Simple Shrimp Stir Fry and the Giveaway Winner!!

Ok.. I know it's not "Halloween" food, but honestly, we have been so busy getting ready to move into a new house that we have sort of conveniently forgotten about Halloween.  I know, it's sacrilegious, right?  I'm sorry, but sometimes life even gets in the way of my favorite holiday...it's sad but true.  The great thing about this stir fry, is it can be perfect for Halloween night.  I mean it's ready in less than 20 minutes.  And everyone knows you don't get a lot of time in the kitchen on Halloween because you are either taking the kids out trick or treating, or you are handing out candy.  So, it might not be orange and black, but it sure does give you something you need on this hauntingly busy night!!  (And, of course, you can use chicken instead of shrimp - it would be just as tasty!)

Ok... I know you are all waiting for it... the winner of the cookbook giveaway is......

#7 is - Michael Tao: "I am very excited for Stephen's cookbook. Great review as well Jenn. I like cookbooks with witty stories and instructions.  My favourite cookbook is How To Eat by Nigella Lawson." 

Congrats to Michael - I will get your winnings out to you as soon as possible!  And thanks to everyone for commenting!

Simple Shrimp Stir Fry
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 Tablespoons Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mirin
3/4 lbs 61/70 count frozen shrimp, thawed and tails removed
1/4 cup cooked chicken, chopped (optional - I had some chicken I needed to get rid of, so I used it, it's not necessary, so don't sweat it)
sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 sweet bell peppers (I used yellow and orange), chopped or diced

Directions:
Mix together the hoisin, chili paste, honey, and mirin until well combined; set aside.  In a bowl, toss together the shrimp, chicken, and about 3-4 drops of sesame oil.

In a wok or large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Add the pepper and stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add the shrimp and chicken and cook for another 3 minutes or until the shrimp and chicken are heated through.  Stir in the hoisin mixture, making sure to coat everything.  Once sauce is heated, remove from heat and serve over rice.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Halloween - Our Tradition

Stove Top Chorizo Mac & Cheese

Wanna know the key to the creamiest mac and cheese EVER?  Evaporated milk!  Yep.. that's right... oh.. and eggs.  Yep, those two very simple ingredients make the standard old mac and cheese that much more creamier and decadent!  Unfortunately, I may never make mac and cheese another way again, but that's neither here nor there.  For now, just trust me that this is one killer mac and cheese recipe.

This would have been perfect just by itself...but you know me, I'm never satisfied, I needed to make it be that much more.  So for a little kick, I added chorizo and some Cholula hot sauce.  How can you really go wrong there, right?

***Remember, today is the last day to enter the cookbook giveaway - Click HERE for details.  Winners will be announced Monday morning.  Good luck!***

Stove Top Chorizo Mac & Cheese
Adapted from Alton Brown
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
8 oz whole grain penne pasta
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
6 oz evaporated milk
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Chili Garlic Cholula)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 red sweet pepper, diced
1/2 lb. Mexican ground chorizo, cooked

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain.  Add butter to bottom of the same pot and put the pasta back into it; tossing to coat.

Whisk together the egg, evaporated milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and dry mustard until well combined.  Stir into the pasta and add the cheese.  Continue to cook over low heat until the cheese has melted.  Add the pepper and cooked chorizo and toss to combine.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Creamy Chipotle Cheddar Chicken

Grilled Parmesan Green Beans

This an extremely simple side that everyone will enjoy!  Don't want to do it on the grill?  No worries, you can get the same results in the oven.  Trust me, I'm all about versatility - and this is yet another one of those recipes!

Oh... and by the way... thanks so much to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes last week!  I had a great day and of course had an even better time thanks to my mom and dad being here!  It was so great to spend time with them and so very hard to say goodbye.
Guess that's a sign that I'm grown up :)

***There's still a chance to win a copy of Stephen Crout's new cookbook - A Cook's Book for Cooks.  Click HERE for details***

Grilled Parmesan Green Beans
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
12-14 oz green beans
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
garlic powder
pepper

Directions:
Preheat grill to 350 degrees.  Rinse green beans and snap off ends if necessary.  Place in large bowl.  Pour lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and water over the beans and toss to coat.  Add the parmesan, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder and pepper to taste.  Toss again to coat.

Fold a 36x18-inch piece of heavy foil in half to make an 18-inch square.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour the beans into the middle of the square.  Bring together 2 opposite edges of foil; seal with a double fold.  Fold remaining edges together to enclose beans, leaving a little space for steam to build.  Place packet on grill and roast for 15 minutes, flipping packet halfway through the cooking time.  Carefully remove from grill and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  There was a man...

A Cook's Book For Cooks

So today I will not be posting any recipes.  I'm sorry, but it's true!  Today is a good day though - today I have the great honor of introducing my friend Stephen's (The Obsessive Chef) new cook book - A Cook's Book For Cooks!  Yes, it's true, the Obsessive Chef is now in print!  I am even more excited to tell you all that I was truly the first one to purchase this little gem.  I've never had the first copy of any book, trust me.

Anyway, Stephen has been working hard at putting his idea into print.  I've walked with him a bit through this process... well, as much as someone 2,400 miles away can - and I know this was not an easy task, so that makes my showcasing this book here even more amazing to me.

I will admit that I'm not 100% done reading the book, but I'm far enough along to know I love it.  Yes, Stephen can get a bit rambling sometimes and he can even be a bit in your face, but it's witty and informative and I loved the read.  Stephen has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to cooking.  What I think some people might not appreciate as much as myself, is the fact that some of his amounts of ingredients are "figure it out for yourself" type of thing.  What I mean by this is that he will sometimes give you exact measurements and other times just give you the ingredients you need to use.  This can frustrate some people - but the point he constantly tries to make throughout the book is that you need to experiment - you need to make things to match your tastes (not his) - you do NOT need to follow recipes to the "T" to make a delicious meal.

Wanna get a copy of your own so you can see what all the hypes about?  Well, it's your lucky day!  Today, I'm giving away a copy of Stephen's first published cookbook - All you have to do is leave a comment here telling me what your favorite cookbook is.  You have until Friday, October 28th at 9:00pm eastern standard time to enter to win.  Winners will be picked randomly and will be announced on the follow Monday morning.  Anonymous comments will not be counted, so if you have to leave it as anonymous, please make sure you leave your name and email address.  Good luck!

One Year Ago:  Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Photo Friday - Pizzeria Bianco

Absolutely, the best pizza in Phoenix, Arizona

Made by one of my all time favorite chefs:  Chris Bianco

Don't forget - It's Fire Day Friday at Our Krazy Kitchen - stop by and see my post for:

Greek-Style Greek Pizza

It's all about the pizza today!!  YUM!!!

One Year Ago:  Goat Herder's Mac and Cheese

A Birthday Break

Today's my birthday...

And as a birthday gift to myself...

I have decided to take the day off!

Have a great day    -    I know I plan to!!
Ciao!

One Year Ago:  Guest Post - Calzones

Pork Chops with Pineapple BBQ Sauce

My parents will be here later this evening!  I'm really looking forward to having them out here.   I plan on not cooking anything new while they are here, so I might miss a day or two of posting, but I'm totally ok with that - I mean my parents come out maybe once a year... I like to enjoy all the time I can with them.

I will entice you today with something extremely delicious, though!  This barbecue sauce is a little sweet and a little tangy and works perfectly with pork.  Yes, it would work just as well on chicken, but there is something about pork and pineapple that just seems like it was meant to be!

Pork Chops with Pineapple BBQ Sauce
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 pork chops
For BBQ Sauce -
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon hot sauce (I used Cholula)

Directions:
Mix together the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and pepper until well combined.  Place the pork in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour brine over.  Seal/cover and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

In a saucepan over medium heat, add all the ingredients for the sauce and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.   Let simmer for 5-10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken; stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F and oil the grill grates.  Remove pork chops from brine and rinse thoroughly under cool water.  Pat dry and brush each side with the cooled barbecue sauce.  Place directly over the fire and grill for 4-8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature is 145F.  Remove from grill and serve with pineapple bbq sauce on the side.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Tilapia with Orange Glaze

Grilled Tilapia with Garlic Parsley Aioli

That's right... it's back by popular demand:  Tilapia!!  :)  As my pal Stephen would say, the Tilapia Tootsie is back!  Unfortunately, this post is really about the aioli, though.  I mean, the tilapia was good, but it's definitely nothing special without the aioli!

Now you can chop everything up in a food processor like I did, but let me warn you.  I believe chopping the garlic in the food processor made the aioli have that much more garlic flavor.  I could be wrong, but it seems that the oils in the garlic were released a heck of a lot more by being processed instead of just being minced by hand.  The flavor was almost overpowering.  I have made this before with just hand chopping the ingredients and the harshness of the garlic was not so bad.  So I will leave it up to you - the recipe is written as if you are chopping everything by hand, but just know, you can easily use your food processor to make things easier.

Grilled Tilapia with Garlic Parsley Aioli
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley leaves

Directions:
Spray 4 squares of aluminum foil big enough to make packets for the fish with non stick cooking spray.  Place each fillet on the foil and drizzle evenly with the olive oil. 
Season each fillet evenly with lemon pepper seasoning and paprika.  Form a packet, sealing the fish in the foil.

Preheat grill to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl, add the mayo, Dijon, and lemon juice; stirring to combine.  Add the garlic and parsley and stir until smooth and combined.  Set aside.  Place the fish packets over the fire and grill for 10-12 minutes; rotating packets half way through grilling time.  Carefully remove from foil packets.  Serve with aioli and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Raspberry Chipotle Chicken

Lemony Shrimp Pasta

As you may well know.. we have been eating a lot of shrimp lately.  It has sort of taken the place of tilapia for awhile in our house as Chris was sick of tilapia and well, shrimp has been on sale for well over a month now at our grocery store.  I love shrimp...it's so versatile!  And versatility is key in the kitchen.  This is a quick and simple way to showcase how lovely shrimp goes with pasta.  And of course, me being all about versatility... you can use chicken in place of the shrimp - because I know there are those of you that do not love shrimp like I do :)

Lemony Shrimp Pasta
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3/4 pound angel hair pasta
3-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
30 large (61/70) frozen shrimp, thawed and tails removed
1 teaspoon Italian herb mix (or 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp basil)
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium-low to large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes; stirring occasionally.  Add the shrimp and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through.  Remove from heat and toss in the cooked pasta.  Add the Italian herb mix, lemon juice and zest.  Tossing to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with parmesan cheese if using.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Sweet Balsamic Grilled Chicken

***Side Note:  For any of you that might be having problems commenting, check out Candace's findings on how to fix the possible issue (thanks Candace!)***

Big Red Chili

Last Saturday was one of those college football Saturday's that all underdogs dream of.  Oh, wait, I don't think we were underdogs...BUT... Nebraska did come back from a 20 point deficit to beat Ohio State 34 to 27!! WOOHOOO!!!  (GO BIG RED!!!)  It looked as if they were going to go down in flames like they did against Wisconsin the week before - but alas - they came back fighting and did not give up until they had taken victory!!

I don't know if I have ever actually mentioned what a Husker fan I truly am. Growing up in Nebraska, we did not have any professional sports but we did have the Huskers.  You lived, breathed, died Big Red football.  On football Saturday, Memorial Stadium becomes the third largest "city" in the state :)  I've been to professional football games and I can honestly say, there is nothing... let me repeat.. NOTHING that compares to being in Memorial Stadium on a college football Saturday!!!  Oh, I know people will try and argue that fact with me, but save it.. there is no denying... and .. well, this is my blog so I have final say :)

It wasn't truly "chili weather" in my book, but it felt cooler than usual and it just felt right... so chili graced our bowls and filled our bellies and the big red pulled off an awesome come back that we'll be talking about for years!!  It was a good day.

Oh... and big red also stands for the heat.. this is a spicy chili - the way Chris and I like it - so add a little spice at a time and adjust as needed :)

Big Red Chili
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and stem removed, chopped
1 pound boneless bottom round steak, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup beer
3/4 cup beef broth
2-3 Tablespoons chili powder (add two, taste, add more if needed)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used chili garlic Cholula)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon tomato paste OR 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute for 8-10 minutes on medium low or until the onions are tender.  Add the jalapenos and saute another 3-4 minutes.  Add the steak and turn up the heat to medium.  Cook for 2 minutes and add the ground beef; stirring occasionally.  Cook until the steak and beef are no longer pink.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly add the beer and beef broth, stirring to combine.  Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, hot sauce and tomato sauce.  Stir until everything is well combined.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.  Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  Add the tomato paste or cornstarch slurry and stir.  Cover and allow to simmer another 2-3 hours or until the steak becomes tender and the chili has thickened.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Smoked Beef Tri-Tip

Chili Garlic Glazed Chicken with Spicy Aioli

If the chili lime flavored Cholula is my least favorite, the chili garlic is by far, hands down, my absolute favorite!  It's got the perfect combination of spice and garlic.  And it goes so well with everything.... did I mention it's my favorite??

The great thing about this recipe... it's simple AND it produces some amazing flavor.

Don't want to grill the chicken?  No problem, pan sear it or bake it - either way, you know it's going to be good because it's got a SAUCE!!! :)

Chili Garlic Glazed Chicken with Spicy Aioli
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon melted butter, slightly cooled
3 Tablespoons chili garlic Cholula hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
For the Spicy Aioli -
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 Tablespoons chili garlic Cholula hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry.  Season both sides of each piece of chicken with salt and pepper.  Mix butter, 3 tablespoons chili garlic Cholula, lime juice, and honey together in a small bowl.  Place chicken in shallow dish or resealable bag and spoon sauce mixture over it.  Cover/seal and place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for the spicy aioli until well combined.  Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Oil the grill grates.  Remove chicken from marinade and place directly over the fire.  Cover and grill for 6-10 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through (160-165F).  Let rest 5 minutes after taking off grill.  Serve with Spicy Aioli.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Ancho Spiced Tilapia with Chipotle Remoulade

Chili Lime Cholula Shrimp and Pepper Skewers

The weather has cooled down just a bit here.  I love that we are 100 degrees one week and then next... it's only 80!  Hey, I'll take what I can get, trust me.  I will not complain about the cool down.  It has been quite nice.  Heck, we even got to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air over the weekend!  Of course, it's still perfect weather for grilling!!  With that said, I really wanted to try out the chili lime Cholula(**) on some shrimp.  It just seemed like the best flavor combo for shrimp.  Although, I will say that the Chili Lime Cholula is not one of my favorites, it does work really well with this recipe.  It brings a bit of summer to this dish, which I love...  And honestly, you just can't go wrong with shrimp on the barbie :)

Chili Lime Cholula Shrimp and Pepper Skewers
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
36 extra large shrimp (thaw, peel, and devein if necessary)
2 Tablespoons chili lime Cholula
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
1/2 red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 poblano pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
wooden or metal skewers (if using wooden, soak in water for 30 minutes)
lemon aioli (optional)

Directions:
Place the shrimp in a bowl.  Add the Cholula and oregano; toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Thread the shrimp and peppers on to the skewers.  Place the skewers on oil grill grates directly over the fire.  Grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until the shrimp are cooked through and the peppers are slightly charred.  Carefully remove from grill.  Serve with lemon aioli if desired.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Chipotle Mexican Rice
(**The thoughts and comments regarding the Cholula product are that of Jenn's Food Journey.  I was not compensated for my review**)

Cholula Chicken Pizza

You might remember me telling you about receiving some Cholula hot sauce samples(**) recently - or you might not - either way, this week I will be featuring a couple recipes that use this delicious hot sauce.  The first one being this simple little beauty:  Cholula Chicken Pizza.  It's simple.. it's spicy... it's perfect for a weeknight meal.  And no worries if you don't want to grill this, you can easily throw it in the oven, it's completely up to you.  I also simplified this by using naan again, but feel free to use actual pizza dough.

Cholula Chicken Pizza
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Tablespoon plain Green yogurt
1 Tablespoon original Cholula hot sauce
3 naan flatbreads
1 yellow sweet pepper, chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
shredded mozzarella cheese (however much you want to us..I used between 1-2 cups)
For the pizza sauce -
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon each:  basil, fennel, and oregano
1/8 teaspoon each:  salt, cayenne pepper, granulated sugar, and allspice
1 Tablespoon original Cholula hot sauce

Directions:
Mix together 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 tablespoon Cholula until well combined.  Spread over both sides of the chicken.  Wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for 2 hours.  Cook chicken in pan or on grill.  Cut or shred into small pieces; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, add all the ingredients for the pizza sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes; stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees.  Place the naan over the fire and grill until golden brown on one side - about 3-5 minutes.  Carefully remove from grill.  Spread the sauce over the already grilled side of the naan.  Top with chicken, peppers, tomatoes, and finally the cheese (you can drizzle some more Cholula over the pizzas if you want at this time).  Place pizzas back on the grill and make sure to close the lid.  Grill another 4-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  If it's not yet melted and your naan is done, move the pizzas to indirect heat, shut the lid and continue to grill until cheese melts.  Carefully remove from grill.  Slice and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce
(**The opinions and thoughts on the Cholula products are that of Jenn's Food Journey.  I was not compensated at all for these reviews/recipes**)

Beef Short Ribs with Grilled Baby Bok Choy

I don't normally find myself alone for dinner on a Saturday night, but a few weeks ago, Chris had practice in the evening and I was left to fend for myself for dinner.  I actually found this to be sort of exciting.  Not that I don't love cooking for Chris and enjoying our Saturday evenings together, it's just that it's not often I get to cook certain things that I truly like and Chris does not.

Enter the baby bok choy!  Chris does not like cabbage.  Let me rephrase that:  Chris does not like cabbage unless it's in coleslaw.  So, when I was at the store and I saw that they had baby bok choy on sale, I thought why not grab some and see what simple dish I could come up with.

I don't know if the picture actually portrays the meat as being moist or not, but trust me when I say, the meat fell right off the bone and it was moist and delicious..... so moist and delicious, I wish I had more... right now.... mmmmmm!!!!

Beef Short Ribs with Grilled Baby Bok Choy
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 lb beef short ribs
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon water
2 teaspoons Sriracha
2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce
drop of sesame oil
2 heads baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise
olive oil  (I used basil olive oil)
salt and pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger, and onion powder.  Rub on all sides of the short ribs.  Warp in plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven or grill to 300 degrees F.  In a bowl, combine the soy, water, Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and sesame oil.  Stir until well blended.  Tear off a piece of aluminum foil big enough to hold the short ribs.  Remove ribs from plastic wrap and place on aluminum foil.  Pour soy mixture over ribs and seal the aluminum foil around the ribs.  Place aluminum packet in oven/grill and cook for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to 250 degrees and cook another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beef is fall off the bone tender.  Remove from oven/grill and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat grill to 350 degrees (if not already using it).  Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the cut bok choy and season with salt and pepper.  Place directly over the fire and allow to grill for about 3-5 minutes per side.  Carefully remove and serve along side short ribs.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Oven Baked Fish 'N Chips

Photo Friday - Breast Cancer Awareness

It's October, which means it's beast cancer awareness month.  Although, we as females, should always have that awareness at the front of our minds, this month.... PLEASE.. make it a point to test yourself... make it a point to educate yourself...  make it a point to make a difference, even if it's in a very small way.

My life was touched with breast cancer a few years ago when my aunt was diagnosed.  She is doing amazingly well now, but trust me, it makes me so much more aware of this cancer and what it can do.

Get involved....in anyway that you can!

And of course - don't forget to stop by and see what's cooking on Fire Day Friday at Our Krazy Kitchen.  Today's recipe:

Peanut-Crusted Pork Chops

And, of course, thanks (as always) for stopping by!

Ciao!

Jenn

One Year Ago:  Penne with Ground Beef, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese

Wanna Be Polynesian Chicken Kabobs

Yes, I know... this doesn't look like a kabob recipe does it?  Well, that might explain the "wanna be" in the name.  They so very much wanted to be Polynesian Kabobs, but because of time and laziness, it turned out to be just grilled chicken and stuffed peppers.  Not that it was a bad thing... Oh, no... the flavors were all still there... it's just that, well... I don't feel like I did the original recipe much justice... (Sorry Andrea)

Doesn't really matter if you make it my way or the right way... just make it!  Bring a little summer into your winter kitchen!  And if you don't want to grill the kabobs, put them in the oven and broil them... it's the next best thing to grilling :)

Oh.. and for the stuffed peppers... all I did was cut a sweet pepper into quarters after removing the stem and seeds - mixed some cream cheese with garlic salt, pepper, and a little cayenne - spread that mixture onto the peppers - topped with shredded cheese - placed on grill until cheese was melted.

****On a sad note...for those of you that haven't heard, Steve Jobs - the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple, Inc. - died yesterday at the age of 56.  Steve Jobs was one of the greatest American inovators of our time....he will be sorely missed.  RIP Steve Jobs!****  

Wanna Be Polynesian Chicken Kabobs
Adapted from Andrea the Kitchen Witch
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the aioli -
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Pace the chicken in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag.  Mix all other ingredients together until well combined.  Pour mixture over chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the aioli until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees and oil the grill grates.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly over the fire.  Grill for 5-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.  Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.  Serve with aioli.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Chicken Sate with Peanut Sauce

Grilled Steaks with Simple Savory Steak Sauce

I would probably get kicked out of some high-class steakhouses for saying this, BUT I'm going to say it anyway...  I think that steak is better with sauce.  Now hear me out:  I think some steaks are just fantastic as they are... you don't even have to season them, they can be so good... but, to make any steak even more appealing for me - there needs to be sauce.  I can't help myself.  I LOVE SAUCE!!  And you know what?  In the privacy of my own home, I can dip my steak in Ranch dressing if I wanted to.... so there :)

Actually, the real reasoning behind this sauce... I wanted to use some Cholula Hot Sauce :)  I was recently asked by a representative of Cholula Hot Sauce if I would like to sample some of their new flavors.  Being a lover of Cholula for years now, I was extremely excited.  I am not going to actually give you a review of their products, but I did let them know that I would be using their products in recipes that I would showcase on my site.  SO - here is the first recipe.  Ok, ok, it's simple and anyone could have used it this way, but that's really the point now isn't it...??  Giving you recipes that "anyone could make" :)

Be on the lookout for the next week or so as I show you a few different ways to use the other flavors of Cholula that you can find in your grocery store!

Grilled Steaks with Simple Savory Steak Sauce
Sauce recipe adapted from Heartland Steaks
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 sirloin steaks
olive oil
salt and pepper
For the Sauce -
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon Cholula Hot Sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
dash of garlic powder

Directions:
Rub olive oil over both sides of the steaks.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let rest at room temperature while you make the sauce.

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce until well combined.  Set aside.

Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F.  Place the steaks directly over the fire and allow to grill 5-10 minutes per side depending on the doneness you desire.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Serve with sauce and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Fish with Red Pepper, Macadamia and Thyme Relish

Grilled Shrimp and Mini Sweet Peppers with Benihana Sauce

My favorite part of this meal?  The sweet mini peppers.  I know that sounds silly because in all honesty, I didn't do a thing to the sweet peppers.  But there was something about those peppers...grilled...dipped in that yummy sauce.  MMMMMMMM!!  Let's just say... the shrimp was good, but the peppers and sauce were divine!

Grilled Shrimp and Mini Sweet Peppers with Benihana Sauce
Sauce adapted from Top Secret Recipes
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 dry pint vine sweet mini peppers (about 20-24)
38 frozen extra large shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
extra virgin olive oil
garlic salt
pepper
For the Sauce -
5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Directions:
Put the mini sweet pepper and shrimp in a large bowl.  Toss with olive oil and season with garlic salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 350-375 degrees and oil the grill grates.  Thread the shrimp onto skewers and thread the mini peppers on their own separate skewers.  (if using wooden skewers, make sure they have soaked in water for at least 30 minutes)  Place the shrimp and pepper skewers directly over the fire and grill for about 3-4 minutes per side for the shrimp and 5-6 minutes per side for the peppers.  Carefully remove from grill.  Serve with Benihaha Shrimp sauce.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Pork Chops with Tarragon Mustard Butter