Chicken and Tomato Skewers

The prepared skewers ready for the grill

On Friday evening, we made Chicken and Tomato Skewers.  This is a recipe Mark's mom made often when he was growing up.  The recipe is in some old Chicken recipe book that Mark's mom has long since thrown out.  The recipe calls for chicken and tomatoes only.  However, we "dress" them up with both bell peppers and onions (Vidalia onions on this night!).  The dish is extremely easy.  The chicken marinade sauce is only 3 ingredients:  tomato sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce .  You mix the three ingredients and throw the chicken in (after cutting it into squares).  Then, thread skewers with chicken and veggies.  The recipe suggests cooking the skewers under the broiler, but we feel that they are tastier on the grill.  Friday was less humid here in NC, so we fired up the charcoal and threw them on the grill.  They are a great summer dish.


Perfectly grilled and ready to eat!

Chicken Fajita Night

#FNMag @FoodNetwork It's Mexican dinner night with Chicken Fajitas on the menu.  While we have made these before using easy seasoning packs, this recipe comes from the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine and was just as easy, but tastier and quite a bit healthier.  A simple mix of red onion, green peppers, garlic, lime, and chicken -- along with the staple spices of this dish -- come together in less than 30 minutes.  We topped ours with some sour cream and prepared a quick side of rice and beans.  This will be our new go-to recipe when looking for fajitas.  It beats the seasoning pack any day! 

Meatloaf

@Paula_Deen @FoodNetwork  Another icy night calls for another one of our go-to comfort foods -- home style meatloaf.  This past Friday was a true comfort food night.  The sleet started about noon and at 6 PM we realized we would not be headed anywhere until morning.  We have made Paula Deen's Old-Fashioned Meatloaf countless times and is one of our standbys.  A simple mix of ground beef, onions, peppers, oats, and tomatoes makes for a moist, delicious loaf each time.  

A quick side salad, veggie, and a glass of wine (or two) made for a great way to start our night in.  (For the two of us, there are always plenty of leftovers for, say, meatloaf sandwiches the next day.)

You can find the recipe here -- our only suggestion would be to consider doubling the ketchup-based topping.  Ketchup as an accompaniment works fine, too.

 

Greek Dinner

Tonight we tried a new recipe from @FoodNetwork #FNMag -- Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers and Big Greek Salad.  Featured in the Jan/Feb 2013 edition in the Weekend Cooking section, this is certainly a meal that requires some time, but is well worth the effort.  A twist on the traditional stuffed peppers, this recipe combines a lean, heart healthy meal that combines the traditional flavors with a Greek twist.  We are huge fans of feta, which plays a critical and tasteful role in the recipe.  Complimented by some fresh dill and parsley, the otherwise bland turkey takes on an amazing flavor.  The peppers absorb the tomato based sauce - a simple mix of tomato puree, water, and brown sugar - both during cooking and in the pool that the finished peppers rest in.

The Big Greek Salad is a take on the traditional with a nice homemade dressing that combines red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and EVOO.  We chose to add some feta and beets to add to the traditional Greek classic. 

Get ready for a continuous cycle of dishes during the 2+ hour cooking period.  Also, we might suggest a bottle of wine to make this time fly (for us a bottle of Childress Barrel Select 2008 Merlot).  We certainly recommend giving these dishes a try if you are looking for a colorful twist on the traditional salad and stuffed peppers.  


Pepping the peppers - pretty colors!!

The peppers simmering in their tomato-based sauce (about 50 minutes) 

Our Greek dinner - stuffed peppers, Greek salad, and a nice glass of wine!