Archive for category Grilling
Fun with Prosciutto
Posted by thesuburbancook in Beef, food, Grilling on November 19, 2012
There have been some good meals on my plate over the last week and all because of prosciutto. This dry cured ham is a little piece of flavor heaven. It puts truth to the cliche that the best presents come in little packages. It’s thin sliced and tears at the littlest tug.
Prosciutto wrapped NY Strip stuffed with goat cheese
Let’s start with New York Strip steaks. Steak is really hard to improve. It’s so perfect with just salt and pepper cooked at the right temperature. So, why in the world, would I slice it open and stuff it with goat cheese? Why would I wrap it with prosciutto and have the Grill master (aka Hubby) fire up the iron grates? Because it tasted as good as it looks. That’s why. Tangy, salty, creamy and tender. That’s why I loved this steak.
Prosciutto wrapped shrimp
Next up, prosciutto wrapped grilled shrimp served with grits. The shrimp is rubbed with finely chopped garlic, dill, salt and pepper. It’s then wrapped with 1/2 sheet of prosciutto and grilled 4 minutes on each side on wooden skewers until it’s pink and tender. I served it with grits mixed with Parmesan cheese. It’s not the shrimp and grits you would get in the Gulf Coast, but it is a salty chew with a creamy finish. I scraped the plate with my fork before I used my finger. Never said I had table manners!
Home for Homemade Pesto
Posted by thesuburbancook in food, Grilling, Pork, Recipes on July 31, 2012
Vacation is the very best medicine. It’s rejuvenating, relaxing, and when sailing on the waters of San Diego Bay, perfectly exhilarating. It’s also a time when you get to eat your way to happiness. 
If you visit San Diego, I recommend The Mission in Mission Beach for amazing Latino flavored breakfast and the best French toast made with fresh baked cinnamon bread and berry purée. Don’t miss the San Diego Strip Club to grill your own steaks in a renovated bordello in the Gas Lamp District or The Stone Brewery in Escondido for swill of Arrogant Bastard among the fire fountains. 
Then, you return home. Back to reality and nightly meals. So, pull out some pork chops and make up this refreshing marinade. Sweet! Pair with fresh garlic and cheese tortelloni with homemade pesto. Light and salty! The meal is light, perfect after eating and drinking your way through summer escapes. Recipes for both below. I hope you enjoy them! Honey and Citrus Grilled Pork Chops Ingredients 4 boneless pork chops Salt and pepper 1/4 cup honey 1/2 tsp cardamom 1/2 tsp nutmeg Juice of half a naval orange 1/2 tsp orange zest 1/3 cup olive oil Salt and pepper the pork chops. Whisk the remainder of ingredients in a small bowl. Put the pork chops into a gallon sized freezer bag and pour marinade on top. Seal and chill in refrigerator for 30 mins. Grill on medium high for 6-8 minutes until meat thermometer reads at least 145 degrees. Homemade Pesto Ingredients 10 fresh basil leaves Small handful of roasted and salted almonds (you can choose unsalted and add your own to taste, but for this version, I wanted the salt to contrast the sweet honey marinade) 1 garlic head 1/4 cup olive oil Pulse all items together in a small processor or use the Kitchen Aid 5 Speed Hand Blender like I did. Love that thing! After cooking 8 oz of fresh tortellini according to directions, drain. Heat the pesto in a small sauté pan over low heat. Add the pasta and toss. Serve alongside chops with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the pasta. 
Dining with Dragons, Hippos, and Fish
Grilled Balsamic Pork Chops with Homemade Cornbread
Ever eat dinner with a dragon? I have. Last night, in fact. The dragon shared the table with four pastel colored hippos. Don’t forget the primary colored fish with teeth that make me believe they might be piranhas. My husband and I have lately been making two meals. The first usually composes of crackers, cheese, yogurt, and fruit. That is not our dinner, but more our general attempt to get decent protein and vitamins into the mini me(s). The second is our attempt at Cooking Like We Are Not Parents of Small Children.
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First, let’s discuss the brilliant marinating method my spouse created. All our meat is frozen unless I bought it that day. I never plan our meal ahead so choosing what to freeze and what to put in the fridge is useless. That means we have to remember to defrost meat. The Hubby discovered adding marinade to defrosting meat actually seems to save us time and adds flavor! So, I added 3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar, plus kosher salt to defrosting boneless pork chops, grill on iron grates and “yea!”, slightly sweet, slightly salty perfectly grilled chops!
Cornbread with a little too much baking powder..HA!
Next, the cornbread. Love sweet cornbread. Found super easy, <a href=”http://allrecipes.com/recipe/golden-sweet-cornbread/“>highly rated recipe. Add in Baby Girl Sara “helping me” and discovery that I had no all purpose flour on hand. I ended up using cake flour and misread Tsps of baking powder with 3 Tbsps of baking powder. Really? That cannot be right. Yes, I actually read it twice and came up with the same result. I heard the baking powder reacting as soon as it was added. Turns out, it was ok, but I would suggest following the actual recipe.
So, we ate with Hippos (the hungry ones), the dragon, and the toothy fish. Great company.
Waiting for Beryl
Posted by thesuburbancook in Beef, Chicken, Entertaining, food, Grilling, Recipes, Vegetables on May 27, 2012
NOAA map
I have a secret. It’s horrible. It’s embarrassing. It’s not something I’m proud of. Here it is: I love tropical storms. I love the power they exude. With the first announcement of a named storm, I am glued to NOAA. If I live in what my family refers to as the “cone of doom”, I check each update which occurs every 5, 8, 11, and 2 o’clock hour, am and pm. Living in Florida has taught me to have great respect for these storms. I have seen first hand the destruction that can occur from storms like Katrina, Ivan, Charley, and Andrew, so though I love tracking them and watching them develop, I do it with the understanding that lives can change, even end, as a storm passes. Still, I love watching the swirling clouds, the rain blow sideways, and the roar of the wind as it rushes over my house.
As the second named storm of the not-even-begun season put me and my family smack dab in the cone of doom, I started tracking the sucker. And planning what I would do as we waiting for Beryl to arrive. Now, this is a minor storm. It means that it’s going to rain a lot and be a bit windy, so we’re not packing up and leaving town. We’re preparing to be inside for awhile and keeping an eye on things. My first thought:
Grill Now!
Knowing a storm is headed your way means a few things. First, you have to make your preparations and for this kind of storm, that just means, stock up on food and bring in any loose outside planters, toys, and patio furniture. So, knowing two days in advance that we would probably have a storm on the Sunday before Memorial Day, we decided to grill out as much as possible until we were forced inside. I am also going to note that I’m growing basil and have a cheese obsession. You’ll notice the theme as the weekend diary progresses.
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Buenos Noches con Gran Amigos
Posted by thesuburbancook in Beef, Cooking, Entertaining, food, Grilling, Uncategorized on May 6, 2012
Tequila Lime Marinated Skirt Steak with Charred Tomatillo Salsa and Mexican Sweet Corn Cake
Most people love to go out for Cinco de Mayo. I can’t remember ever doing that. I never was a big party girl, preferring small groups with great conversation to loud, crowded rooms with strangers sweating on me. Don’t misunderstand. Everyone needs to experience as much as they can in life and I had enough of those nights to know that as freeing and fun as they can be in one moment, the feeling doesn’t last. But the strength that great friendships build in us last a lifetime and nurturing them is most satisfying.
We called up our close friends last night and asked them to come over for a little Cinco de Mayo dinner. I have to give the credit to my sous chef and grill master husband. He had the idea and found the feature dish, Tequila Lime Marinated Skirt Steak with Charred Tomatillo Salsa. It came from the excellent Weber Grilling app. That thing is fantastic: Grilling times, recipes, a time, techniques, and a grocery list are all at your fingertips! (Not a sponsor, we just love the thing.) The recipe isn’t available on line and since it is theirs, I am directing you to the app to get it.
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