Smoked Chicken and Rajas with Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes

What do you do when a fine neighbor brings an offering from his garden? Perhaps you combine it with an offering from your own for a simple yet satisfying meal.

We have been watching some fine Anaheim Chiles grow in our front yard, evidently a volunteer plant from last year's Chile Ristras that decorated our porch from the holidays. When the tomatoes arrived I decided dinner had to be something that could highlight both.

Hickory and apple wood smoked chicken breasts with New Mexican spices, Rajas and Spanish Rice with refried beans complimented the fresh tomatoes. Rajas are a combination of sauteed onions, garlic, roasted chiles and spices combined with cream that create a rich and delicious dish that can stand alone or compliment Carne or Pollo Asada. I hope you enjoy the recipes below as much as we did.

Smoked Chicken Breast

The chicken breast was prepared with a spicy southwest rub and slow cooked with indirect heat on the grill with apple and hickory wood chips. It is finished by grilling on direct heat till desired appearance and color.

Anaheim Chile Rajas

You can use different peppers or seasonings but this is a good model recipe.

I N G R E D I E N T S
4 medium, fresh Anaheim chiles, roasted and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2/3 cup crema or whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon - thyme, 1 tsp Mexican oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Chiles: Stem and seed the roasted chiles. You can remove the veins if you want a more mild rajas. Slice the chiles crosswise into 1/4" strips.

Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat and fry the onions until they brown, about 7 -8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chile strips, cook 2 minutes.

Add the cream, herbs, and bay leaves and simmer until the liquid reduces enough to just coat the vegetables. Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust salt as needed. 

 Rice: 

1 Cup rice
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 Cup diced white onion
1/4 Cup diced green onion
1 clove garlic, diced or minced
1 Tbsp spicy southwest rub or to taste


Coat bottom of skillet with Olive or vegetable oil. Add rice and stir fry for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, diced white onions and diced green peppers and continue to stir until the onions are translucent and the rice may begin to brown. Add one can diced tomatoes (with juice) and lightly sprinkle with seasonings such as spicy southwest rub . Add water to cover rice and simmer with lid until rice is done.

To Finish:
Add refried beans, the fresh sliced San Marzano tomatoes, and sprinkle with grated or crumbled Cotija cheese.

Smoked, Cajun spiced Turkey on the Barbeque

Though she decided she didn't want to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving, two days later Valerie decided that turkey should be on the menu.

We usually cook just the Turkey breast, but for $8 I bought a whole turkey and decided to cook it non-traditionally. I removed the thighs, drumsticks and wings, and coated them with oil and a Cajun spice rub made for poultry I had in the spice drawer. I then mixed that same spice with a tablespoon or so of honey and some oil to make a paste, and then rubbed my Turkey breast in preparation for the smoker (be sure to get under the skin when you rub!).

I smoked the Turkey at approximately 250 until the internal temp reached 160 (about 4 hours), and also placed the other pieces on the grill (all on indirect heat). Apple and cherry woods were used for the smoke. When the Turkey breast reached abbout 140 I wrapped it in foil until done.

Taste was fantastic (and I have recieved the edict that all turkeys henceforth shall be smoked).This method gave me much more smokey flavor than roasting or smoking the whole bird.  This is important, because the leftovers of the pieces will then be removed from the bone and simmered with spices to make turkey tacos or burritos (more about that in a later post).

To go with the turkey, I made Whipped Potatoes with Cilantro Pesto, and a cauliflower-broccoli-carrot gratin. The garnish, instead of the traditional cranberries, was Black Currant preserves.

Whipped Potatoes with Cilantro Pesto

(Recipe Courtesy Bobby Flay)

This recipe is fairly simple to make if you have a simple food processor.

Mashed potatoes: Peel and boil the potatoes until fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, take

1C packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 C fresh parseley

1 coarse chopped garlic clove

2 TBS pine nuts

 and process them till smooth.

Add

 1/4 C parmesan cheese

 and some olive oil (till emulsified)

salt and pepper to taste.

Add butter to the potatoes as you mash them, and then and milk or cream and whip with a mixer until fluffy. Fold, do not mix, the pesto into the potatoes... finished look should be marbled rather than blended smooth.

For the Cauliflower-Goat Cheese Gratin:

 (Recipe Courtesy Bobby Flay)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 bu. broccolli, cut into florets
2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (cooks note: I used Pepper Jack)
2 cups grated Parmesan
6 ounces goat cheese, cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Layer the cauliflower, heavy cream, and the 3 cheeses in a large casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Thai Peanut Chicken Stir Fry

Sometimes being lazy works out pretty well.

I would normally make my own sauce, but trader joes has a real nice "Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinigairette". It is spiced real well for me, so I added it to a couple of pounds of chicken tenders and marinated it for about 8 hours. I then grilled the tenders over charcoal with maple smoke for about 15 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside with peanuts and chopped cilantro sprinkled over the top.

For the vegetables, julienned carrot, julienned Jicama (had it in the fridge so what the heck), celery, julienned Red Pepper, rough chopped green onion, and fresh cilantro. Stir fry with peanut oil if you have it, add a clove of fresh minced garlic and salt and pepper; add the carrots and jicama first, add the peppers and celery after about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in the green onion and cilantro.

Serve over rice place on a bed of fresh baby spinach and sliced tomatoes, drizzle extra Peanut vinigiarette over the top.

Southwest Spiced Grilled Chicken with Apricot Ginger Sauce and Lime Cilantro Beans

The chicken breast was prepared with a spicy southwest rub and then grilled on direct heat till done and a drizzle of Aprcot ginger sauce. Pictured above with Cilantro Lime coleslaw, Southwestern beans, and tomato-cucumber salad with red onion and fresh oregano in Balsamic vinagairette

Apricot Glaze:

1 C Apricot preserves; 1/4 C maple syrup, 1/4 C packed brown Sugar, 3 tbsp Cider Vinegar, 1 tsp grated or minced fresh ginger, fresh ground black pepper

SOUTHWESTERN CILANTRO LIME PINTOS
All Natural Diabetes Cookbookby Jackie Newgent

Ingredients

• 2 tsp peanut or canola oil

• 1 large garlic dove, minced

• 1 small jalapeno pepper with some seeds, minced

• 1 (15-oz) can organic pinto beans, drained

• 1/4 cup natural vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the beans and broth and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the liquid is nearly evaporated.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve hot as a side or cool as a salad.

Southwestern Slaw
Recipe 2005, Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
1 medium jicama, sliced into thin strips (about 3 cups)
1/4 head cabbage, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, toss together the jicama, cabbage, onion, and cilantro. In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine.

Smoked Baby Backs, Apricot Chicken, and Marinated Artichoke with Cauliflower Gratin and Southwestern Slaw

Sometimes you practice and practice and then it is Showtime! With friends in town, it was time to cook all day and see what happened.

For the ribs, a spicy New Mexico style rub, 6 hours of smoking and a finishing Cherry-Chipotle Barbeque sauce (both recipes from Karen Putman's "Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food") ... and as long as I had room on the smoker I might as well smoke a pastrami for sandwiches later... right?!

Pictured above:

Smoked Baby backs with a Cherry Chipotle bbq sauce, Chicken Skewers with an Apricot glaze, Southwestern Slaw, Cauliflower Goat Cheese Gratin, and Smoked marinated Artichoke

For the baby backs: Cooking method is avg 230 degrees on a smoker. 2 1/2 to three hours smoking with a mixture of charcoal, oak and hickory or fruit wood such as cherry. Spray with apple juice every half hour or so. At the end of that time, wrap the ribs in foil (adding about a 1/4 cup of apple juice) and place back on the smoker for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Un wrap and place back on the grill for about 1/2 hour while glazing with sauce. (Rub and Sauce recipes courtesy Karen Putman's book "Championship Barbeque Secrets for Real Smoked Food")
Note: This cooking method is to produce ribs that are firm and pull cleanly off the bone; for "fall off the bone" ribs leave them in the foil a little longer.

Cherry Chipotle Barbeque Sauce
2 cups Ketchup
1 cup Cherry Preserves
1/2 cup Cherry Juice
1/2 packed brown suger
3 tsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp chipotle pepper sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder

Blend and simmer for about 10 minutes for flavors to blend

For the Chicken Skewers: Four or so chicken breasts sliced into thin strips and threaded onto pre-soaked bamboo skewers. Place on grill... when you flip them over glaze the cooked side, and when you take them off glaze the other side.

Apricot Glaze: (Adapted from Karen Putman's book above)

1 C Apricot preserves; 1/4 C maple syrup, 1/4 C packed brown Sugar, 3 tbsp Cider Vinegar, 1 tsp grated or minced fresh ginger, fresh ground black pepper

For the Marinated Artichoke: (recipe courtesy Artichokes.org)

(Recipe for 4 artichokes, 8 servings ½ artichoke each)
This recipe is perfect for the lazy cook, since all preparation can be done the previous day. The slightly smoky taste compliments the nuttiness of the artichoke and no dip is necessary, although some might want to use additional marinade for dipping.

Ingredients: 4 large artichokes, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 T minced ginger, ¼ cup olive oil

Method:
Slice artichoke tops off, crosswise. Trim Stems.
Boil or steam artichokes until bottoms pierce easily, or a petal pulls off easily.
Drain artichokes. Cool. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and scrape out fuzzy center and any purple tipped petals.
Mix remaining ingredients in a large plastic bag. Place artichokes in the bag and coat all sides of the artichokes. For best flavor marinate in the mixture overnight in the refrigerator but should marinate at least one hour.
Drain artichokes. Place cut side down on a grill over a solid bed of medium coals or gas grill on medium. Grill until lightly browned on the cut side, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn artichokes over and drizzle some of the remaining marinade over the artichokes. Grill until petal tips are lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Serve hot or room temperature

For the Cauliflower-Goat Cheese Gratin: (Recipe Courtesy Bobby Flay)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (cooks note: I used Pepper Jack)
2 cups grated Parmesan
6 ounces goat cheese, cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Layer the cauliflower, heavy cream, and the 3 cheeses in a medium casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Cook's Note: Recipe can be doubled and made in a roasting pan.

For the Southwestern Slaw: (recipe Courtesy Ellie Krieger)

Ingredients
1 medium jicama, sliced into thin strips (about 3 cups)
1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and pepper

Directions
In a large bowl, toss together the jicama, cabbage, onion, and cilantro. In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine.

Smoked Chicken with Roasted Pepper Sauce and stuffed tomato and pepper

For the Chicken:

Marinate 1 to 2 hours in a mixture of Balsamic Vinegar, fresh rosemary, garlic, fresh ground pepper and olive oil.

Roasted pepper sauce:

About 4 oz. goat cheese, about 1/4 C store bought roasted red peppers in liquid, fresh rosemary. Combine peppers and goatcheese, rosemary and about 1 tbs of the juice from the peppers into food processor and blend until smooth.

For the Tomatoes and Peppers:

Combine cooked rice with chicken stock, sauteed onions, chopped pecans, fresh parseley, and apples. (also, dried fruit works great in this, like apricots or cherries...)

Hollow out the tomatoes and peppers, and fill with rice mixture.

Place chicken and tomatoes and peppers on the grill, on indirect medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes... use fruitwood for the smoke.

Thai Peanut Chicken with Coconut Vegatables and Black Rice

For the chicken, cut the chicken into thin strips, and simply marinate with some Thai peanut dressing (I found a good Thai Peanut vinagairette at Trader Joes)

For the Vegetables:

Oliver Oil

1 large onion, Diced ginger, Lemon Zest, Carrots, Celery, Red Pepper, Sugar Snap Peas or green beans, Coconut Milk, Vegatable (or chicken) broth, cumin, sweet chili sauce, Fresh cilantro.

julienne celery, carrots, red pepper, onion, and set aside along with sugar snap peas or green beans.

Heat oil in wok or skillet and add onion and 1 tsp cumin, stir fry until golden. Add carrots, chopped ginger and Lemon Zest,and stir fry with onion for a couple of minutes till firm. Add celery and pepper till they have just begun to soften. Add 1/2 C of coconut milk and 1/2 C of stock along with 1 tbs sweet chili sauce and simmer uncovered until sauce reduces. Add peas or beans with the clantro and cook until beans are tender...

As vegetables are finishing, in a large skillet or Wok, stir fry the chicken at fairly high heat until done to your liking... add peanuts at the end and set aside with some extra peanut sauce. Top with chopped green onion.

I added some of the Lemon Zest and Chopped ginger to the Black rice also to tie the flavors together a little bit.

Smoked Shrimp Tacos and Smoked Chicken Tacos

Marinade for Shrimp:

About a pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Olive oil, cumin, chipotle powder, garlic powder, coriander powder.

Dust all ingredients on shrimp and toss the shrimp with Olive oil to coat... set aside.

Marinade for chicken:

2 - 4 chicken breasts.

(Note: If they are large, flay each breast to make thinner pieces of meat so the coating will be on a greater surface area)

Olive oil, cumin, chipotle powder, Fresh Ground black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, coriander powder, and red wine vinegar.

Dust all ingredients on chicken and toss with Olive oil to coat... set aside.

Over medium heat, Grill/smoke the chicken with mesquite wood. Add the shrimp when the Chicken is almost done, directly over the coals for about 2 minutes per side or until pink.

Cilantro Lime Crema

(goes well with the Shrimp tacos)
I started with Crema Mexicana from the store, and added a bit of sour cream (3 tbs), about 1/4 C fresh cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and a clove of garlic. Put it in the food processor till smooth and set aside to blend flavors.

Avocado Tomatillo Salsa:

(Goes well with both the Shrimp and the chicken)
1/2 small onion, quartered
1/2 jalapeno, quartered, seeds optional
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
1 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Add all of the above to a food processor and blend to desired consistency... I made mine smooth.

Beans:

Mix one can refried beans with 1 can "Ranch Style" Pinto beans with Jalapeno peppers

Garnish all with grated Cotija cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, Chopped tomatoes... etc.

Stuffed Chicken w/ goat cheese and oregano

Pretty easy and good for summer...oregano is the common factor in all the elements of this..

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Oregano served with Yam chips and Cucumber Salad

either slice a pocket in a large chicken breast, or pound the breast flat

Make a mixture of goat cheese, fresh chopped oregano and a small bit of maple syrup or agave nectar... stuff the breasts or spread mixture and fold over pounded breasts. Place in a flat pan and drizzle Maple syrup (or Agave or whatever you have) and lemon Juice...let stand for about 10 minutes, turn, add salt and pepper and let stand for another 10 min.

grill indirectly on medium heat with fruitwood such as cherry or apple

note: for a bit more savory taste, add chopped green onion to the stuffing...

Yam Chips:

coat thin slices of yam with Olive oil and season with salt, pepper, dried oregano and a bit of galrlic powder... bake at 425 - 450 till desired crispness.

The cucumber salad:

Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion with a mixture of fresh chopped mint and oregano and a balsamic vinegairette

Chicken Fajita Salad with Pepito Cilantro Dressing

I know it is just a salad but dang the dressing is good. I have purchased bottled El Torito's Pepito Cilantro dressing, but it is not even close to the fresh version!

I started out with a spicy rub and smoked the chicken with mesquite. That was sliced and sauteed in with tri color peppers and onion for the fajitas. The key is the pepitas (roasted shelled pumpkin seeds) and cotija cheese...

El Torito`s Mexican Caesar Salad
note: I halved the recipe below from CD kitchen.com and it made plenty.
Category: E - Copy Cat Restaurant Recipes
Serves/Makes: 4 Difficulty Level: 4 Ready In: 30 min

***Salad:***
2 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 large head romaine lettuce, rinsed and spun dry
1/3 cup finely grated Cotija cheese
Roasted red bell pepper, peeled and cut into julienne strips
1/2 cup pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)

***Cilantro Pepita Dressing:***
1 medium Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled and seeded
2 1/2 tbsp roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces salad oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons grated Cotija cheese (see note)
1 small bunches cilantro, stemmed
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp water

Directions:
Place all dressing ingredients except cilantro, mayonnaise and water in a blender of food processor. Blend
approximately 10 seconds, and then add cilantro little by little until blended smooth. Depending on size of blender, it may be necessary to do in batches.
Place mayonnaise and water in a large stainless steel bowl, and mix with a wire whip until smooth. Add the blended ingredients to the mayonnaise mixture, and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate. Will keep for three days. Yields 1 quart.
To assemble salad: Cut corn tortillas into matchstick-size strips. Heat oil in saut an; fry tortilla strips until crisp.
Remove with slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Tear romaine into bite-size pieces. Place greens on salad plates and ladle approximately 2 ounces of cilantro pepita dressing on each salad.
Sprinkle each dish with Cotija cheese and tortilla strips. Arrange four red pepper strips like spokes on the top of each salad, and garnish with whole pepitas.
Note: Cotija cheese is a hard cheese, similar to Parmesan. It is available at some grocery stores and most Mexican markets.

Five Spice Chicken W/ Black Rice and Broccoli Stir Fry

I Found this recipe at Epicurious.com... Really good flavor... the dipping sauce makes it!

We will make this one again.

Five Spice Chicken

by Mai Pham

Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table
Ga Ngu Vi Huong
The best five-spice chicken I have had in Vietnam was made by a street food vendor in the port town of Hoi An in the central region. The vendor used a spice mix of freshly toasted star anise and turmeric. When she grilled the chicken, the whole neighborhood was perfumed with the most enticing fragrance. This is my version of that dish.

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Marinade

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 tablespoon sea salt

4 whole star anise, lightly toasted in a dry pan for 3 minutes, pounded or ground into a fine powder

1/2 cup Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce (See recipe below)

1 Whole Chicken, cut up; or 4 bnls sknls Chicken breasts

Marinate the chicken for 1 to 2 hours

Grill with woodsmoke

(I used Hickory and a little bit of Mesquite for stronger smoke flavor)

Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce

Nuoc Tuong Pha
This vegetarian dipping sauce can be made with any soy sauce, including the Japanese-style Kikkoman, although the Vietnamese prefer the lighter-bodied Chinese-style products marketed under the brands Kim Lan, Bo De, and Pearl River Bridge. Like dipping sauces made with fish sauce, you can embellish this with different aromatics such as ginger and cilantro.

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

1 clove garlic

2 fresh Thai bird chilies

(Note: I substituted 1/2 jalpano chili because that is what was on hand)

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce, preferably Chinese style

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice with pulp

1/4 cup water, or to taste

1. Place the garlic, chilies and sugar in a mortar and pound into a paste.

(You can also chop the garlic and chilies by hand, or use a small food processor.)

Transfer to a small bowl and add the soy sauce, lime juice and water. Stir until well blended.

This sauce will keep up to 3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator in a tight-lidded jar.
Source Information

Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table

HarperCollins

Asian Broccoli Stir Fry

This broccoli goes great with Five Spice Chicken.
Ingredients:

· 1 bunch broccoli - cut into florets, stem peeled and chopped

White mushrooms, sliced (optional, pictured above)

· 1 Tbs oil
· 2 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
· 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

· 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
· 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
· 2 teaspoons sesame oil
· 1 teaspoon equivalent artificial sweetener

· 3 Tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Note: this was a bit sweet for us... I will leave out the sweetner next time. Also, I added the almonds to the stir fry so they would take on some of the flavor of the stir fry sauce.

Preparation:
1) Lightly steam broccoli,

2) While that is happening, if the almonds aren't toasted, you can do that in the skillet you're going to use for the broccoli - either in a dry pan or a small amount of oil.

3) Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, and sweetener.

4) Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.

5) Stir-fry the broccoli and mushrooms in hot oil for 1-2 minutes, until almost tender.

Push to the edges of the pan.

6) Put ginger and garlic in the center of the pan (add a little more oil if need be), and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.

7) Put sauce in the pan, and toss all ingredients together. Top with almonds.

Chicken Cherry roll Ups

I found this recipe and just had to modify it a tiny bit... the rub recommended in the recipe is salt, pepper and brown sugar... but I could see that would leave this dish way too sweet for our taste. I used a spicier rub instead...

Chicken Cherry roll-ups

4 oz Cream Cheese (1/2 bar)

1/3 C snipped Dried Tart Red Cherries

3 tbs or so chopped green onion

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

Fresh Ground Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Your favorite bbq spice rub for chicken that has a kick

For the Filling

combine Cream Cheese, cherries and Green Onion

Set aside

Pound chicken breasts flat between plastic wrap

Season with salt, pepper, and spicy rub

spread filling on breasts and roll up, securing with toothpicks.

For Sauce to go over the chicken:

Grate 1 tbs orange peel

1/4 cup of the juice from that orange

1/4 cup cherry preserves

The rest of the orange you just squoze... coarse chopped

1 Clove Garlic

Fresh Ground pepper and salt to taste

in a small pan heat the juice and the preserves, garlic pepper and salt till just simmering

Remove from heat and stir in orange zest, and the rest of the orange...

Grill on medium, indirect heat with a drip pan under chicken for about 25 minutes. I used a combination of hickory and mesquite because I wanted a little stronger smoke flavor on this one.

This was really good, and the heat from the spice balanced out the sweet really well... combined with the nice smoke flavor I already have a request for a repeat...

Note: We found out the next day that these make FANTASTIC little appetizers sliced cold...

Marinated Chicken with Goat Cheese/Red Pepper sauce

My wife gave this meal 2 thumbs up (or is that 2 snaps and a circle?)

Salad :

Romaine, spinach, fresh basil leaves tooped with white mushrooms, red onion, marinated cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, (*optional, I used 1/2 tsp), 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup tablespoons olive oil

Okay, for this one, marinate the chicken (breasts or thighs) in a mixture of 1/4 c balsamic, 2 tbs Olive oil, 1 tbs fresh rosemary, and 2 cloves garlic minced. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, cover the chx in plastic wrap and pound out flat (maybe 1/2"?) Place in sealed plastic bag to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

When ready, grill the chicken over medium heat for 10 minutes or so... I used hickory wood for this one and it worked really well. (Source: Better Homes and Gardens "New Grilling book")

While that is marinating, make the goat cheese pepper sauce:

1/4 C store bought roasted red sweet peppers

Reserve about 1tsp of the liquid in the jar

In a food processor combine

the peppers,

about 4 oz. soft goat cheese

1 tsp fresh rosemary.

Process until reasonably smooth.

(Source: Better Homes and Gardens "New Grilling book")

The potatoes are really easy.

Dice em up.

Put em in a bowl.

Add some olive oil, Herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic.

Mix it around and dump it on a non-stick baking sheet at 425 for about 20 minutes or until done to your preference of browning.