Tag: BBQ

Dinners

Recipe—Mexican Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Diva di Cucina

The 110º day in Sacramento a couple of weeks ago was a brutal reminder that the summer heat is in full swing! During the hot days I avoid using the oven whenever I can. I’d much rather send the hubby outside to operate the grill allowing me to enjoy a lazy evening. This is a quick and easy, flavor packed, and super refreshing salmon recipe, perfect for these warm summer nights. The salmon is seasoned with some of my favorite Mexican spices giving it a nice little oomph and the avocado salsa is cool and refreshing making this a perfectly balanced dish. It is light in calories and carbs, perfect for anyone looking for a great tasting and healthy meal.

FISH INGREDIENTS
2 lbs salmon filets
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper

AVOCADO SALSA INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
2 limes
1 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, deseeded, deveined, and chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, deseeded, deveined, and chopped
1/4 yellow bell pepper, deseeded, deveined, and chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

STEPS

  • Pat the salmon dry and rub the meat side of the fish with the olive oil.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, onion powder, and pepper.
  • Season the meat side of the filet with seasoning mix and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • While the salmon is chilling make the avocado salsa by whisking together 3 tablespoons of olive oil, juice from 2 limes, and salt in a small bowl
  • Combine the avocado, red onion, peppers, and cilantro in a medium bowl and pour the juice mixture over the salsa and gently stir to combine.
  • Refrigerate avocado salsa until ready to serve.
  • Preheat the grill to 325º.
  • Grill the salmon for about 4–6 minutes per side or until desired doneness.
  • Transfer the salmon to a cutting board and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Place the salmon steaks on plates and top with the avocado salsa.

Recipe adapted from Laylita’s Recipes. 

Appetizers

Recipe—Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Ball

Diva di Cucina

I have always loved the idea of cheese balls, but have been turned off by the fake processed taste of the premade ones you get at the store. Well cheese balls seem to be redeeming themselves with all the creative gourmet versions popping up all over the place. I recently threw my husband a little birthday bbq and wanted an appetizer that could be prepared ahead of time and then just set out once the party started. When I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew it was exactly what I was looking for! My husband loves bacon, and of course loves the spice of jalapeños. (Don’t all men? Okay I guess vegetarians may be repulsed by the bacon but there are substitutes for that.) Once I had the bacon cooked and the jalapeños chopped this recipe came together in about 5 minutes. It was super quick and easy. A perfect recipe for any social events you may have coming up. By the end of the night I had several people asking for the recipe, which, in my mind, is a very good sign.

Note: This can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

INGREDIENTS
8 oz cream cheese
3/4 c cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp green onions, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 jalapeños, deseeded, deveined, and finely chopped, divided
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
1/4 c pecans, chopped

STEPS

  • In a medium mixing bowl stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Fold in half of the chopped jalapeños and half of the crumbled bacon until well blended.
  • On a large plate combine the remaining jalapeños, remaining bacon, and the pecans and mix together.
  • Using your hands shape the cream cheese mixture into a large even ball.
  • Once you have formed the ball roll it in the pecan mixture until it is evenly coated.
  • Place the finished cheese ball on a plate and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
  • Serve with your favorite crackers.

Recipe adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures.

Salads

Recipe—Potato Salad

Diva di Cucina

The weather is warming up which means one thing—BBQs! No BBQ is complete without a big bowl of potato salad. It’s just un-American! Whenever we have a BBQ and my friend Casey asks what she can bring I say potato salad.  I don’t know what it is that she does, but it is amazing! By far the best ever! While I don’t have her recipe I have tried endlessly to recreate it. I think this batch is my closest ever! It turned out so good. I ended up using equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise and it was just the right balance of creaminess, not overly oily like some of the store bought ones. And I added bacon. Bacon makes everything good. Next time you are looking for a classic American side dish give this recipe a try.

Note: This salad can be made 24 hours in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. 

INGREDIENTS
5–6 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2” pieces (I like to leave the skin on a couple of potatoes)
3/4 c mayonnaise
3/4 c sour cream
2 tbsp mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed
4 hardboiled eggs, chopped
red bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2.25 oz can sliced black olives
paprika

STEPS

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  • Add the diced potatoes and cook for 7–10 minutes or until fork tender.
  • While the potatoes are boiling mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
  • When the potatoes are done cooking drain them in a colander and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add the hardboiled eggs, bell pepper, celery, green onions, bacon, and olives. (I like to save some of the green onions, bacon, and olives to add to the top of the salad for garnish.)
  • Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to coat.
  • Sprinkle with some paprika and garnish with the green onions, bacon, and olives if you saved any.
  • Cover with a lid or saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Side Dishes

Recipe—Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob

Diva di Cucina

When planning out dinner menus I find it challenging to come up with Mexican side dishes beyond the typical beans and rice. And besides, when I am watching my carbs beans and rice just don’t work for me. I stumbled upon a recipe for Mexican grilled corn on Pinterest a few months back and have been meaning to try it. Boy am I happy I did! It was delicious! And by delicious I mean, the best corn on the cob I have ever eaten. While I normally just cover my ear of corn with butter and salt this was a welcomed change. The sour cream gave the corn a nice creaminess and the flavors of the smoky chili powder and zest of lime really fired up my taste buds. Sour cream has less than a third of the calories that butter does, so this corn not only tasted awesome, but it is also way healthy! Low calorie, low carb, and tastes amazing! Win, win, and win!

Note: If you want to try this recipe but don’t feel like firing up the grill, you can boil the corn. To boil corn, place the shucked corncobs in a large pot of boiling water and cover it. Cook for 4–6 minutes. Remove the corn from the water with tongs and continue seasoning by following the last 3 steps.

INGREDIENTS
4 ears of corn
1/2 c sour cream
chili powder
salt
pepper
4 lime wedges

STEPS

  • Cut of both ends of the corn so that the cob is exposed on one end and most of the stalk cut gone from the other, leaving the husk on.
  • Fill your sink or a large pot with water.
  • Soak the corn in the water for 15 minutes. (This allows some water to get inside so that the corn steams while on the hot grill, and also makes the husks wet so that they don’t catch fire.)
  • While the corn is soaking, preheat the grille to 350º.
  • Remove the corn from the water and shake off most of the moisture.
  • Cook the corn over direct heat for 15–20 minutes, making sure to turn every 5 minutes.
  • Remove the corn from the grille.
  • Carefully shuck the corn, remove all of the husks and corn silk. (I use an oven mitt to grasp one end to keep from burning my hands.)
  • Using your fingers or a butter knife spread a thin layer of sour cream all over the entire cob.
  • Sprinkle the corncob with the chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Spritz with fresh squeezed limejuice.
  • Devour!

Recipe adapted from Ezra Pound Cake.

Salads, Side Dishes

Recipe—Kohlrabi Dill Coleslaw

Diva di Cucina

A couple of weeks ago in my produce box I got a green turnip like item that had leafy greens coming out of the top and sides. I thought what on earth is this funny looking vegetable. Turns out it was kohlrabi and that I love it!

Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family and it looks like a light green turnip. It is crisp like an apple and has a bit of a bite to it like a radish but a mild sweetness to it similar to a coconut. I would like to say kohlrabi is delicious and I am hooked on it! I am forever a fan of this fabulous vegetable. It makes the greatest coleslaw ever!

My husband is not a huge fan of coleslaw or dill and when he ate this, the exact words out of his mouth were, “Oh my god babe, this is so good.” We both went back for seconds.This is not overly sweet like many typical types of coleslaw so it was the perfect low-carb complement to the sweet bbq sauce I used on my ribs. It was nice and crunchy and the bit of dill gave it a wonderful freshness. Kohlrabi dill coleslaw will be a regular summer side dish in our house from here on out!

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp very finely chopped onions
1/3 c sour cream
1/3 c mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
2 kohlrabi, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated

STEPS

  • In a large bowl whisk together onions, sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, dill, parsley, salt and pepper.
  • Mix in shredded kohlrabi and carrots.
Salads, Side Dishes

Recipe—Classic Macaroni Salad

Diva di Cucina

Who doesn’t love good ol’ fashioned macaroni salad? It is a staple at summer bbqs and is the ultimate in summertime comfort food. With 4th of July right around the corner I thought that this would be a fabulous recipe to share. This macaroni salad is so basic and easy but it is still out of this world. It has just the right amount of creaminess. There is something about the way the vinegar breaks down the mayonnaise that makes it just right. The veggies give the salad the perfect amount of crunch to complement the soft noodles. I could seriously eat this stuff every day. It’s one item that I don’t think I could ever get sick of. This is a recipe that will suit everyone at your next gathering. Be sure to try this before summer ends. I have a feeling you will be happy you did.

Note: Be sure not to overcook your pasta or your salad will turn to complete mush. Once your pasta is cooked al dente, drain it in a colander and run cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking and cool it down quickly. When you add the dressing it may seem too saucy but don’t fret. The pasta will end up soaking up quite a bit of the moisture once it chills in the fridge. Another important reason you don’t want your pasta overcooked. If it seems dry the next day just stir in some additional mayonnaise. 

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 c mayonnaise
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb macaroni, cooked and drained
1 c celery, sliced
1/2 c green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c green onion, chopped
1/2 c sliced black olives

STEPS

  • Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to make your creamy dressing.
  • Pour dressing over cooked noodles and stir in all remaining ingredients. (I like to leave out a few black olives and green onions to garnish the top of the salad with.)
  • Cover and chill until ready to eat.
Dinners, Sandwiches

Recipe—Crock-Pot Pale Ale BBQ Chicken Sandos

Diva di Cucina

It can be hard finding recipes for the crock-pot that are appealing during the warm summer months. Most of my crock-pot recipes are really rich comfort foods that I think of more as cool weather food. Well here is a perfect recipe to try out this summer. Not only will your house stay cooler not having the oven on, but it also allows you to enjoy more time to play outside since dinner will be a breeze! While these were great as they were, I think next time I might melt some cheddar cheese over the top just to finish them off. Yummmm! Be sure to have lots of napkins on hand because these saucy sandos are sure to get messy.

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 c of your favorite bbq sauce
8 oz of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
sandwich rolls (I used small ones to make sliders)

STEPS

  • Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper.
  • Mix the bbq sauce and beer in the crock-pot.
  • Add in the chicken.
  • Cook on high heat for 3–4 hours or on low heat for 7–8.
  • Remove the chicken from crock-pot and place on cutting board.
  • Using a fork, shred the chicken and toss back into the crock-pot.
  • Allow chicken to sit in sauce for an additional 20–30 minutes to soak up some extra flavor.
  • Place the saucy meat on a roll and enjoy!
Dinners

Recipe—BBQ Bacon Wrapped Pork Chop with Grilled Onions

Diva di Cucina

So the other day I realized that I had yet to post any grilling recipes. What have I been thinking!?! A good amount of the protein prepared in our household is done on our grill thanks to my hubby. Well to make up for a lack of bbq recipes I will give you one of my favorites. These pork chops wrapped in bacon are sure to get your taste buds going and are relatively easy to prepare. The two pork elements truly complement one another both flavor wise and visually. That delicious salty pig topped with the grilled onions saturated in bbq sauce, oohhhhh it is just so good! The bacon really helps to trap in all the juices so you end up with a moist and tender pork chop. Just be sure not to overcook them as pork chops can dry out quickly. This truly is a great grilling recipe to kick start the summer. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
8 strips thick sliced bacon
4 boneless pork loin chops, at least 1” thick
2 tsp McCormick Grill Mates bbq seasoning
1 c of your favorite bbq sauce  (I love Tony Roma’s Original with this recipe)
1 yellow onion
olive oil
salt and pepper

STEPS

  • Wrap one edge of the pork chop with a strip of bacon and then wrap the other edge with a second piece so that the ends overlap.
  • Using a toothpick, secure the bacon where it overlaps by stabbing the toothpick through the bacon and into the chop.
  • Season both sides of the pork chop with bbq seasoning and then drizzle with half of the bbq sauce.
  • Preheat grill to 400º while meat marinades.
  • Cut your onion into 1/4” thick slices.
  • Using toothpicks spear each onion slice going through the layers. This will help keep the onion from falling apart on the grill.
  • Drizzle onion slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Grill pork chops and onions over direct heat for 10 minutes turning once.
  • Transfer the grilled onions to a large sheet of heavy foil and remove the toothpicks.
  • Top onions with remaining bbq sauce and fold the foil like an envelope leaving some air inside.
  • Place foil envelope on the grill and continue to cook it and the pork for an additional 10 minutes turning once more. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145º and onions should be nice and tender.
  • Remove toothpicks from pork chops and top with the grilled onions.

Appetizers

Recipe—Western Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

Diva di Cucina

Recipe—Western Bacon Poppers

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend I thought I would share one of my favorite finger food recipes. There are many variations of jalapeño poppers out there, but these are my favorite. They are absolutely evil and they are sure to start your Super Bowl party off with a bang. These are perfect balance of spicy, salty, and tangy. Make three times more than you think you will need, just trust me on that. Most people end up inhaling several. They really are that good.

Note: Poppers can be prepared a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge right before cooking if needed. These can also be finished off on the bbq instead of the oven to give them a nice smoky flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
5 jalapeños, seeded and deveined based on desired heat
5 slices (about 1/4” thick) of cheddar cheese cut in half lengthwise
5 slices of bacon cut in half
1/4 c of your favorite bbq sauce

STEPS:

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Place bacon in a large pyrex dish so that the slices do not overlap.
  • Pre-cook the bacon in the oven for 8 minutes flipping once halfway through. You do not want the pieces to be overcooked. They should still be partially raw and flexible so that you can easily wrap the slices around the poppers.
  • While the bacon is cooking, place a block of cheddar cheese in each jalapeño half. You may need to cut the cheddar block slightly shorter to fit within the pepper’s cavity. The pepper will fill in with the cheese once melted.
  • When all of the jalapeños are filled, and the bacon has cooled, wrap the half slice of bacon around each jalapeño. Secure the bacon with a toothpick if necessary.
  • Place wrapped poppers on a baking sheet and dab with bbq sauce.
  • Cook in the oven for 10–14 minutes or until bacon looks cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly. If you want to give the bacon a little extra crisp turn on the broiler for a minute before removing from the oven.
  • Dab with additional bbq sauce before serving.