Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Butter

Yes, you read the title correctly.... SRIRACHA BUTTER!!!  Of course, when I saw this recipe, I new I was going to try ... heck, I tried it that very evening!!!  I don't think I could have looked at myself in the mirror had I not :)

This is oh, so easy and can be used on just plan old chicken or steak.  There is really no need to even marinated the meat, the butter is just THAT incredibly good.

A little note.. Ponzu, if you have never used it, is a soy sauce with either lemon or lime flavor.  It's DA-BOMB!!!

Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Butter
Adapted from Kikkoman
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons Sriracha
For the butter -
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2-3 teaspoons Sriracha
1/2 - 1 teaspoon lemon Ponzu

Directions:
Place the chicken in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag.  Pour the 2 Tablespoons Sriracha over, cover/seal, and place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the butter, Sriracha and Ponzu (adding the Sriracha and Ponzu a little at a time until you get the flavor you like) until well combined.  Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use (remove from fridge about 5-10 minutes before you are ready to serve).

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place the chicken over direct heat and grill for 7-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 3 minutes.  Scoop out a tablespoon (or less) of the butter and place on top of the chicken.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Korean Chicken
Two Years Ago:  Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Fiery Sauce
Three Years Ago:  Chimichurri Chicken Pita Pizza

Sriracha Chicken Pizza

Why I didn't think of this pizza sooner, I will never know.  BUT, as I always like to say.. better late than never!!!  If you like Sriracha and you like pizza, this is the recipe for you.  Sriracha on the chicken, Sriracha in the sauce, Sriracha over top if you feel like you are lacking....   MMMMMMMMMM....... It makes my mouth water just talking about it!!!!  :)

Sriracha Chicken Pizza
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tablespoons Sriracha, divided, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup Pizza Sauce
3 green onions, chopped
2 oz sliced black olives
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 14oz ball of pizza dough or 1 Boboli Pizza Crust

Directions:
Rub 2 tablespoons of Sriracha over both pieces of chicken (1 T per chicken).  Place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place the chicken over direct heat and grill 8-10 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bite size pieces.  Toss with a little drizzle of Sriracha; set aside.

Place a pizza stone on the grill and preheat to 425 degrees F.  If using fresh dough, roll out and brush with olive oil.  If using store bought dough, brush with olive oil also.  Place dough/crust on pizza stone and allow to grill for 4-5 minutes or until the dough is golden brown on the bottom.  Carefully remove from stone.  Flip the dough/crust over.  Mix the pizza sauce with 1 Tablespoon Sriracha and spread over cooked side of the crust. Top with chicken, black olives and cheese.  Top with chopped green onions.  Place back on the pizza stone (close the cover) and grill for another 4-5 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and golden brown and the cheese has melted.  Carefully remove from stone and allow to cool for a few minutes before you slice.  Drizzle with Sriracha if desired.  Serve and enjoy!!

One Year Ago:  Spaghetti al Limone with Grilled Lemon Chicken
Two Years Ago:  Shrimp in Love Pasta
Three Years Ago:  Sweet Pepper Olive Puree over Penne and Chicken

Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Goat Cheese Mayo

For those of you that do not know, I am a HUGE Shaun of the Dead fan.  I have seen the movie more times than I care go admit.... Okay, in fact, I would tell you exactly how many times, had the number not been so incredibly high that I can't even remember anymore :)  Well, if you too are a SotD fan, than you know that the third movie in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's Cornetto Trilogy came out on Friday.  That's right.. the much anticipated The World's End finally hit the box office in the US.  I, of course, went to see it Friday morning... there was no way I was waiting any longer!!  What did I think?  Don't worry, I'm not giving anything away, but I will say this.  I wanted more.  BUT, with that said, I laughed and had a great time with the movie and was not at all disappointed that I took a day off of work to see it :)  If you have seen both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, you definitely have to see this one.....   and I promise, that is all I will say.....   for now!!

As for this sandwich - I mean, what else needs to be said that the name doesn't already say for itself?  Goat cheese mayo makes this already delicious sandwich a definite must try!!

Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Goat Cheese Mayo
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup beer (I used Bud Light)
1 Tablespoon Sambal Oelek (ground chili paste)
1 Tablespoon Sriracha
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 lbs. steak (I used petite sirloin)
lettuce leaves
cucumber slices/tomato slices
steak rolls or hoagie buns
For the mayo -
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
dash of garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried dill
salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions:
Mix together the beer, Sambal Oelek, Sriracha and Worcestershire until well combined.  Place the steak in resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over.  Seal and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24.

To make the mayo - mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl.  Season with salt and white pepper to taste.  Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  Can be made up to two days in advance.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Remove steaks from the bag and discard marinade.  Place the steaks over direct heat and grill 4-9 minutes per side or until the steak is done to your liking.  Remove steak from grill and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

To build the sandwich:  (I like to toast my bun on the grill.. about 2 minutes per side)   Slather mayo on both cut sides of the rolls.  Top with lettuce and cucumber (tomato if you are using).  Top with steak slices and serve.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Hawaiian Pizza
Two Years Ago:  Chicken in Satay Sauce
Three Years Ago:  Grilled Parmesan Chicken

Spicy Fish Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw

Once again, this is yet another sad looking photo.  It's not bad, just sad.  Nothing to dress it up with... no sides to give the plate a little life.... I am pretty sure I was just too hungry and said F it when I took these pictures.  BUT, the recipe turned out so well, I had to share it.  Plus, I know most of the time, I'm harder on myself on my photo taking skills (or lack there of) then any of you are :)

This is a spicy way to enjoy one of our favorite meals.....
 
Spicy Fish Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
For the fish -
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tilapia fillets
flour or corn tortillas (small or medium sized) 
For the coleslaw -
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon sour cream
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
7 oz coleslaw mix (half a bag)

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the first 7 ingredients until well combined.  Sprinkle liberally over both sides of each piece of fish.  Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat grill to 350 degrees F.  Place each piece of fish in a large square of aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Pull together two sides and fold.  Fold in ends to create a packet around the fish.  Place directly over the heat and allow to grill for 7 minutes and then rotate 180 degrees.  Continue grilling for another 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Remove from grill and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting the fish into strips.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, add the mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar and jalapeno.  Pulse until jalapeno has been chopped fine.  Place the coleslaw mix in a bowl and toss with the dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Build the taco by placing two strips of fish on the tortilla and top with coleslaw.  Serve and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Culichi Sauce a la Ruben
Two Years Ago:  Grilled Pork Chops with Adobo Paste
Three Years Ago:  Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Chicken Caesar Pizza

Some of you may remember my Caesar salad kick a few months back.  If not, it's okay, I don't expect you to remember EVERYTHING I post :)  Anyway, there was a couple weeks a few months back where I had at least three different types of Caesar salad creations.  Mainly the big difference was the dressing.  So why I am telling you this?  Well.....   I must not be over my Caesar kick because I saw this recipe and turned around and made it a few days later.  And boy, let me tell you, it was fantastic!  I used homemade Caesar dressing, which, I believe is the way to go, but you can always use store bought.  Actually, the original recipe calls for store bought dressing and already cooked chicken, which makes this already simple recipe a breeze to throw together.

Chicken Caesar Pizza
Adapted from Taste of Home
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 Mama Mia Pizza Crust, thin and crispy
olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing (store bought or homemade)
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1-2 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions:
Remove 2 Tablespoons of the dressing and rub over both sides of the chicken breast.  Place on a plate, cover and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.  Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place the chicken over direct heat and grill 8-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches on internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Remove from grill and allow to cool completely before cutting into bite size chunks.  Toss cut chicken with another tablespoon or two of the Caesar dressing and set aside.

Preheat grill to 400-425 degrees F.  (If using a pizza stone, place pizza stone on gill grates while preheating).  Brush olive oil over both sides of the pizza.  Place on pizza stone and grill for 2-3 minutes, or just until the bottom is golden brown.  Carefully remove crust from stone and bring inside.  Flip crust over and spread all but 1-2 tablespoons of the Caesar dressing over the cooked side of the crust.  Top with chicken, tomatoes and then the cheese.  Place back on grill and grill for another 3-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted.  Carefully remove from grill.  Toss remaining 1-2 Tablespoons with the lettuce.  Place the lettuce on top of the pizza, slice and serve.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Two Years Ago:  Chorizo Chipotle Pasta
Three Years Ago:  Beer Brined Pork Chops with Cheddar

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream

I can't believe that summer is almost over.  Actually, for some kids, who are back in school already, summer IS over.  Weather-wise, at least here, summer has a ways to go.  BUT, I am aware it's not that way in other parts of the country, so I figured, I better post this recipe before it's too late.

If you follow Mary's blog, Barefeet in the Kitchen, you'll know she has been on an ice cream making frenzy this summer.  It was hard to keep up, I must admit.  There was at least one recipe, however, that stood out amoung the rest of them and it was this one - Chocolate covered strawberry ice cream.....    enough said, right??

The one thing I changed that I wished I had not was the chocolate chips.  I was lazy and just left them in as chips, but Mary melted them and had this chocolate swirl that went through the ice cream.  Next time, I will definitely take the extra time to do it.  Otherwise, the ice cream was some of the best I have had!!!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream
Slightly adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of kosher salt
8 strawberries, washed and hulled
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, half and half, vanilla and salt in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Add the strawberries and puree until smooth once again.  Pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.  Add the chocolate chips in the last three minutes of churning.  Pour into freezer safe dishes and freeze overnight.  Let stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before scooping and serving.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Old School BBQ Chicken
Two Years Ago:  White Chocolate Chip & Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream
Three Years Ago:  Parmesan Orzo with Salmon

Sambal Chicken with Grilled Avocados & Green Onions

For those of you that have been following my blog for a while now, you know that I struggle from time to time with Chris and his food dislikes.  Take for instance chicken.  He hates dark meat.  I love it.  In the past, it was just easier to buy all breasts and be done with it, but lately, not only have I wanted to save money, but I have been WANTING dark meat chicken.  To me it's more flavorful and is less likely to dry out.  One day at the store it hit me... why not get a pack of breasts for him and a pack of thighs for me?  Problem solved and everyone is happy!!!

Now, not only did we both get to actual enjoy what we like best, BUT, I also found my new food love:  Grilled Avocado!!!!   Yep, you read that right.... grilled avocado.  Slap that baby on the grill with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and you have yourself a wonderfully creamy and utterly delicious side dish that would compliment ANY meal!

Sambal Chicken with Grilled Avocados & Green Onions
Adapted from Bon Appetit
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless breast and 1-2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sambal Oelek (ground chili paste)
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
2 Tablespoons Sriracha 
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bunch green onions
1-2 large ripe avocado, cut in half lengthwise and seed removed
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.  Place in a resealable plastic bag.  In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, vinegar, Sambal Oelek, fish sauce, Sriracha and ginger until well combined.  Pour mixture of chicken and seal bag.  Place in refrigerator for 2-8 hours.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place the chicken over direct heat and grill 5-9 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  In the last 4-5 minutes of grilling, drizzle olive oil over the green onions and the avocado.  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  Place avocado fruit side down and grill for 4 minutes.  Place the green onions on a strip of foil and grill for 4-5 minutes, rotating to ensure an even grill.  Carefully remove everything and allow to rest for a few minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Sticky Grilled Chicken
Two Years Ago:  Jalapeno Hot Sauce
Three Years Ago:  Mini Meatball Subs

Creamy Avocado Dressing

I know I posted so many salad recipes before it truly was summer for everyone else in the country - so I thought it was time to create something new, just as  a reminder to all the ways you can enjoy a simple salad, no matter what time of year it may be.  Like adding this delicious dressing to your menu!!!  I've been on a bit of an avocado kick lately, probably because I can find really good ones right now.  Okay, I still have a bit of an issue with picking the right ones at the store, but from time to time, I do pretty darn well.  And this was one of those times.  The avocado was perfectly ripe and it was easy to cream into this wonderful tasting dressing that would be a perfect accompaniment to any salad!!

Creamy Avocado Dressing
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 large, ripe avocado
1 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice (I used lemon)
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Carefully slice the avocado lengthwise and remove the seed.  Scoop the avocado out with a spoon and place in a bowl of a food processor.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper and pulse until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  I added just 1/2 teaspoon of water to thin the dressing out just a tad bit.  Serve over your favorite salad and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Tilapia with Old Bay Compound Butter
Two Years Ago:  Pork Chimichurri Kabobs
Three Years Ago:  Oreo Truffles

A Basil Plant and a Pizza Stone......

I was going to share a recipe with you today, but I got a little behind and didn't have time to write up a full post.  Instead, I thought I would show you two new things of mine that I have thoroughly enjoyed recently.  My basil plant and my new pizza stone!!!

This is my basil plant:

She's a bit on the small side still, and I need to find a better place for her to get more sunlight, but otherwise, she keeps producing and I have saved major money not having to purchase any over the last few months.  It's been fantastic!!!

And now my pizza stone:

Okay, so it's not all that exciting to look at... but this stone (I have another one) is being used only on my grill.  And it makes pizza making a breeze!!  Okay, it makes pizza grilling a breeze, the pizza dough making part is still a stickler for me :)

AND last but not least... put them both together and what do you get?

Simple grilled chicken pizza with fresh basil!!!!
(if you really want the recipe, email me at jennsfoodjourney@gmail.com)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Grilling/Cooking!!

One Year Ago:  Stuff Burgers - aka Jucy Lucy

Two Years Ago:  Grilled Chipotle BBQ Shrimp

Three Years Ago:  Chicken Cordon Bleu...One The Grill!!

 

Grilled Steaks with Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce

I haven't been posting a lot of sauce recipes lately.  Oh, don't you worry, I've been making sauces... it's just that.... well, I haven't been making anything new.  I quickly mentioned on Monday that I was having a bit of a "cookers block" (yes I made that up, whatever), and, well... it's true.  I have been in a slump.  I don't have much excitement about cooking lately and I really don't like the feeling.  I know it will pass... it always does... but this has lasted longer than usual and none of my usual tricks are helping me creep out of my funk.  It's just a bit frustrating, is all.  ANYWAY... I was recently inspired to make a teriyaki balsamic sauce that I knew would work perfectly with steak.  And what's great... I was right!  The sauce turned out to be simple, delicious and was the perfect condiment for the steak!

Grilled Steaks with Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 Steaks (I used rib eye)
1/3 cup beer
1 Tablespoon chili paste (Sambal Oekel)
2 teaspoons Sriracha
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons homemade or store bought teriyaki sauce

Directions:
Place steaks in a resealable plastic bag.  In a small bowl, mix together the beer, chili paste and Sriracha until well combined.  Pour over steaks.  Seal bag and place in refrigerator for 2-8 hours (the long they sit, the better they will be).

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, over medium-high heat, add the soy, balsamic and teriyaki sauce.  Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 5 minutes, or just until the sauce starts to thicken.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place the steak over direct heat and grill 5-10 minutes per side or until it's reached your desired doneness.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Serve with sauce and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Grilled Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Tomatoes over Pasta
Two Years Ago:  Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Creamy, Cooling Asian Sauce
Three Years Ago:  The Real Chimichurri

Cumin-Chile Pork Chops

Some of you may have read about this in a post from a week or so ago, but I should probably officially announce that Chris and I are getting married!!  Yes, yes, it's true.  He actually asked me on Christmas day, but I'm not one to call a lot of attention to myself personally, so I thought it was weird to announce it on my blog.  BUT, since I don't have too much else to talk about and over the weekend I had my first experience wedding dress shopping, I figured now would be as good as time as any to announce we are getting married :)  And the wedding dress shopping experience???  It was fun... but it did confirm that I do not want a traditional wedding dress.  Not that that should shock anyone that knows me well, but at least it was a confirmation to me that I am still heading in the right direction!!

Anyway... sorry I rambled, but honestly, between having cookers block and writers block, I'm struggling with my posts.  So, just know, this was a great recipe and although I don't have the exact words to describe it, it was amazingly simple and packed with a ton of flavor.  What else do you truly need to know, right?

Cumin-Chile Pork Chops
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large jalapeno, stem and seeds removed and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, quartered
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
drop of sesame oil
3-4 pork chops (I used bone-in pork chops)

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients, except the pork, into a food processor and pulse until smooth.  Place the pork in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over.  Cover/seal and place in refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place the pork over direct heat and grill 4-6 minutes per side or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degree F.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Herby Grilled Potatoes
Two Years Ago:  Grilled Steaks w/Chipotle Butter and Feta Oregano Butter
Three Years Ago:  Whole Grain Penne with Creamy Sausage Alfredo

Almost Famous Milkshakes

(Picture courtesy of The Food Network)

I had to borrow the photo you see from The Food Network.  I am not the best photographer of drinks... it could be that we don't have the best glasses or it could be that I just can't photograph liquids... either way, I made these two separate times and could not even get a remotely good looking photo.  ANYWAY... normally, I wouldn't post this recipe since I couldn't get a real picture of it, but it's just too darn good to not share with you.  Although these almost famous shakes are a copy-cat recipe from a restaurant called Friendly's and I had never been to a Friendly's before, I can safely say these are a must try!  To me, they tasted like McDonald's shakes... only better!!

Almost Famous Milkshakes
Recipe courtesy The Food Network
- Serves 2 -
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pints chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup vanilla flavored syrup

Directions:
Put the evaporated milk and vanilla syrup in a blender, then put the blender jar and 2 large glasses in the freezer; chill for at least 20 minutes.

When ready to serve, remove the ice cream and blender jar from the freezer.  Scoop in half the ice cream into the blender and blend on high until smooth.  Add the remaining ice cream and blend until smooth.  Remove the glasses from the freezer and fill with the shake; serve immediately.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Basil-Mint Grilled Chicken
Two Years Ago:  Thai Shrimp & Chicken Stir Fry with Tomatoes and Basil
Three Years Ago:  Grilled Tilapia with Butter and Key Lime Juice

Grilled Spicy Sweet Chicken

I've been on a bit of a Sriracha kick again.... which is definitely not a bad thing.  I've been trying to find more and more ways to use it in marinades and in sauces.  Since discovering it over 15 years ago (yep, 15 years...), it has been my absolute favorite condiment.  Only until the last several years, though, have I actually incorporated it so much into my recipes.  Seriously, the only way I used it for a long time, was by itself and only as a condiment.  Boy, oh boy, am I glad those days are behind me.  With out the experimenting, we'd never have gotten to enjoy meals like this :)

Grilled Spicy Sweet Chicken
Adapted from Bon Appetit
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Sriracha
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon mirin
1 1/2 Tablespoons strawberry jelly
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix together the Sriracha, vinegar, mirin and strawberry jelly until well combined.  Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.  Place chicken in resealable plastic bag or shallow dish and pour in the marinade.  Make sure chicken is fully coated.  Seal or cover and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour (mine sat for 2 hours).

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Remove chicken from marinade and place over direct heat.  Grill 8-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Remove from grill and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy! (served ours with a basic lemon aioli)

One Year Ago:  Grilled Steaks with Garlic Herb Cheesy Butter
Two Years Ago:  Chorizo Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise
Three Years Ago:  Lemon Dill Tilapia

Spicy Peanut Lime Shrimp

When time is short and you want something delicious and light, this is the recipe for you!  It uses minimal ingredients and the part that takes the longest is letting it marinate!  That's the definition of easy in my book.  I served the shrimp over a nice big salad, but you can serve it over rice or noodles or just on it's own.  It's completely up to you.  And... for those of you that don't like shrimp, use chicken strips instead - granted cook time is longer, but you'll still have a delicious and light dinner in no time at all!

Spicy Peanut Lime Shrimp
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
drop of sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha
30-40 medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed

Directions:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together all the ingredients, except the chicken, until well combined.  Place the shrimp in a shallow bowl and pour the marinade over top.  Toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Place an oiled grill pan over direct heat and let sit for 1 minute.  Place the shrimp on the grill pan and grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.  Carefully remove from grill and serve immediately.  Serve over salad, noodles, or rice and veggies.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Easy Summer Veggie Pasta
Two Years Ago:  Jalapeno Beef Kabobs with Roasted Garlic Aioli
Three Years Ago:  Strawberry Ice Cream

I'd like to thank the academy.....

For those of you that follow Mary, The Food Floozie, you will know that she has taken a much needed break away from blogging for the summer.  BUT, bless her heart, she took the time to accept an award that was given to her on 7/11!  A well deserved award, too, I might add. Like with any award, she was asked to answer questions, to tell us a little about herself and to give the award to 11 other bloggers.  I, if you haven't figured it out yet, was one of the very grateful recipients of this award!!   The only downside is that I haven't had the time to do the full request that comes with the award.  I can't let that stop me though, so I'm going to graciously accept the award (thank you sooooo much, Mary!!!!) but I'm going to ask that Mary forgive me as I will not be following the exact rules.....

The rules state this:
1.  Link back to whomever awarded the prize (check, already did that!)
2.  State 11 random facts about yourself (I'm going to state 5, sorry)
3.  Answer 11 questions from the award giver (This is the part I am definitely doing!)
4.  Nominate another 11 bloggers and come up with 11 questions for them (I'm going to skip this part all together... well, I might ask YOU all 1 question, but that's it)

Okay, so with that out of the way, here we go:

Five Random Facts About Me (and all new facts.. no repeats from previous posts):

(Picture courtesy mrwallpaper.com)

1. I am afraid of heights.   Well, maybe I'm not so afraid of heights as I am the sudden stop when you fall, but still... I am sticking with a fear of heights.  I get light headed, I get really sweaty palms and I get the shakes.  It's a strange feeling.  I took up rock climbing when I first moved to Arizona in hopes that it would help me overcome this fear.... alas, I think it might have made it worse!  lol

(picture courtesy www.tumblr.com )

2.  I am a very shy person.  I know, for most of you that have known me for some time, you might not believe it, but it is true.  When I was younger, I was so shy that I would go to a friends house and their parents would say hello to me and I would immediately turn bright red and I couldn't look them in the eye.  Oh, I always said hello, but man, it about killed me!  It's gotten easier as I've gotten older, but it's still there.  I try and pretend I'm not shy and crack a lot of jokes, but on the inside... OMG, I am freaking out on the inside!!

(picture courtesy 100redflags.com) 

3.  I am a sweet-oholic.  My name is Jenn and I am addicted to sweets.  Cookies, chocolate, ice cream, cake, pie... you name it, if it's sweet, I want it.  I have a bad habit of always having one of those said things in the house at all times.  I've tried to go without them, but I just can't.  I find myself rummaging around for an opened back of chocolate chips or something.... soooooo, to stop that humiliation, I just make sure I have stuff in the house all the time.  Now, with that said, I try to be very good about it... I try to stick with just one or two cookies at night, or one or two pieces of chocolate.  So at least I can say I have my addiction under control.... for the time being at least :)

4.  I am always early.  There is no such thing as on time or late with me.  I am notoriously at least 5-10 minutes early no matter where I go.  And I HATE it when people are more than 10 minutes late to something.  It's one of those things that is a huge pet peeve of mine.  To me, if I'm on time, I'm late.  Now I don't expect everyone to have that attitude, all I expect is that people are ON TIME :)

5.  I want to see Mt. Everest - up close and personal.  No, I do not want to climb it, I will be okay with just standing at the base of it, but I really want to see it.  I have been fascinated with that mountain for years and years now.  It's interesting to me the pull that it has on people and the amount of people that are willing to risk their lives to get to the top... only to spend about 10 minutes there and work your way back down... that's just crazy!!  Anyway, there is a trek that you can take from Katmandu to Everest base camp and someday, someday.... I am going to do it!

Now, the really fun part - the 11 questions Mary asked me to answer: 

1. What is the first thing you'll ask God when you get to Heaven? (We're all going to Heaven, we're just taking different scenic routes)?  This was a tough one for me to answer.  I had all these silly questions immediately pop into my head... you know like - "Where's Jimmy Hoffa?"  or "Who was the gunman that fired the shot from the grassy knoll?" or "What's up with the platypus anyway?"  or better yet "What the heck just happened to me?"  But after getting past those silly thoughts, I really tried to think seriously about it.  And after some thought, the first thing I would ask God when I get to Heaven would be... "Will you take me to see my grandmothers, please?"

2. What is your favorite "me time" indulgence?  Reading.  Might sound silly to some, but it's my favorite thing to do for me.  I devour books - so yes, I definitely indulge :)

3. What is the word or phrase you overuse the most?  I'm pretty sure that would have to be "Fantastic" or "Suck It."  I say both quite a bit... and don't worry mom, the last one I say out of pure fun, not to be mean or hateful :)

4. What is your favorite side dish at Thanksgiving?  I must admit, my favorite Thanksgiving side dish is homemade cranberry sauce!  Not the canned stuff.. never the canned stuff.  But fresh, homemade cranberry sauce.  And although I like it flavored or spiced up, I adore just plain old cranberries cooked in water and sugar....mmmmmm!

5. What is your most cringe-inducing, most appalling, most ridiculous dating story?  Ha!  Good thing for me, I did not have a ton of really appalling and ridiculous dating stories.  I think probably the worse date I was ever on was with this guy that a friend of a friend set me up with (I should have known something was wrong at that point.. sigh!).  Anyway, he called me up and told me that he'd pick me up the next night and to dress nice, as he would take me some place nice.  Okay, so I'm in AZ, and it's summer, I didn't get too dressed but, but I put a summer dress on.. and for me, that's huge!  Anyway... so he picks me up and we end up at Denny's.  Yes, that's right, he asked me to dress up to go to Denny's.  Okay, whatever, I like Denny's, they have pretty good breakfast and maybe he was taking me someplace nice AFTER dinner.  We sit down and order drinks... he proceeds to talk non-stop about himself for the next hour.  When I try to say something, he literally holds up his hands, shhh's me and says "I'm not finished yet, wait your turn".  Needless to say, after an hour I went into the bathroom and called a friend of mine to come and pick me up.  Ten minutes later, he enters the restaurant and walks to the table.. meanwhile this guy is STILL talking about himself.  I stand up, look him straight in the eye and said, please don't call me again.  He looks at me and yells at the top of his lungs.. BITCH!!  Ahhhhhhhh.. those were the days!!  hehehe

6. What has your greatest accomplishment been so far in 2013?  This might sound silly to some, but my greatest accomplishment so far this year has been to get grass to grow in our front yard!! WOOHOOO!!!  Anyone that knows my struggles over the last two years will understand my joy over this and for those that do not know the history, just know, I started with nothing, got weeds to grow, killed everything, got grass to finally grow.  Whew!! :)

7. What website do you check most often throughout the day?  Gmail.  I really don't have much time during the day to surf the web, but when I do have a moment, it's to check my email.

8.  It's Christmas in July; in your letter to Santa, what are you asking him to leave under the tree for you?  Honestly, I would ask him for money right now.  I haven't made this a bit announcement yet on here, so I guess now is as good a time as any:  Chris and I are getting married in May of next year.  Soooo, you see, if Santa could bring me a little money to help with the cost of the honeymoon, I would be a hap-hap-happy girl!!

9.  Have you ever been to Michigan?  Sadly, no :(

10. If so, when, where, why?  If not, why not???  I don't know!  I mean I have no good excuse other than I don't really like traveling and I haven't had the funds to do any sort of traveling up until just a few years ago.  But, Thanks to the blogging world, I have met Mary and hopefully the next time I'm asked question number 9, I'll be able to say YES!!!

11. What is your favorite kind of pie?  Yikes, this was another hard one for me because it is a toss up between chocolate cream pie and apple pie.  I might lean more toward chocolate because that is usually always the same.  Apple pie, however, tends to be different from time to time.. and when I say different, I mean how the apples are cut.  I'm particular about that...they have to be thinly sliced or chopped small.  No big chucks, no thick-thick pieces.  Basically, it has to be a lot like my moms for me to really enjoy it :)

Whew.. thanks for sticking around to read all of this.  I actually really enjoyed answering Mary's questions.  Some of them definitely made me think!!  Now, since I have already bent the rules, I'm going to just go ahead and break them all together.  Instead of picking 11 bloggers to give this award to, I'm just going to ask you all one question in hopes you will answer when you comment.

This is a question people have been asked before, but it's one that always fascinates me:

If you could have dinner with anyway... alive or dead.... who would it be and why?

So there you have it.  Again, a HUGE thank you to Mary for this award.  And for all of you for being such loyal readers!

Happy Cooking (and Grilling)!!!!