Friday Foods - Fun summer dinner

Well, what's summer without the use of a grill? The most iconic symbol of summer is cooking over a charcoal or gas grill. Everyone has done it or been invited to a party where the host was doing it at some point in their lives. So I'm going to share with you one of my favorite summertime meals.

(Picture courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Honey Chicken Kabobs

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. honey

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

8 skinless, bonless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cloves garlic

5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces (2 large onions works too)

2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces (you can use green, yellow, orange, whatever color you like)

skewers

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place all remaining ingredients in the marinade and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (the longer the better).

2. Preheat the grill for high heat.

3. Drain marinade from chicken and vegetables. Discard used marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers. (If you're using bamboo skewers, I always recommend soaking your skewers in water first.)

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Rotate frequently, brushing the reserved marinade over the kabobs with each turn.

(Photo courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Potato Salad

2 lbs. russet potatoes

1 c. mayonnaise

4 tsp dill pickle relish (you can use sweet pickle relish if you prefer)

4 tsp white sugar

2 tsp chopped onion

2 tsp yellow mustard

1 tsp white vinegar

1 T chopped celery

1/4 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

salt to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Peel and cook potatoes until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and chop.

2. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, mayonnaise, and everything else until potatoes are coated. Chill and serve.

(Picture courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Rich S'mores

8 large oatmeal cookies (I've used chewy chocolate chip cookies, and chewy molasses cookies)

4 oz. milk chocolate

8 large marshmallows

1, Preheat grill for high heat.

2. Place 1 oz of chocolate on flat side of four of the cookies. Skewer the marshmallows and cook, turning frequently until golden brown.

3. Slide two marshmallows off onto the chocolate and top with the other cookie (flat side down). Give it a couple minutes to melt the chocolate and then enjoy.

Food Friday - Semi-homemade

Hi everyone!

I'm resurrecting an old idea of mine and starting it again this week. Fridays are Food Fridays, a day where I share recipes that have some common theme.

This week's theme? Semi-homemade.

I'm not much of a cook. I can cook things from scratch, but I don't do it often. One of the big things I've become known for is doctoring pre-made stuff into semi-homemade dinners.

Veggie Mix Spaghetti with Sausauge

1 large can or 1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
1 c. shredded carrots
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 small zucchini, sliced (thin half moon shapes or diced if you prefer it smaller)
1 kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices or chunks
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
Pasta, cooked and drained
Olive oil
Shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Throw in the sausage and start browning it. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent. Set to the side. Pour spaghetti sauce into sauce pan. Turn on to medium heat. Add canned tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and spices. Stir together and let cook for fifteen minutes, or until zucchini is cooked. Add sausage, mushrooms, and onions and stir together. Let cook for another five minutes so flavors blend. Serve with your favorite cooked pasta. Top with shredded cheese if preferred.

Salad with homemade Ranch dressing
1 package spring greens
1 package chopped romaine
Handful grape tomatoes or one medium sized tomato, diced

Homemade Ranch Dressing
1 c mayonnaise
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the salad dressing until mixed smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When it's time to serve, use the salad recipe or your own preferred salad and serve with the ranch dressing.

Cheese Garlic Biscuits
2 c. Bisquick Biscuit mix
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
2 T butter or margarine, softened
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Heat oven to 450 F. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by nine spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic. Brush over warm biscuits.