Greek Chicken Kabobs

Hi friends! I know, it's been a while, but I had to share this recipe. I didn't use to be a kabob lover because it seemed that my chicken would be undercooked and my vegetables would be overcooked. But now that I have figured out the right sizes of everything when cutting, I am sold on the kabob train. 

These Greek Chicken Kabobs are quickly becoming a family favorite. We have made these many times and had them with guests and they are a pleaser for sure. I paired these kabobs up with a yummy Mediterranian Quinoa Salad, which I will post about as well. The kabobs are full of bright citrus flavor and, when cooked right, super tender and juicy!

2 chicken breasts

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1 TBSP balsamic vinegar

2 tsp greek seasoning

5 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 red pepper

1/4 red onion, 2 really big thick slices

skewers

1- Prepare the chicken by pounding it to an even thickness all the way around. When even, cut into 1 inch by 1-inch pieces.

2- Combine the greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, zest, balsamic vinegar, greek seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small mixing bowl.

3- Combine chicken pieces and marinade in a ziplock bag. Massage marinade all over chicken pieces to ensure good coverage and let sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours (massage bag every few hours). 

4- Cut pepper and red onion into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces. 

5- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and start threading meat, peppers, and onion onto skewers. 

6- Heat grill to 400°F. When heated, add skewers and grill roughly 4 minutes per side or until chicken pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165° and vegetables are tender but still crisp.

**Randi's Side Notes**

~If you use wooden skewers make sure that you soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before putting them on the grill. This will help to prevent them from lighting on fire. 

~Cooking time may vary depending on how thick your chicken and vegetable pieces are. Use your best judgment. 

Smoked Pulled Pork

My husband and I have started to jump on the food smoking bandwagon. I am so excited that the weather here has started to warm up enough that our cute little electric smoker can keep the temperature level. There are all sorts of different types of smokers out there, so when reading recipes make sure that you modify it to your specific smokers needs.
This recipe has quickly become our families favorite thing to smoke. We have made it many times for multiple people now and every time gets the same reaction of ,"Oh....OHHHHHH. That is AMAZING." So needless to say it is blog worthy and making its way on.
This recipe begins with brining the meat to make it nice and tender and add more flavor. This does add some time to the process but it is well worth the wait. I usually get my meat in the brine in the morning, the day before I plan to cook it, but that will depend on whether you want it to be done just before dinner and get up really early to get it in, or if you decide to smoke it overnight and then just re-heat when you want it. Hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as we have.

Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki

I love gyros. Love love love them. We used to have a great little Greek/Mediterranean food place that we would go to all the time when we lived down in Phoenix and they had the BEST food ever. Just thinking about it makes me salivate.
Needless to say I have been craving some gyros lately but I'm way to cheap to buy lamb (which is what we always ordered at that restaurant) so when making it myself  I always opt to use this chicken gyros recipe. It is so good. I have also included a fantastic Tzatziki sauce recipe that goes wonderfully with it.
 I like to add some fresh red onion, tomatoes and sumac and served them on homemade Pita bread.
I also like to pair this up with my favorite Lemon Butter Rice as a side.

Carne Asada Fries

GUYS!!!! Oh man. I had this baby last night and had to jump on today to share it with you. The marinade on this steak is amazing and paired with the guac and fries just takes it over the edge.
One thing I have decided lately is that everything is better served on top of fries. We went to a little mom and pop sandwich place a couple weeks ago and they suggested that we try the fillings on top of fries instead of in the sandwich buns and holy smokes. It was so much better, and we all know how much I loves me some bread! So for me to say it was better on fries is saying a lot.
This recipe is simple, fast, and screams Southern California lovin. One thing I miss about living there is the amazing carne asada you could pick up pretty much everywhere. I'm here to tell ya that this is a great recipe if you want to get that So Cal vibe in your home for a meal. It won't let you down.

Grilled Chicken Tacos

Simple meals are my favorite. I have been on a simple meals kick lately and been loving not spending quite as much time in the kitchen. This recipe is no joke. I have made it quite a few times for people and every time I run out of food because everybody keeps going back for more...and more. The ingredients are simple, light, and refreshing and really remind me of Southern California. The thing I like best about this taco recipe is the salad you put on top of it. It adds all the flavor and adds freshness. This meal comes together in under 30-40 minutes which is a huge bonus for those weeknights where you just don't have much energy. ENJOY!

Grilled Chicken Marinade

I love summer. The best part about summer, for me, is using the grill. There is just something about standing at the grill and listening to your food cook that is so beyond satisfying. I'm not gonna lie, whenever I see one of my neighbors grilling, I get a bit envious of whatever they are preparing because it always smells amazing. What is it about getting that char on a piece of meat that makes it mouthwatering?
When we grill at our house we like to keep it simple. Grilled fresh vegetables and some kind of marinated meat.
I came across this amazing chicken marinade when I was trying to accommodate different food allergies/intolerances for a family reunion. Testing out new recipes on a lot of people is always a little nerve wracking, but this one paid off big time.
If you are looking for a really easy to put together marinade to go on your chicken for your next barbecue, this is the one. The one that is going to have everybody asking for the recipe, and the one that has everybody coming back for more.

Grilled Pork Chops

As summer is drawing to a close I thought I would share my new favorite pork chop recipe. Summer food to me means grilled meat, fresh salads, veggies, and of course watermelon. This pork chop recipe is fantastic. Pretty much anything grilled is fantastic but the spice mixture on these chops is bomb (or bomb to the wigwam as my husband would say it). As soon as you get these babies on the grill the air is filled with the most amazing smell, I literally had to stop myself from smelling the marinade bag (kinda weird, don't judge). I like this recipe because it has a good balance of flavors from sweet to spicy.
*When I make it I don't add quite as much of the chili powder (I only do 1 tsp.) because my kids don't like spicy food. This still gives it a tiny bit of heat, but not to much for kids.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Guac

One thing that I have learned while doing the Anti-Inflammatory diet is that chicken becomes your new best friend and your worst enemy.
What's for dinner? Chicken. What did you eat for lunch? Chicken. What are you making for breakfast? Probably chicken.  But I am actually okay with it because chicken is so versatile. My favorite recipes are always going to involve some form of Mexican flare to them. There is just something about adding cilantro and avocado to a recipe that makes my taste buds jump with joy.
This recipe is fantastic. Letting the chicken marinade in all the yummy goodness and topping it with this awesome guacamole really make me happy. I paired mine up with some black beans and cilantro and lime cauliflower rice (recipes to follow).

Glazed Ham

I probably should have posted this recipe before Easter but for some reason I thought I had posted about it years ago. Hopefully some of you bought hams on clearance and will now be able to use this recipe next time.
I love ham. We have a small family but I still buy a huge ham every Easter season so that I can make all the yummy leftover ham recipes. I usually just buy the spiral cut hams that have that yummy glaze with them, but sometimes I opt to buy the cheaper non spiral cut ones and make my own glaze. THIS ladies and gents is a keeper of a glaze. It's sweet and has the perfect flavors that pair nicely with the ham.

Carne Asada

I realize this picture isn't the best of quality but my camera on my phone was all I had around when I made these the other night.
I could eat beef tacos every day of the week. While living in Southern California and working at the mall I grew accustomed to being able to have fantastic carne asada tacos whenever my little heart desired.
Since we are still fairly new to Arizona I haven't found a place yet that sells fantastic tacos for a good price so I had to resort to making my own. This recipe is fantastic. Its nice and zingy from all the citrus you put in the marinade but has all the wonderful classic flavors of a true Mexican taco. I served mine up on a white corn tortilla with some fresh made Pico De Gallo and avocado.

Greek Marinated Chicken

What a great morning! I love Mondays. You may think that I am being sarcastic, but really, I do LOVE Mondays! Its the start of a fresh new week with no procrastinating, no tantrums, no missed chores, nothing! Mondays are usually the days that I end up getting the most done. So here is your motivation for the day! GET UP! Okay, read and print this recipe first, comment, and then get up!
I have been wanting to make this recipe for a long time. I have come across it on Pinterest quite a few times and finally I had all the ingredients on hand so I made it. Boy am I glad I did. Man, that marinade is so bright. Its lemony and herby...mmmm. Not to mention that its super easy. I know I have had a bunch of good chicken recipes on here as of late, and it doesn't seem like I post much else, but honestly I can't help it that all the great sounding recipes are chicken. One reason that I use chicken a lot is because it is so easy to live on a $45-$50 a week food budget. Anyway, give this recipe a try. I served mine up with some yummy quinoa and roasted broccoli.

Grilled Asian Chicken Salad

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew that I had to give it a try. I don't know if it was because it looked so good or if it was because the person who had pinned it said that this recipe alone had like 20,000 views or something to that effect. Either way my interests were peeked.
Im glad that I did try it. This salad is so light and refreshing but the dressing is packed with so much flavor that you really don't need anything to go along with it. Even if you don't like salads, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you at least give the dressing a try because it is FANTASTIC!
This is a typical Asian salad, where it doesn't have lettuce but is full of cabbage and carrots instead. (Yes in case you were wondering my nails have been orange for a day now after shredding them on the cheese grater!)
This salad makes a great main dish and can stand all on its own just fine or if you are really hungry and a go getter for meals, then it would make a great appetizer. Oh and I am totally making this for the next Asian Inspired Potluck we have!

Honey Mustard Drumsticks

I have really been on a chicken kick lately. But honestly I don't really ever get sick of chicken. Its so versatile. Not only do you have a few different choices on what kind of chicken you want but you choose how it gets cooked. Grill it? Maybe. Roast it? Maybe. Fry it? Maybe. Not only is cooking it super versatile but so is whatever you pair it with. You can marinade a billion different ways, or mix with a billion different ingredients and it can come out different every time!
This week I have been on a grilling kick so most of my chicken and veggies have been grilled. I love how the grill adds that extra bit of mmm mmm to the outside of the chicken (yes Im talking about that burned chard part) while leaving the inside super moist! This recipe was fantastic. Its a honey mustard marinade and sticks to the skin and flavors the chicken so much! Give it a try!

Jap Chicken

Can you ever have to many ways of cooking chicken? I think not.
I love Asian food. This is a recipe that my mom used to make when we would have a big group of people over. She usually would just do it as chicken wings for appetizers but it also work just as good for a main entree. You soak the chicken overnight to really develop that Asian goodness flavor into the chicken. Cook it low and slow and it comes out so unbelievably juicy!

Dad's Texas BBQ

Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm. I love BBQ season! And now that I live in the great state of Arizona, its ALWAYS BBQ season! This makes my tummy very happy :)
This BBQ sauce recipe is one that I grew up on. It's one that my dad always used whenever he would do up some ribs. In my opinion I think it would be good on any kind of meat, but you can never go wrong with it when its on some fantastic ribs...
(Yes I did just have to wipe a little drool off my chin...)
If you don't use all of the sauce it can save in the fridge for at least a week, depending on how you store it.
For me, this recipe just brings back fond memories of dad at the grill, mom making some macaroni salad, and me bringing the dishes outside to eat with the family on the deck!

Emerald Chicken

Oh man! I have been waiting to try out this recipe. If you haven't been to the hole in the wall restaurant Chino Bandido, you need to. It is the weirdest combination of Mexican and Chinese fusion food I have ever had and it is FANTASTIC! We stopped there the other night and ordered a large assortment of different meats in many combinations but my favorite was their Emerald Chicken.
Now the chicken alone was nothing great, in fact it really wasn't even that good BUT they had this relishy sauce that they put on top of it that completely changes the flavor and knocks it out of the ball park! I recently made this relish(?I guess thats what I will call it?) to go on top of some of my roasted chicken breasts and it was BOMB! The simplicity of it is unbelievable and is full of flavor. But you will have to check out the ingredients to see just how simple this thing is! But I'm telling you...this one...is one you NEED to try!

Lime, Coconut, Curry Chicken

Yes. You take the Lime and the Coconut and stir it all up.  I know you were thinking it, and frankly I was singing it as I typed it.
This is a fantastic marinade for chicken. At first I was a little skeptical because it marinades in coconut milk but I'll tell you what...Its like chicken curry without all the soupy mess! Grill it, fry it, bake it, who cares. Just cook it and get that jazzy bit of song in your belly! I bet you money that while you are zesting your lime and have that can of coconut milk sitting next to it, you will be humming that tune just like me. (Okay I won't actually bet you money because frankly I always lose bets and don't really feel like dishing out a bunch of money to people I don't even know)
Top it off with some fresh squeezed lime juice and cilantro and you've got yourself a tangy delicious bit of chicken!

Triple Citrus Chicken Marinade

Happy Monday All! I love Mondays. People always think that I am crazy when I say that or that I am joking. But I really do love Mondays. Its a brand new start to a week. There are no mistakes in it yet. For example...
Didn't eat to healthy over the weekend? That's okay start again on Monday.
Didn't exercise as good as you wanted to? That's okay, start again on Monday.
Your house is a disaster from playing all weekend? That's okay you have a whole week to get it clean before its a disaster again!
My list of "oopsies" and "oh wells" could go on for miles but you get the picture.
So here is a recipe that fits into a few of those "I will start again on Monday" sayings. Its healthy, its simple, its easy, its fresh, and clean up is a breeze. The best part of grilling food to me is that usually there is no clean up, the food always taste fabulous, and it keeps the heat out of the house (now that I am living in Arizona that is always a plus when cooking now)
This chicken is great alone, or I would think it would be fantastic chopped up and put on a salad with some fresh orange segments and a cilantro lime dressing..mmmm. I personally served mine up with a side of grilled corn on the cob and some grilled zucchini.

Teriyaki Salmon with Hot sauce

I came across this recipe while on Pinterest the other day and it looked amazing. I know I already have a lot of Salmon recipes but can you really have to many? I think not. The homemade teriyaki sauce is fantastic in itself, but add in the hot sauce you put on the top and it takes the Salmon to a whole new level. The sauce reminds me of the Sumo Sauce at the Happy Sumo, or the spicy sauce they put on top of some sushi.
This is one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon because I love the flavor combinations.

Grilled London Broil

OH MY GOODNESS!!! So anybody who knows me knows that I LOVE me some London Broil. I came across this marinade recipe for one the other day and HAD to try it. Let me tell you....holy heavenly!! I would have eaten the entire roast if Sam would have let me. Enjoy!