2. combine turkey, sauteed apples and veggies, and all other ingredients (aside from chutney). form 4 patties.
3. salt and pepper each patty. grill at med-high heat for 7 minutes each side.
4. serve with a side of chutney on a toasted bun.

adapted from jeff o'neill

grilled pizza

had no idea there was a process to grilling pizza. well, there is. it's simple once you get the hang of it and beyond delicious. the one eye opener for me was letting the dough sit out for a couple hours prior to stretching it into your crust. it makes a world of a difference as far as work-ability.
i've followed my coworkers advice in having "pizza fridays". we're coming up on week 4 and i have to say i truly look forward to it every week! every week presents a new opportunity for different toppings. the recipe is for simple margherita pizza, but below are some great ideas on how to "switch it up".

1. barbecue chicken & gouda cheese
2. parmesan cheese & proscuitto
3. hummus & roasted veggies
4. carmelized onions, mushrooms, spinach & fontina cheese
5. shrimp sauce, mozzarella cheese & shrimp (this is completely strange to me, but my husband and his family love it)
6. tomato sauce, provolone cheese, crumbled italian sausage & roasted tomatoes
7. pesto, asiago cheese & shrimp
8. gorgonzola cheese, pineapple & balsamic vinegar
9. tomato sauce, goat cheese & proscuitto
10. tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, black olives & artichokes

grilled margherita pizza

store bought pizza dough (we use sciortino's bakery dough sold at sendik's)
log of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
2-3 roma tomatoes, sliced
fresh torn basil leaves
salt & pepper
olive oil

1. let dough sit on your kitchen counter for 2 hours prior to using.
2. put small amount of olive oil on a cookie sheet. stretch out dough to your liking and place on cookie sheet. brush the top with olive oil.
3. place dough olive oil side down on grill. close the grill and cook on low for 5-10 minutes or until bottom is lightly brown and crispy.
4. brush the top with olive oil and flip over. top with sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, salt & pepper and basil leaves. close the grill and cook for 7-15 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy. turn off grill and let pizza sit for 3 minutes allowing cheese to set.

 

adapted from james olejniczak

chimiccuri & the best potatoes ever

guest blog with kailyn garro

not gonna lie, i think this was the tastiest meal i’ve ever cooked. i normally wouldn’t pat my own back but jake and my good friends, the bartschs, sang praises over this meal. i completed it with a yummy, hearty salad and key lime pie bars. since I’m an amateur blogger - this is my very first time, thanks to miss stacy, I’m going to keep it to two recipes. speaking of stac, thanks for allowing me to be a guest blogger!!
my ever-so-talented husband grilled up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and strip steaks for this sauce. he liberally salted and peppered each side then threw ‘em on the grill. jake sampled both the chicken and the steak and said the sauce was better on the chicken… but i’ll let you be the judge. to get an idea of how much meat works with this recipe, it calls for 10 ten-ounce strip steaks, but feel free to cut the recipe down if you’re cooking for a smaller crowd. this recipe is packed with flavor and makes a great, fresh summer meal.

chimichurri sauce

¼ c vegetable oil

¼ c EVOO

½ c fresh parsley

½ c chopped cilantro

4-6 roasted red peppers in oil (i used peppers from the antipasti bar but you could also use jarred)

4 cloves of garlic

2 tbl onion

2 tbl fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1. put all ingredients in a food processor and stream in oils. pulse until the mixture is well combined but still thick enough to spoon out.

2. put in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. bring to room temperature before serving.
3. spoon over meat and enjoy.

i thought i’d go out of my comfort zone with this recipe, and i’m really glad i did. i don’t eat bacon and rarely eat onions, but i must say, i enjoyed this recipe (minus the bacon that ended up piled on the side of my plate).

grilled potato and onion salad with blue cheese and bacon

1 lb bacon

3 red onions cut in 1-in chunks (so they don’t fall through the grill cracks)

3 ½ lbs small new potatoes, cleaned

½ c mayo

½ lb blue cheese (I used gorgonzola)

salt and pepper

olive oil

1. fry bacon until crisp. let cool and crumble.
2. bring potatoes to a boil in a pot of salted water. simmer for about 5 minutes, just until tender. drain and cut into 1-inch chunks.
3. put potatoes and onion in a large bowl, toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. put potatoes and onion on the grill. grill until lightly charred and tender. potatoes may take a few minutes longer than the onion. 
4. mix the mayo, blue cheese and bacon in a large bowl. add the grilled potatoes and onion and toss to coat.

adapted from food & wine

 

rosemary chicken burgers

how sweet it is. thank you yet again, giada, for this amazing recipe. i added a bit of lemon juice which really made a difference. top with spinach or arugula.
p.s. my daughter gobbled this sucker right up so i would consider this very "kid friendly"

rosemary chicken burgers

mayo
1 cup light mayo
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbl fresh lemon juice

burgers
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 buns

1. combine mayo ingredients.
2. combine burger ingredients and add half of the mayo mixture. form into 4 patties and place on a plate. place plate in freezer for 15-20 minutes making it easier to work with.
3. grill burgers at med-high heat on grill for 7 minutes on each side. toast buns for 3 minutes on grill.
4. spread mayo mixture on the the tops of toasted buns. place chicken on bottom half and top with spinach or arugula.

adapted from giada de laurentiis

grilled chicken with dijon and lemon

how's this for a summer recipe. i have to admit my husband did the grilling, but i swear i did everything else!

grilled chicken with dijon and lemon

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 cup dijon mustard
2 lemons (both lemons zested and only 1 juiced)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
sea salt

1. prepare marinade by putting mustard in shallow bowl. zest 2 lemons adding the yumminess to the bowl. juice only 1 lemon into the bowl. add red pepper flakes.
2. paint mixture on chicken breasts and allow to marinate at room temp for 2 hours.
3. sprinkle sea salt on top of chicken and grill breasts at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes on each side. you want to get the skin crispy so allow the time to do so.

adapted from anne burrell